Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1470295
Paying It Forward Opportunities abound statewide to participate as a mentor teacher (in traditional student teaching programs as well as residency programs) and more are likely to come with the state's increased investment in teacher residency pro- grams. Current mentor teachers shared advice for fellow educators considering playing this important role in the lives of aspiring educators. " Think about all that you have under your belt and inside your heart, and how much it would mean to someone to receive that." —Scott Holm, Fresno Teachers Association " You learn as much from a resident teacher as they do from you. I've found that as I'm observing residents and giving feedback, it causes me to reflect on my own practice." —Lena Hwang, United Educators of San Francisco "Every experience I've had with my resident teacher has taught me a new tech skill or caused me to think deeply about my practice." —Maria Sanchez, United Educators of San Francisco "It pushes me to have good productive conversations and reminds me of the joy and excitement of having my first class." —Nick Hom, United Educators of San Francisco "It keeps me current and makes me question how I do things." —Emma Nalchajian, Fresno Teachers Association development in trauma-informed and restorative practices, and identity issues. Hwang says her resident teacher brings a sharp anti-racist lens to the classroom with a particular focus on newcomer students. "So many kids have gone through a lot of trauma and need additional supports," Hwang says. "My resident teachers have been able to make those connections." While the $350 million in funding from the state over the next five years will no doubt spur the development of new teacher residency programs, there are continued concerns about the necessity for dedicated funding. Jaramillo-Woo says there needs to be a financial commitment to sustain these valuable programs. "Without nancial support from the federal and state level, we can be the most passionate and driven educators possible, but the work will stop," she says. In February, the CTC announced it was funding 41 school di stricts in th e f irst round of Teach er Resi dency Capac- ity Grant s, w ith mo st re c eiv in g $250,000 (se e th e li st at tinyurl.com/teacherresidency). ese are important invest- ments to continue the kind of experience Hom had as a resident at SFUTR. "It was a place where we could talk about the challenges and joys of urban teaching. We could share stories and learn from each other," he says. "It has really formed who I am as a teacher right now." Mentor teacher Nick Hom, right, with his resident teacher Emily Lam. Sara Mokhtari Fox 25 J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 2 2