Essential questions such as, “What makes a great teacher?”; “What is success at the NYC Teaching Collaborative?”; “How can I prepare myself for the challenges of teaching in a high-need school?”; and “How do I close the academic achievement gap in my classroom?” guide an innovative partnership to extend the reach of the mission. Whether they know it or not, they are Vincentians. They are Vincent.

The NYC Teaching Fellows have partnered with St. Johns to prepare “a critical mass of exceptional teachers committed to a better future for the NYC students who need them most.” Sounds Vincentian!

Combining classroom theory with real-world solutions, graduate education students in the New York City Teaching Fellows program at St. John’s University complete “capstone projects” that use service to motivate young learners in local public schools.

About 300 students are pursuing their master’s degrees as New York City Teaching Fellows at St. John’s, which is part of a collaboration of universities and the City of New York. The city funds the program through a $6 million grant that is renewed every five years. The Fellows are employed as full-time teachers at some of the most challenging local middle and high schools. At the same time, they are full-time students in The School of Education at St. John’s.

Connecting theory to practice, their plans draw upon the Fellows’ analyses of individual progress in their classrooms. According to Mary Ann Maslak, Ph.D., professor of curriculum and instruction in The School of Education at St. John’s, each plan forms a “suggested approach” that the Fellows use “in response to their teaching experience and their own students’ needs.” The approach is based on a “standard research method” the Fellows learn in the graduate course.

Not traditional Vincentians, but people captivated by a surrounding culture. As a result, the Fellows enriched their own students’ classroom experience by embracing St. John’s emphasis on helping others. The Vincentian Mission is being fulfilled in a creative way! You’ll be hearing from the professors and their students throughout the year.