NC State's NC TEACHing Communities
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What are NC State's NC TEACHing Communities?

NC State's NC TEACHing Communities are designed to recruit, train, support, and retain mid-career professionals as they become licensed teachers in North Carolina. This program is for people who have non-education backgrounds and would like to earn their teaching license. The NC TEACHing Communities program is a lateral entry program in which participants complete their licensure coursework while they are teaching full-time. Established in 2000, the NC TEACH program has licensed over 1,000 teachers. NC TEACHers currently serve in over 80 counties and school districts in all regions of the state. Last year, 53% of all new hires in North Carolina were lateral entry.

While all NC TEACH programs are based on the same fundamental framework, the programs have evolved into university-specific programs -- each with their own set of characteristics. NC State University has added a community component into its program to provide more avenues for local networking, training, and support to its participants. NC State's NC TEACHing Communities collaborate with local organizations, community colleges, and public school systems to ensure that our NC TEACHers become embedded into their communities and have the support and encouragement they need to be successful.

What did previous NC TEACHers have to say about the program?

"In watching some of my peers who have not gone through NC TEACH, I definitely think this gave me an advantage that they did not have."

"It is a fast-paced lateral entry teaching program for the professional that really wants to teach."

"It gave me a platform to stand on. I know I can teach."

"It gave me an appreciation for teachers I didn't have before."

"It's a lot of work, but very helpful in helping us learn 'on the job.' The support network is invaluable."

"Videotaping helped me see how I looked to my students."

"It went a long way towards preparing us for the classroom."

Why are NC State's NC TEACHing Communities so successful?

1. NC State's NC TEACHing Communities begins with two intense introductory courses in the Summer (or Spring) before the NC TEACHers enter the classroom. The goal is to introduce our prospective teachers to the public school environment through the basic principles of classroom management, lesson planning, and educational psychology. These two classes are held at night which allows NC TEACHers to continue their current jobs until the school year begins.

2. Students are admitted to the program in cohort groups.  This provides peer support as they proceed through the plan of study.

3. Classes are designed and taught so the material presented parallels the teacher’s progress through the program and their experience in the classroom.  Topics move from basic to intermediate and then more advanced studies in the final semester.

4. NC TEACHers are trained in subject-specific cohorts throughout the year. These cohorts provide a source of curriculum ideas as well as encouragement for NC TEACHers as they face challenges in their own classrooms.

5. The NC TEACHing Communities program at NC State offers a higher teacher-to-student ratio than the traditional NC TEACH programs.

6. The classes are taught by master teachers who are actively teaching in the public school system.

7. The master teachers provide instruction from a practice-based rather than a theory-based perspective.

8. Classes are often held in local schools to better familiarize teachers with the environment in which they will be working.

9. NC TEACHers are required to videotape their own teaching. The videotapes are used to improve teaching technique.

Last Updated: 10/14/2007