The Covenant Grants
Expanding the Jewish New Teacher Project’s Chicago-Based Mentoring Program
Organization: Jewish New Teacher Project, New York, NY
Grant Year: 2016
Project Director: Nina Bruder
Type of Grant: Signature
Grant Amount: $140,000 (3 years)
Website: http://www.jntp.org/
To expand its successful Chicago-based new teacher mentoring program to include Jewish day schools in surrounding states.
In June, 2015, Jewish New Teacher Project (JNTP) launched a two-year Chicago-based new teacher mentoring program that currently includes 18 mentors and 19 beginning teachers from 12 schools in Chicago, Detroit, Memphis, and Atlanta. JNTP’s Chicago-based program consists of:
- New Teacher Mentoring: New teachers receive weekly, intensive, observation-based mentoring from JNTP-trained mentors utilizing the New Teacher Center’s (NTC) research-based mentoring methodology and classroom observation tools.
- New Teacher Training: New teachers benefit from an orientation and two professional development trainings per year.
- Administrator Support: JNTP administrators attend one orientation/professional development seminar that provides an overview of the program’s goals and approaches and emphasizes the vital role senior administrators play in teacher support.
Through this grant, JNTP will build upon the success of their current Chicago-based cohort and offer the opportunity for Jewish day schools in smaller, underserved communities to participate in the next Chicago-based cohort (2017-19). This program expansion will include a recruitment effort and financial support for up to 15 schools to join the program.
