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Candidates to Nashville Teaching Fellows benefit from a streamlined, seven-step application and selection process and, if selected, will have the opportunity to participate in an intensive Training Institute in summer 2011 designed to prepare them to enter their classrooms as full-time teachers in fall 2011. Applications for the 2011 cohort will open on October 6, 2010.
STEP 1: READ THIS WEBSITE
Before you do anything else, we encourage you to read through the material on this website carefully and familiarize yourself with the details of the program. The website covers everything from the types of classrooms in which Fellows will teach to specific testing dates for required teaching exams. If you want more information, you may attend an information session.
STEP 2: CHECK YOUR ELIGIBILITY
Please be sure to thoroughly read the section on Eligibility as this is a critical piece of the application process. Only applications of eligible candidates will be reviewed. If you still have questions about your specific situation, please email us at info@nashvilleteachingfellows.org.
STEP 3: APPLY
The online application form, itself, as well as the resume and application question responses can be submitted electronically. Apply on October 6. Because of the competitive nature of Nashville Teaching Fellows and the limited number of spaces, we recommend that candidates apply early.
A complete application includes the following:
- Responses to Three Application Questions
- Resume
- Online Application Form
It is possible to begin an online application, save your work, and return at a later time to complete and submit your materials.
Application Questions
You will be asked to respond to three specific application questions. Candidates should address these three questions in 200 - 400 words each.
- Nearly all Fellows are placed in 'high-need' schools that are located in low-income communities. Why do you want to teach in a high-need school, and what experiences have prepared you for the challenges of teaching in a high-need school?
- The most important responsibility of a teacher is to ensure high academic achievement for all students. Explain how a skill or ability that you possess will help you ensure high academic achievement for all students and provide an example of how you have effectively demonstrated this skill or ability in the past.
- Briefly describe a time when you achieved a goal in the face of challenges or while balancing multiple responsibilities. What steps did you take to ensure you would meet your goal, and how will that experience contribute to your ability to be successful with your students?
Responses to these application questions provide information not captured elsewhere in the application. Responses are used to evaluate a candidate’s writing and critical thinking skills, and more important, to gain a sense of commitment to teaching students in Nashville’s high-need classrooms. This should not be a generic personal statement or cover letter, but should offer insight on why an individual is applying to teach and what (s)he has to offer. Generic cover letters will not be accepted. The application essay questions will be typed directly into the online application. If you want to begin working on your essay answers now, before our online application has opened, you can save them in an electronic document, then cut-and-paste when you apply online in October.
Resume
The resume should clearly outline a candidate’s work history in chronological order, including dates of employment and descriptions of responsibilities and accomplishments. In addition to providing employment information, the resume is the best way for candidates to highlight previous achievements - both academic and professional - along with any community involvement or volunteer experience. The resume should also highlight any teaching experience or student-related activities and ideally should be no more than one page in length.
The resume document should be created prior to applying online and uploaded when completing the online application. Please note: Only documents saved in Microsoft Word (.doc), or PDF format, can be accepted. We cannot accept documents in Microsoft Works, Word Perfect etc.
Application
The completed online application form requires your undergraduate GPA, as well as information about your undergraduate coursework. If you are granted an interview, it is based on material you provide in this application. Therefore, it is extremely important that all information is correct; all grades and coursework will be verified upon receipt of your transcripts on interview day.
Note that candidates with a cumulative GPA between 2.75 and 3.0 will have the opportunity to address any issues pertaining to their academic performance in the online application.
STEP 4: STUDY FOR THE PRAXIS II EXAMS
Fellows must register for, study for, and pass the appropriate Praxis II exam before the start of the summer Training Institute. Candidates invited to interview with the Teaching Fellows program will receive individualized guidance on the appropriate Praxis II exam with their invitation to interview, and are urged to register at that time for their exam(s). It is imperative that all candidates study thoroughly for these exams. The exams often prove difficult even for individuals with deep content knowledge or relevant professional experience. Review the Testing Requirements section of this website for more information.
STEP 5: REQUEST TRANSCRIPTS
If invited to interview, candidates will be required to bring at least one transcript, official or unofficial, from every college and/or university attended as part of their interview materials. Photocopies are acceptable at the time of the Interview Event. Please do not send or fax transcripts before the interview date.
If accepted into the program as a Fellow, candidates must submit four official (sealed) copies of their transcripts from each institution which they attended, prior to the start of the Summer Training Institute. Your participation is contingent upon receipt of official transcripts. Because it often takes universities several weeks to process requests for official transcripts, we recommend that you begin investigating how to order transcripts with your universities now.
Please note that we cannot return transcripts after they have been submitted, even if you are not admitted to the program.
If you attended a foreign university, please review the Eligibility section for information specific to candidates with foreign transcripts.
STEP 6: INTERVIEW (if invited)
Every application is reviewed for completeness, eligibility, and potential for success as a Fellow. You will receive notification of your application status within two weeks of our receipt of your complete application. All candidates should be prepared to interview in Nashville within two to three weeks of applying to the program. If invited to interview, the Interview Event will include a teaching sample, a dialogue with other candidates, and a personal interview. Please note that not all applicants will be invited to interview.
STEP 7: WAIT FOR A DECISION
After the interview, interviewees will be notified of their application status within approximately two weeks of the interview event. Based on the strengths of the submitted application materials and assessment of your performance at the Interview Event, Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools will decide whether or not a candidate is accepted as a Nashville Teaching Fellow. At this time, selected candidates will be given an enrollment package with additional information on the program and a deadline by which to enroll in the Nashville Teaching Fellows program.
Due to the competitive nature of our program and limited space, we strongly encourage you to apply early, as soon as we begin accepting applications on October 6, 2010. We also strongly recommend that candidates review the teaching exam requirements.
This is your opportunity to make a real difference in Nashville through a meaningful career as a teacher. Access the online application to apply today.
Want to learn more? Click here to join us for an Information Session.