Pre-Service Training

Pre-Service Training (PST) is one of the most exciting—and challenging—elements of the Denver Teaching Fellows experience. Candidates accepted into the program begin their commitment by participating in an intensive, six to seven week training program using a classroom-centered curriculum focused on improving outcomes in schools where students lag several grade-levels behind. The rigorous program provides Fellows with opportunities to learn through a combination of observation, practice teaching, and study, so they can hit the ground running from their first day in the classroom. PST will begin in approximately mid-May and culminate in mid-July. Exact dates will be finalized in Spring 2012.

Pre-Service Training prepares people without formal education backgrounds to be immediately effective in challenging school environments, building on the deep content knowledge they already possess by preparing them to teach it. Seminars and professional development activities focus on the foundations of effective teaching, such as lesson planning, instructional delivery, and classroom management—and participants are able to apply those skills right away by leading summer school classes and working with experienced teachers. In 2011, 100% of Denver Teaching Fellows surveyed agreed that our summer training program prepared them to be successful in their first year of teaching.

Pre-Service Training consolidates a large amount of training into six or seven short weeks, making the program extremely demanding. Fellows must attend training sessions five days a week from approximately 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily. Occasionally, Saturday sessions may be required. Due to the critical role that Pre-Service Training plays in the success of Denver Teaching Fellows, participants cannot miss any portion. Attendance is mandatory every day. Once you begin PST, you should anticipate remaining in Denver and being actively engaged in program preparation through the first day of school, as participants will need to secure teaching positions and prepare for classes before, during, and after institute and the start of the academic year. On average, Fellows can expect to complete one to two hours of work each night during PST.

Throughout PST, participants will be formally evaluated to assess their readiness for the classroom, receiving regular feedback to ensure that they are on the right track for success as a new teacher. Evaluations are based on observations of practice teaching, demonstrated mastery of our curriculum and its principles, and fulfillment of program expectations. At the conclusion of PST, only those Fellows demonstrate clear potential to be effective teachers will be eligible to teach Denver students in the fall.

Summer Stipend

Upon successful completion of Pre-Service Training, Fellows are provided a $2,000 (pre-tax) stipend. Because the stipend is distributed at the end of the training and there could be more than one month of time between that time and a Fellow’s first paycheck, we strongly encourage Fellows to plan appropriately during the transition.