Table of Contents Overview [1] The Breakthrough Model [2] Why Students Teaching Students? [4] Who Are Breakthrough’s Teachers? [5] Why Should You Teach? [6] Teacher Commitments and Responsibilities [8] Teacher Growth Through Guidance [10] Leadership Positions [11] A Typical Day [12] Apply to Teach [13] Where You Can Teach [16] Breakthrough Is Here to Help You [17]
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Overview Thank you for your interest in teaching at Breakthrough! Welcome to the online teacher application. We’re glad you’re here, and we hope you’ll join the Breakthrough team for an unforgettable, hands-on teaching experience in our innovative education program.
You may apply for a teaching position if you are a: High school student* currently completing your sophomore, junior, or senior year who wants to teach in your home area. High school students are not generally provided with homestays by Breakthrough sites. If you are attempting to teach outside of your home area, you must secure your own housing. To ask for a housing exception, you must contact local sites directly (contact information is available on the Site Roster). †
Freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior college student currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree program with less than 5 years full time professional teaching experience. This workshop in teaching is designed for students with less than 5 years full time professional experience, but other volunteer and paid positions are available for tenured professionals. Please contact local sites directly to hear about those options (contact information is available on the Site Roster). College seniors that graduate a semester early are still eligible to apply.
Before You Start Your Application Read this handbook. Your application will be reviewed in part according to your understanding of the program and your expectations. If you don’t read this book, don’t blame us if you are not admitted.
Learn more about the Breakthrough teaching experience. Breakthrough teachers spent all summer sharing their ups and downs on TeachBreakthroughs, the Breakthrough Teacher Blog. Click on the “Summer Teachers” category at http://teachbreakthroughs.org to read this set of posts. This is a unique internship, so you need to know what you’re getting into.
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We only accept applications from applicants ages 15-23. We operate in accordance with all U.S. laws, therefore, ALL applicants we select must be authorized to work in the U.S. If you are not a U.S. citizen, you must possess work authorization from the INS to be selected for a position with Breakthrough. †
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The Breakthrough Model Did you know? American students spend 80% of their waking hours out of school.‡ A child from the bottom income quartile is 5 times less likely to earn a bachelor’s degree by age 24 than is a child from a family in the top income quartile.§ Percentage of students enrolled in a college prep high school program sharply decreases along socio-economic lines.**
What is Breakthrough? Breakthrough is a tuition-free, 6-year academically rigorous out-of-school time program with the dual goal of preparing high-potential, underserved middle school students for the top high school in their location and providing an excellent a pre-professional teaching internship for high school students and undergraduates.
Who are Breakthrough students? Breakthrough students are self-motivated, typically academically talented, middle school students with limited exposure to excellent educational opportunities in the schools they attend. We focus on middle school students because research shows that the transition to middle school is associated with declines in academic performance, motivation and students’ sense of self-efficacy. A positive intervention at this stage is game-changing.
What makes Breakthrough’s summer and after-school program unique? Students are taught by a faculty composed entirely of high school students and undergraduates. With support and supervision from professional educators, Breakthrough’s high school and college teachers are responsible for lesson planning, teaching, advising, and program administration. Breakthrough aims to change the conversation about education by demonstrating that young people can take charge of their own education and that high school and college students can take responsibility for the education of others. ‡
National Academy of Education (2009). Time for Learning: Extended Learning opportunities for students. Mortenson, T. (2001b, Oct.). Graph titled: BA attainment by age 24 by family income quartile. Postsecondary Education Opportunity ** Gates Education Policy Paper. Closing the graduation gap: Toward high schools that prepare all students for college, work and citizenship. Seattle, WA: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 2003.) §
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3 Breakthrough is a year-round, long-term out-of-school time program for students. At Breakthrough we recognize that many of our students face obstacles to academic success that do not end after the summer. Therefore, our students commit to a six year formal involvement with Breakthrough. This includes the following components:
Summer session: six-week, full-time, academically rigorous program. High school and college students handle all of the teaching and much of the daily administration of the program.
School-year session: after-school and/or weekend academic support sessions that extend throughout the school year. High school and college student interns are responsible for all teaching, tutoring, and mentoring.
Academic advising and advocacy: provided by the directors and young teachers on an ongoing basis through middle school and into high school. There is a particular focus on advising students about high school options during their 8th grade year.
Support beyond middle school: a variety of opportunities are provided for students through high school and college – academic support and advising, teaching positions, roles in program administration, continued summer opportunities, and a strong network of friends and mentors.
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Why Students Teaching Students? Did you know? The United States is currently recruiting new teachers from the bottom third of college-bound high-school students.†† Students who are emotionally connected to peers and teachers who value learning and higher academic performance, often adopt similar values.‡‡ Many teachers are unprepared to work with the diverse student populations in today’s schools.§§
Breakthrough Teachers are a model of and a support toward our student outcomes. Across economic and racial lines the three most important factors to bachelors degree attainment are the rigor of a student’s high school curriculum, his/her participation in a college-going peer group and his/her expectation that a college degree is necessary to pursue his/her hopes and dreams. Breakthrough faculty members are strong students themselves who possess a love for learning, and can demonstrate the academic skills and habits of achievement necessary in the top high school and college programs. At the same time, as a national voice, Breakthrough is changing the conversation about who should be a teacher in our nation’s most under resourced schools. Breakthrough inspires our best and brightest young people into the field of education. Breakthrough students grow by knowing their teachers, who are fellow learners and educational mentors. The energy, commitment, and vitality that the faculty brings to the program are at the heart of Breakthrough.
