Frequently Asked Questions
Teaching in Philadelphia
What is the Philadelphia Teaching Fellows?
Why should I become part of the Philadelphia Teaching Fellows?
What is a typical class size?
What does a typical day in the classroom look like?
How is the School District of Philadelphia structured?
How safe are the schools?
How long is my time commitment to the Philadelphia Teaching Fellows program?
Qualifications and Eligibility
What kind of background do I need?
Am I eligible if I have no prior teaching experience or coursework in education?
What if I don't have a 3.0 undergraduate GPA?
Do I need to be a resident of the city of Philadelphia to apply?
Are certified teachers eligible for the program?
If I've already completed all of my education coursework and only need to complete student teaching or pass the Praxis, am I eligible for the program?
Application Process
How do I apply?
What should I include in my personal statement?
Do I need to send transcripts with my application?
What happens after I apply?
What happens during an interview event?
When and where do interviews take place?
When is the application deadline?
How can I get more information beyond what is offered here on the website?
Certification and Testing
Will I receive certification?
Will I be responsible for the cost of tuition?
What is the amount of my AmeriCorps award?
Will I receive a master's degree?
How do I choose which university partner I should attend?
Do I have to become certified through one of the university partner programs offered through the Philadelphia Teaching Fellows?
Do I need to be enrolled in a university certification program before I can apply?
Are there any preparatory exams I should take?
When should I register for and take the Praxis?
Admission and Enrollment
I meet all of the program's eligibility requirements. Why wasn't I accepted?
I wasn't accepted. Can I appeal the decision?
Can I re-apply to the program next year if I am not accepted?
When does the program actually begin?
Can I defer acceptance into the program?
Your Teaching Position
What will I be teaching?
How do I know what subject I am qualified to teach?
Where will I teach?
How does the process of securing a school placement work?
Can I choose where I will teach?
When do I find out where I will be teaching?
Will there be other Fellows teaching at my school?
Training and Program Administration
How will I be prepared to teach?
How intensive is the training institute?
Will I be paid for training?
What ongoing resources and connections are available to Teaching Fellows once they are in the classroom?
Compensation and Benefits
How much will I be paid?
What employment benefits do Fellows receive?
Teaching in Philadelphia
What is the Philadelphia Teaching Fellows?
The Philadelphia Teaching Fellows program recruits outstanding professionals and recent college graduates to become teachers in critical need subject areas in Philadelphia’s high-need public schools. Our mission is to attract high-quality candidates to teach in Philadelphia, in schools and classrooms that need them the most. We are looking for people from all walks of life, particularly those with limited or no experience or coursework in education, who can impact our children's education and strengthen our communities. Mid- career professionals and recent college graduates are both welcome to apply.
A bachelor’s degree is required but no education coursework or experience is necessary. Understanding the importance of delivering high quality teachers to high-needs schools in Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Teaching Fellows is a partnership with the School District of Philadelphia, the Wachovia foundation, and The New Teacher Project that provides multiple channels for support and communication through every step of the transition into the teaching profession.
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Why should I become part of the Philadelphia Teaching Fellows?
As a teacher, you can be the single most important factor in raising student achievement. Join a network of like-minded professionals dedicated to improving public schools. Use your knowledge and experience to ensure that every child in the School District of Philadelphia has access to a high quality education and become part of a movement that has a direct and immediate impact on the lives of students in our city. This is your opportunity to take action. You will also earn a Pennsylvania teacher certificate while working full-time and receiving a salary.
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What is a typical class size?
In the School District of Philadelphia, a typical class size ranges from 25 to 30 students. This class size can vary depending on the school neighborhood, and recent changes in school enrollment. Special education classes can range from 8 to 20 students so that teachers can meet the more specialized individual needs of their students (For more information on being a special education teacher, please visit our Be a Special Ed Teacher page).
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What does a typical day look like?
Although the start and end times of schools vary across the district, teachers can expect roughly six-and-a-half hours of instructional time per day. Almost all successful new teachers discover that additional time outside of the classroom is required to be effective and to make a significant impact on student achievement. This time outside of the regular school day can include lesson planning, grading papers, coaching a sport, or working at an after-school program. Many schools also conduct after-school faculty meetings on a regular basis. Beyond their school day commitments, Fellows can also expect to attend education courses one to two nights a week through the university partner certification program they attend.
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How is the School District of Philadelphia structured?
