ATC Kicks Off 2023-24 Year With 1st Saturday PD

ATC Kicks Off 2023-24 Year With 1st Saturday PD

On Saturday, August 26, ATC fellows and staff met at Chicot Elementary in Little Rock for the first All Corps PD of the 2023-24 year. Fellows learned transformational teaching strategies, collaborated with each other to generate solutions to current problems they’re experiencing in their classrooms, and split into eight content-specific groups to develop knowledge and skills relevant to their content area, such as incorporating art into ELA, creating inquiry-based unit plans in science, understanding differences in the new math standards, and using differentiated reading strategies to improve literacy in the elementary classroom.

U of A Wellness Program to Support ATC Fellows

U of A Wellness Program to Support ATC Fellows

An interdisciplinary faculty team in the University of Arkansas' College of Education and Health Professions has developed a wellness program for Arkansas Teacher Corps fellows with funds from a college WE CARE grant after a survey of ATC fellows revealed a critical need for mental health programming to help prevent burnout and exit from the teaching profession. WE CARE+Wellness kicked off on July 10 with a workshop for the 38 fellows in ATC's 11th cohort, who will continue to receive support on implementing the program into their lives throughout the school year.

2023 Cohort Completes ATC Summer Institute

2023 Cohort Completes ATC Summer Institute

Congratulations to the 38 fellows in ATC's 2023 cohort for completing the ATC Summer Institute, a six-week program that all new teaching fellows complete before their first year! Split between two weeks in-person at Arkansas State University and four weeks online on Zoom, the ATC Summer Institute is an intensive and demanding experience to prepare fellows to be "Day 1 ready" that many often refer to as "teacher boot camp".

Fellows Take Moment for Mindfulness at 3rd PD

On Saturday, February 11, Arkansas Teacher Corps fellows and staff met at Chicot Elementary in Little Rock for the third All Corps professional development of the 2022-23 year. The all-day event began with a mindfulness session led by a guest facilitator from the social-emotional learning non-profit Breathe For Change in the morning, followed by content-specific development and equity after lunch. Overall, 90% of fellows reported experiencing a moment of mindfulness during the Breathe for Change session and growing as a facilitator of their content.

Survey Assesses Students’ Social-Emotional Readiness

A recent survey of students taught by Arkansas Teacher Corps fellows found that students’ self-reported grit has increased since September 2021 when the fall survey was last administered and grit was rated the overall lowest. Students again rated self-management and instruction as the highest overall with little change from before. However, students also indicated a decrease in growth mindset, or the belief that a person's intelligence and abilities can be improved through new learning, challenge, and practice.

Fellows Focus on Equity, Lesson Planning at 2nd PD

On Saturday, November 12, Arkansas Teacher Corps fellows and staff met at Chicot Elementary in Little Rock for the second All Corps professional development of the 2022-23 year. The all-day event began with equity in the morning, followed by content-specific development and a rousing lesson planning competition after lunch. Overall, 89% of fellows felt that the day's PD empowered them facilitate ATC's mission of excellent, equitable education, and 86% felt they have the ongoing support from ATC they need to be successful.

ATC Receives $205,800 Grant For Fellow Support

Arkansas Teacher Corps was awarded a grant totaling $205,800 by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) in August 2022. Grant funds will provide additional supports for fellows in the areas of teacher licensure, wraparound support, and educator wellness for the 2022-23 school year.

Arkansas Teacher Corps Named UA Outstanding Team

Arkansas Teacher Corps was awarded the annual Outstanding Team Award for 2021 by the University of Arkansas Staff Senate. This honor celebrates ATC's successful transition to a new virtual coaching platform in response to the COVID-19 pandemic while increasing the amount of feedback per fellow and fellows' overall satisfaction with coaching.

Eight ATC Fellows Selected For Ed Equity Fellowship

Temisha Daniel (ATC '19), Nora Fisher-Cummings (ATC '20), Ava Hollins-Rogers (ATC '19), Maggie Howard (ATC '19), DaLecia Jones (ATC '19), Darrah Maxfield (ATC '19), Ta'Nessa Robinson (ATC '17), Kimberly Taylor (ATC '21), and Brianna Young (ATC '20) have been accepted to the Arkansas Academy for Educational Equity fellowship, a program of the College of Education & Health Professions at the University of Arkansas that results in a M.Ed. in Educational Equity.

Six ATC Fellows To Complete Yoga Teacher Training

Freda Calloway (ATC '20), TyKesha L Cross (ATC '20), DaLecia Jones (ATC '19), Max Parker (ATC '21), Randi Sparks (ATC '13), and Adrian Williams (ATC '14) were selected for sponsorship to complete the Breathe For Change 200-hour Wellness, SEL and Yoga Teacher Training. Upon completion, they will be certified to teach inclusive yoga classes and lead social-emotional learning within ATC and their school districts.