View the issue here. - The Gordon School

TEACHER RESIDENCY PROGRAMGordon welcomed six graduate students tothe first Teacher Residency cohort in May 2010.They immersed themselves in their courseworktaking classes taught by several of Gordon’sfaculty including the Psychology of Learning,taught by Dr. Kim Ridley and the Foundationsof Education: Perspectives of Social Justicetaught by Program Director Lynn Bowman andHead of School Ralph Wales.During the summer, the residents worked withmentors in a summer enrichment program forEnglish Language Learners sponsored by theProvidence Public School system. They alsodeveloped and implemented science lessonsat the Save the Bay summer camp under theguidance of Gordon science teachers BlinnDorsey and Jacqui Ketner.This fall, the first residency cohort enteredGordon’s classrooms and worked alongsidetheir assigned cooperating teacher for theentire semester. In January, the residents hadthe opportunity to intern with master teachersat Paul Cuffee Charter School in Providence.The residents are now in their final placementat Gordon and are assigned to a new classroomand cooperating teacher. Their practical teachingexperiences continued to be supported byrigorous coursework of understanding standardsbasedmathematics, literacy, multiculturalchildren’s literature, art and a seminar taughtby Gordon’s faculty. This inaugural class of sixresidents will graduate in May with an M.A.T.in Elementary Education from Roger WilliamsUniversity and a Rhode Island teacher certificationin grades first through sixth grade.Lynn Bowman, Director of the TeacherResidency Program recently reflected on theimpact of the program.This first year has been very exciting. Ourexpectations on the benefit of the programto Gordon students and faculty have cometo fruition. Students have two adults in theirclassrooms that are focused on their learning;providing more individualized attention andcreating exciting new lessons while bringingtheir own unique backgrounds and intereststo the classroom.We made great effort in preparing ourcommunity on embracing graduate studentsin our classrooms and school community.Because of this our residents were able tohave an easy transition entering our classroomsas a teaching partner.We also are so grateful for the response wehave received for next year’s cohort. We have75 inquiries and 30 applicants. We have beenconducting tours and interviewing candidates.An ideal size for a cohort is between 10-12students so we are well on our way to fillinganother class for next year.For more information on the Teacher ResidencyProgram please contact Kim Mongeon atkmongeon@gordonschool.org or Lynn Bowmanat lbowman@gordonschool.org.8