Since 2001, the School District of Philadelphia has been managed by the School Reform Comission as part of a state takeover that brought national attention to need for dramatic urban school reform in Philadelphia. The School Reform Commission works along with the CEO to make large-scale decisions regarding the district's budget, funding, and priorities for improvement. For more information on the School District of Philadelphia, please visit our Teaching in Philadelphia page.
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How safe are the schools?
Overall, we believe that our schools are afe. For each negative story portrayed in the media regarding Philadelphia's schools, there are several positive examples of strong achievements by our Fellows, including achieving significant academic gains with their students, assuming leadership responsibilities at their schools, and creating their own after-school clubs and programs. Altough concerning incidents do occur from time to time, the distrcit has a strong plan in place to deal with school violence and provide teachers with outlets to report safety issues at their schools. We encourage candidates to visit the areas in which they may teach during a regular school day to determine their own level of comfort with the environment.
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How long is my time commitment to the Philadelphia Teaching Fellows?
We hope that Fellows enter this program as the start of a lifelong career in education. However, we do not set a definitive time commitment for participation in our program. The Fellows program is designed to include intensive training for individuals to teach in high-need schools while earning a full-time teaching salary. Participants are required to become fully certified within three years by completing the required coursework through one of our university partner certification programs. It is important to note that Fellows that opt to receive full funding for their certification coursework through one of our university partner grants will be required to teach at least two years in the School District of Philadelphia. Please refer to the Certification section of our website for further details. As long as Fellows continue to teach in the district, they are always eligible to engage in professional development activities and networking opportunities facilitated by our program staff.
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Qualifications and Eligibility
What kind of background do I need?
The Philadelphia Teaching Fellows is designed for individuals without an education background. It is a highly selective program that is looking for mid-career professionals and recent college graduates who can demonstrate leadership and achievement and who hold a bachelor’s degree.
We are looking for candidates to teach special education (math and science), Spanish, phsyics, chemistry, and math. Candidates with degrees, specializations, or experience in these areas are encouraged to apply.
Applicants must have:
- A bachelor's degree with an undergraduate GPA of 3.0. Unofficial transcripts may be submitted at the time of interviews, but official transcripts will be required if accepted into the fellowship.
- Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
- Applicants may not have a felony criminal record.
For further information regarding candidate requirements, please visit our Eligibility page.
Applicants must pass all portions of the Praxis I and the Praxis II content knowledge exam in the subject area they have been assigned before officially being enrolled into the program. We encourage you to take the Praxis I as a computer based exam, and take Praxis II during one of the upcoming paper based test administration dates. However, Praxis scores are not required at the time of your initial application. For more information about the Praxis, please visit our Testing Requirements page.
Although taking the Praxis is not required to apply the Philadelphia Teaching Fellows, we highly recommend candidates register and take the exams as soon as possible.
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Am I eligible if I have no prior teaching experience or coursework in education?
Yes. Individuals without prior teaching experience or coursework in education are eligible for the program and strongly encouraged to apply. The Philadelphia Teaching Fellows is an alternate route certification program specifically designed to attract outstanding, high-achieving applicants from non-education backgrounds into the teaching profession.
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What if I don't have a 3.0 undergraduate GPA?
Because we are looking for the most outstanding candidates to fill crtical need teaching positions, we are looking for people with exemplary academic and professional experience. Additionally, to participate in this program, candidates must meet the eligibility requirements for the Pennsylvania intern teaching certificate. One of these eligibility requirements is a 3.0 undergraduate GPA. However, we are able to make some exceptions for candidates who fall just below this minimum GPA in the 2.80-2.99 when the applicant presents other significant or compelling evidence of achievement on their resume or application. Candidates who submit an application that have a cumulative undergraduate GPA below a 2.80 will be ineligible for review.
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Do I need to be a resident of the city of Philadelphia to apply?
No. You do not need to be a resident of the City of Philadelphia to apply to the program. In fact, many candidates from outside of the greater Philadelphia area and from outside of the state of Pennsylvania apply to the program.
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Are certified teachers eligible for the program?
Certified teachers are not eligible to apply to the Philadelphia Teaching Fellows. This program is designed specifically for outstanding mid-career professionals and recent college graduates committed to improving the quality of education offered to students in the School District of Philadelphia. Fellows will be required to earn a teaching certificate while assuming full-time teaching responsibilities.
Certified teachers are encouraged to visit http://webgui.phila.k12.pa.us/offices/e/ee or call 215-400-4610 to learn about teaching positions within the School District of Philadelphia.
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If I've already completed all of my education coursework and only need to complete student teaching or pass the Praxis, am I still eligible?
No. The Philadelphia Teaching Fellows is specifically designed to recruit new teachers into the School District of Philadelphia. Individuals who are nearly certified should visit http://www.philsch.k12.pa.us/ or call 215-400-4610 to learn about teaching positions within the School District of Philadelphia.
However, individuals who are currently enrolled in a certification program but still have additional education coursework left to complete are welcome to apply to our program.
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Application Process
How do I apply?
Applying is easy with our online application. You can complete your application form and submit your resume and personal statement electronically by creating a personal account through the My PTF section of our website at https://teachertrack.org/PHIL/login.aspx. For detailed information regarding our program's application process, please click here.
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What should I include in my Application Questions?
Your Application Questions should be approximately 600-1,200 total words. We recommend that candidates address each of the three required prompts in about 200-400 words each.
In the personal statement, we ask applicants to thoroughly address the following three questions…
- 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?
- 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.
- Teaching Fellows will face new and significant challenges during their first year of teaching. Briefly describe a professional, personal or academic challenge you have overcome. What steps did you take to address the challenge and how will that experience contribute to your success as a Teaching Fellow?
We urge candidates to put a good deal of time and effort in to crafting their Application Questions, as this document (along with the resume) carries a lot of weight and plays a prominent role in our decision whether or not to invite candidates to our interview events. Also, this document gives us a more personal perspective on your candidacy and offers us a strong sense of your reasons and motivation to apply for the program. Please do not send a generic cover letter in the place of this personal statement.
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Do I need to send transcripts with my application?
No. Please do not send us transcripts at the time of your initial application to the program.
If selected for an interview, candidates will be required to bring one transcript, official or unofficial from every college or university attended as part of their interview materials. Photocopies are acceptable at this point in the selection process.
Please note that upon entrance to the Philadelphia Teaching Fellows, two additional copies of sealed, official transcripts from each college or university attended will be required in order to enroll in the program.
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What happens after I apply?
Once candidates apply, all complete applications will go through an initial review. All applicants will receive notification within 10 business days following the date their application was submitted. Outstanding candidates will be invited to participate in a Philadelphia Teaching Fellows program interview event, which includes both group and individual components.
Participants selected for the program will be trained during a comprehensive institute and will become part of an established professional network of Fellows to help ensure their success in the classroom.
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What happens during an interview event?
Candidates will be placed in to small groups of up to ten individuals along with two Philadelphia Teaching Fellows interviewers. Each candidate will be asked to present a 5-minute sample teaching lesson, participate in a group discussion, write about a realistic educational scenario, and engage in a one-on-one interview. More information about the interview event and preparation will be provided to qualified candidates that receive an invitation to interview.
Candidates who participate in an interview event will be contacted regarding their admission status by October 10, 2008 for the Winter Program, and in March 2009 for the Summer Program.
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Where and when do interviews take place?
Interview events typically take place in the School District of Philadelphia's administration building near center city Philadelphia at 440 N. Broad Street. Interview events are day-long events that last from 8:45 am until 3:00 pm. Since our applicants are typically either attending school full-time or working at another job, the majority of our interview days take place on Saturdays. However, Sunday or weekday interview days are occasionally offered as well. In order to maintain the integrity and rigor of our interview day model, we are unable to accommodate the interview requests of individuals that cannot attend one of our scheduled interview events.
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When is the application deadline?
The first Winter application deadline is July 20, 2009. For more information on our deadlines, please click here.
The Summer deadlines have already passed. For more information regarding the Summer program, please click here.
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We regularly hold information sessions for anyone interested in learning more about the program. Although much of the information covered during these events is included throughout our website, information sessions do offer the opportunity to learn about the program from a more personalized perspective and ask any questions of program staff members. For more details on these events, please go to the Learn More section of our website. If you have any specific, individualized questions, feel free to contact our program office at info@philadelphiateachingfellows.org or 215-400-8687.
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Certification and Testing
Will I receive certification?
Candidates who participate in the Philadelphia Teaching Fellows program will be granted a Pennsylvania intern certificate.
The Pennsylvania intern certificate was created to allow outstanding individuals with no previous education coursework the opportunity to teach while taking coursework to meet the requirements of the Pennsylvania teacher certificate. Fellows are required to complete their university certification program within a three-year period. Fellows who complete their coursework, receive satisfactory performance reviews and pass all other required tests will receive a Pennsylvania Instructional I teaching certificate. For more information regarding certification, please click here.
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Will I be responsible for the cost of tuition?
There are now several grant and funding opportunities available for Fellows teaching in specific subject areas through our university partners. Math, science, and bilingual education Teaching Fellows who choose to attend Drexel Universityas part of the Transition to Teaching program will receive full funding for the costs of their certification coursework. All Fellows who choose to attend Arcadia University will receive flat rate discounted funding of their certification coursework. Fellows who choose to attend Chestnut Hill College will also receive flat rate discounted funding. For more information on university partners, please visit the Certification section of our website.
Most fellows are also eligible for an AmeriCorps Education award as well.
Teaching Fellows who do not qualify for funding through these grant programs or who choose to attend other universities are responsible for prompt payment of all tuition and fees for their certification coursework. PTF's university partners have agreed to provide Fellows with discounted rates for this coursework. Projected costs are at $400-$425 per credit.
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What is the amount of my AmeriCorps award?
Fellows may be eligible for the Teaching Fellows AmeriCorps Education Awards Program. All Fellows are responsible for covering the costs of all licensure course requirements. However, Philadelphia Teaching Fellows may be eligible to apply and enroll in the AmeriCorps Education Awards program in order to earn an education award worth $4,725. This award is valid for seven years after issuance and can be used to pay for licensure or future education costs including repaying qualified student loans. Additionally, Fellows who enroll in the AmeriCorps program will be able to put any existing student loans into forbearance during their term of service with AmeriCorps.
In order to be eligible to apply for the award, Fellows must meet all AmeriCorps eligibility criteria, and, if accepted, must remain active as a Fellow in the district for the entire school year - meeting AmeriCorps service requirements. This service will include teaching your classes, creating lesson plans, correcting homework, planning projects for your students, reaching out to parents and guardians, and managing all other aspects of a teacher’s job, including professional development and licensure courses. Your service hours may also be spent participating in school committees, student clubs, after-school tutoring, and the recruitment and management of volunteers in your classroom or school. We are confident that first year Fellows who enroll in the AmeriCorps Education Awards program and who teach for their entire first school year will fulfill the service requirement for this award through the day-to-day work required of all new teachers.
More detailed information on enrollment in the Teaching Fellows AmeriCorps Education Awards Program and details on licensure costs will be provided to Fellows upon enrollment in the program and during the summer training.
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Will I receive a master's degree?
Although pursuing a master's degree is not required, all Fellows will have the choice to obtain a master's in education through one of our university partners. Many of our Fellows do choose to go on to get a master's degree since it only requires a few additional education courses beyond those that are required for certification to obtain this degree.
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How do I choose which university partner I should attend?
The Philadelphia Teaching Fellows has an open choice model in which Fellows have the opportunity to choose the certification program that best fits their personal needs. Oftentimes, cost, location, quality of coursework, and responsiveness of administrative staff are prominent factors in our Fellows' decisions regarding which university partner they attend. We encourage candidates to begin researching and contacting schools of interest if they'd like. Please refer to the Certification section for more information regarding our university partners. Please note that Fellows do not need to make a decision regarding which university they would like to attend until after they have enrolled in the Fellows program.
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Do I have to become certified through one of the university partner programs offered through the Philadelphia Teaching Fellows?
No, although we highly recommend our university partners due to our close program staff contact with their administrators, their understanding of the demands of being a full-time teacher while attending certification courses on a part-time basis, and tangible benefits/incentives specifically offered to our program participants, Fellows can choose to go outside of these university partners if they wish. As long as Fellows enroll in a Pennsylvania intern certificate program and remain in good standing, then they are welcome to become certified through a different university. Since PTF is not in constant communication with universities outside of our partners, it will be the Fellow's responsibility to make sure they successfully complete the enrollment process and keep up with the necessary requirements at their university of choice.
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Do I need to be enrolled in a university certification program before I can apply?
No. Fellows will enroll in a university certification program after they have been accepted to the Philadelphia Teaching Fellows and will be provided with more information on our university partners so they can make a well-informed decision.
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Are there any preparatory exams I should take?
All Fellows must pass the Praxis I and the required Praxis II content knowledge exam(s) before they can begin teaching. We suggest taking all three portions of the Praxis I as soon as possible and urge candidates to consider taking the Praxis II at the next available test administration date. Please consult the Testing Requirements section of our website for further information on Praxis registration and to find out what specific Praxis II exams are required for the subjects we are recruiting for. Participation and enrollment in the Philadelphia Teaching Fellows is contingent upon successfully passing the Praxis I and Praxis II exam(s) for your designated subject area. For more information about the Praxis exams, please visit http://www.ets.org/praxis.
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When should I register for and take the Praxis?
Although applicants do not have to take the tests prior to applying to the Philadelphia Teaching Fellows, we recommend registering for the tests through Educational Testing Services as soon as possible. Praxis testing represents an important step in the process of transitioning to the teaching profession, and it will be to your advantage to complete these exams sooner rather than later. We recommend that candidates register for the computerized version of the Praxis I since this can be scheduled at any time at a local testing center. The last Praxis II test administration date candidates can register for to be eligible for the Winter program will be in November. The last Praxis II test adminstration candidates can register for to be eligible for the Summer program will be in April.
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Admission and Enrollment
I meet all of the program's eligibility requirements. Why wasn't I accepted?
The Philadelphia Teaching Fellows is a highly selective program. Typically, about one in every ten initial applicants is eventually selected for the program. Our eligibility requirements are only the minimum qualifications necessary to be considered for the program, and meeting them in no way guarantees an applicant acceptance. Although ensuring candidates meet our program's eligibility requirements is an important step in our initial review of applications, our selection process is ultimately driven by our desire to identify individuals with strong track records of achievement in their previous endeavors that demonstrate a steadfast commitment towards improving the achievement of Philadelphia's high-need students.
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I wasn't accepted. Can I appeal the decision?
No. All applications are thoroughly reviewed during our rigorous selection process, and admissions decisions are final. Because we receive an exceptional number of applications each year, we are unable to re-evaluate individual decisions or provide personalized feedback to applicants who have not been accepted to the program. Due to the high amount of interest in our program and the limited number of positions available, we still encourage individuals that are not accepted to the Philadelphia Teaching Fellows to pursue teaching through other avenues.
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Can I re-apply to the program next year if I am not accepted?
Yes, but in order to be considered, you must be able to demonstrate improvements in your candidacy since your previous application. The process for applicants who re-apply is no different than that for applicants applying for the first time. Because the needs of the School District of Philadelphia are constantly changing, even those applicants who were admitted to the program in a previous year and declined our offer of admission or withdrew their application must re-apply to be re-considered.
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When does the program actually begin?
All Winter program participants will start their pre-service training in January 2010.
All Summer program participants will start their pre-service training in July 2009. For more information on the institute, please visit our Training and Support page.
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Can I defer acceptance into the program?
Deferrals will be granted very rarely only in the case of exceptional personal circumstances.
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Your Teaching Position
What will I be teaching?
Candidates for the Philadelphia Teaching Fellows are accepted to teach specific subjects. The subject that you are accepted to teach is based on the staffing needs of the city's schools, your eligibility, and your subject area preferences. Your eligibility is determined according to stringent Pennsylvania Department of Education requirements. For more information regarding eligibility requirements, please click here. Fellows are needed to teach in subjects where School District of Philadelphia students are currently most in need of strong teachers-- math, science, special education, and Spanish.
For further information on teaching math and science, please click here. For further information on special education, please click here.
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How do I know what subject area I am qualified to teach?
Candidates interested in math, physics, chemistry, or Spanish must have a major or the equivalent in order to be eligible to teach in these fields.
Candidates interested in special education are preferred to have professional or life experiences with special needs populations and/or coursework related to human development or behavioral science.
All candidates invited to attend an interview after submitting their application will receive a tentative subject area assignment based on the information they initially provided. Once our program staff reviews candidate transcripts on interview days, candidates accepted to the program will receive a final subject area assignment based on qualifications, personal preferences, and the district's needs.
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Where will I teach?
Fellows will be placed in schools all across the city. Since Fellows are filling critical need subject area vacancies, oftentimes Fellows are placed in low-income schools with high-need students who truly need dedicated teachers who care about their success. School, grade, and subject level determinations will be based on the qualifications of each Fellow and the needs of the district.
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How does the process of securing a school placement work?
The school placement process is significantly different for the Winter and Summer programs.
Fellows are placed in high-need schools located in low-income communities throughout the School District of Philadelphia. Although PTF program staff take in to account Fellows' personal preferences whenever possible, ultimately our Fellows are placed where they are needed the most.
Fellows in the Summer program will be placed either through site selection or the traditional assignment process. As soon as Summer Fellows have passed the required Praxis tests and have completed all of the district's processing requirements, they are eligible to participate in site selection. Throughout the late spring and summer months until the end of July, Fellows are able to site select schools by attending interviews with school-based committees and placement fairs. Summer Fellows that do not match with a school through site selection will be placed in mid-August through the traditional assignment process where they will be assigned to schools and teaching positions with a vacancy in their subject area.
Since Fellows in the Winter program are filling midyear teaching vacancies, program staff work with the district's Professional Staffing specialists to assign Fellows to schools and teaching positions that align with their designated subject area.
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Can I choose where I will teach?
Fellows do have the opportunity to express their placement preferences at several different points in the process throughout the process. Although we do our best to honor these preferences, available vacancies may be limited and Fellows will ultimately teach where they are needed the most.
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When do I find out where I will be teaching?
Identifying and finalizing a specific teaching job is a challenging process, as there are many variables involved in predicting and filling job openings at the school level. Winter Fellows will be placed in a school by early January. Summer Fellows will find out where they will be teaching between May and August depending on if they receive their school assignment via site selection or traditional assignment. You will receive much more detailed information about this process if you are accepted into the Teaching Fellows program.
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Will there be other Fellows teaching at my school?
Whenever we can, we work to ensure that Fellows are placed with other Fellows in the same school. However, since school-based vacancies can be unpredictable at times, it is not always possible for us to place Fellows in schools where other Fellows are teaching.
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Training and Program Administration
Once I become a Fellow, how will I be prepared for the classroom?
As a Philadelphia Teaching Fellow, you will be required to attend an intensive training institute for 4-5 weeks. The training institute will include: a teaching assignment/observation opportunity with on-site guidance from a cooperating teacher in the School District of Philadelphia; professional development seminars with experience teachers on learning standards, foundations of teaching, classroom management, and other skills necessary to become an effective teacher in a high-need school; discussion and activities about the challenges and benefits of teaching in a diverse, urban educational setting; and an opportunity to network with Fellows who have made the same commitment to improve the quality of education for Philadelphia's students. For more information on the training institute, please click here.
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How intensive is the training institute?
Candidates should be aware that the pre-service training institute schedule will be rigorous with many long days. You can expect a 40-50 hour week between practice teaching and curriculum framwork sessions. We try to compress as much hands-on experience and concrete skills and strategies that we can into a brief 4-5 week period so that Fellows have what they need to be effective in their classrooms right away.
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Will I be paid for training?
Yes. Fellows will be paid a $1,500 stipend after successfully completing the training institute and all related requirements. Applications should be aware that this stipend will be taxed and will not be distributed until the completion of the training institute. Fellows should prepare themselves financially for this transition.
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What ongoing resources and connections are available for Fellows once they are in the classroom?
Fellows develop their most basic ongoing support network at the school level. Although every situation is different, Fellows may collaborate with colleagues at their school, district instructional specialists, assistant principals, principals or a grade level or academic department team. The training institute facilitates connections among Fellows who teach in the same subject area that carry through as a strong peer support network once they are in their own classrooms.
The Philadelphia Teaching Fellows program office also coordinates access to professional development and social network opportunities throughout the year and the publication of a regular newsletter. Teaching Fellows can draw on these resources for planning, reflection, and shared encouragement as they strive for excellence in their individual classrooms.
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Compensation and Benefits
How much will I be paid?
Participants in the Philadelphia Teaching Fellows will receive the same starting salary as other first year teachers in the School District of Philadelphia. Fellows with a bachelor’s degree who meet all requirements for the intern certificate can expect to earn a starting salary of $41,111*. Those who possess a master’s degree may earn up to $42,321*. For more information on the School District of Philadelphia salaries, please visit the district's Salary Table.
Fellows teaching in the Winter program may receive paychecks that are lower than expected during their first few months in the classroom. Due to the fact that Winter Fellows start teaching in February, a significant amount is deducted from each individual paycheck to ensure that they are paid over the summer. Winter Fellows have the choice to opt out of the summer reserve system for this first semester to receive larger individual paychecks but no continuous pay through the summer months.
*These figures are subject to Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PTF) union contract negotiations.
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What employment benefits do Fellows receive?
As employees of the School District of Philadelphia, Fellows and any of their dependents are eligible for the same comprehensive benefits as all teachers, including medical insurance, a pension plan, and dental, prescription, and vision coverage.
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