Youth Leadership is real. With the recent election of Barack Obama the country realized the power that Millennials or Generation We*** can wield when they work together. At Breakthrough we’ve known that for years and trust the success of our programs to the incredible leadership of excellent high school students and undergraduates. As a community of young educators, Breakthrough teachers build amazing programming for their students, real-world professional experiences and long lasting relationships.
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Choices or Tough Times (Washington: NCEE, 2006) Hawkins, J.D., J. Gou, K. G. Hill, S. Battin- Pearson, and R.D. Abbott.2001. Long Term Effects of the Seattle Social Development Intervention on School Bonding Trajectories.” Applied Developmental science 5(4): 225-236 §§ (Delpit, L. (2001). Education in a multicultural society: Our future’s greatest challenge. In J.H. Strouse (Ed.), Exploring socio-cultural themes in education (2nd ed., pp. 2003-211). Upper Saddle River, NH: Merrill Prentice-Hall. *** Greenberg, E and Weber, K. Generation We: How Millennial Youth Are Taking Over America And Changing Our World Forever. Pachatusan. Emeryville, CA. 2008. ‡‡
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Who Are Breakthrough’s Teachers? Breakthrough teachers are creative, intelligent, and passionate. Breakthrough teachers are talented high school and college students from around the country. They are intrigued by learning and teaching – even if they are not necessarily planning to become teachers professionally.
Breakthrough teachers are ALL high school & college undergrads. All applicants are students who are high academic achievers and passionate about learning and teaching. While teachers range from sophomores in high school to seniors in college, they work closely together as equals and colleagues.
Breakthrough teachers are active learners. Our teachers are dedicated to creating an active learning environment for each other and their students. Most have never taught before, but all are able to learn to foster learning inside and outside the classroom.
Breakthrough teachers have diverse backgrounds. Many Breakthrough graduates have returned to their programs as teachers. Our high school teachers come from local public, parochial, and independent high schools. College students come from hundreds of campuses nationwide. This summer, there will be approximately 750 teachers around the country and in Hong Kong.
Summer 2009 Statistics 723 teachers 5 9% are of color 3.53 3.53 average GPA Sample of colleges Breakthrough teachers attend: Harvard University, Yale University, University of Chicago, University of California - Berkeley, Brown University, Stanford University, Middlebury College, University of Pennsylvania, University of TexasTexas -Austin, Swarthmore College, and Columbia University.
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Why Should You Teach? You'll gain a world of valuable experience, including: HandsHands -on teaching experience in an innovative education program Breakthrough’s values of relentless rigor, instructional excellence, and supported empowerment are the hallmarks of education reform today. Teach For America understands this and selected Breakthrough teacher Alumni applicants at more than double the rate of their national selection in 2009. Grab a piece of this movement now.
Leadership experience In every job or school interview you’ll have for the rest of your life you will be asked about, “a time you were challenged.” Your eight weeks with Breakthrough will provide you with the right answers to that question. You will be building this program.
Training and mentoring from professional teachers As you take part in your first teaching experience, you’ll be able to lean on the expertise of the best and brightest professional mentors in town. They’ll help you with your lesson plans and classroom management, but they’ll also light the path to your own career in education.
The opportunity to make a positive impact in children’s lives In eight short weeks, you’ll see change really happen. You’ll have a major role in creating the valedictorians, student body presidents, dean’s listers, school principals, and elected officials of the future. You’ll take pride as you watch them change their communities in the years to come.
The opportunity to work with a diverse community of young educators You’ll team up with a group of brilliant people your age from the top high schools and colleges, and with a range of knowledge and expertise. It’s kind of like The Real World, but if that show was about good human beings doing great work.
More responsibility than you’ll get in any other summer program, internship, or job available to undergraduates With Breakthrough, you will learn a lot about the field of education, but you’ll also be asked to change the trajectory of a child’s life in a measurable way. You’ll be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the program, and you’ll be tasked with relentlessly advocating for your beliefs and for the rights of your students. We’re really asking you to jump in with both feet. Even if that scares you a little bit, we want you to apply anyway. This is not for the faint of heart, and you will need to apply with the attitude that you’re ready for anything. Any teachers expecting a relaxing summer will only be disappointed. Teachers wanting to stretch themselves in new ways and find out the extent of what they really are capable of will have the summer of their lives.
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7 The Breakthrough Community A sterling reputation, and thirty years years of teachers and students Breakthrough teachers have left their mark on the educational policy, academic, and business fields over the past thirty years, and your Breakthrough experience will be recognized accordingly. Our Teacher Alumni go in droves to top teacher training graduates schools like Stanford’s STEP program; organizations like Teach For America, City Year and Citizen Schools, actively seek out our graduating teachers. The same goes for the top innovative charter organizations like Uncommon Schools, Building Excellent Schools, KIPP and Achievement First.
Financial Support for Teachers Living expenses stipend Breakthrough establishes a minimum stipend of $750 for high school students and $1000 for college students. The base stipend varies from site to site.
Stipend enhancements If you are on financial aid, sites have extra funding to support your work with Breakthrough. This is handled on a case-by-case basis, but the basic rule is that sites try to provide you with what you need. Do not let financial concerns discourage you from applying. We will try to address your needs.
REMEMBER: Do not let financial concerns discourage you from applying. Other individual sources for funding Many college students in the past have also applied for and received outside grants, work-study funds, and fellowships to supplement the living expenses stipend. Ask your financial aid advisor and/or college counselor about money that your school provides to help support students who engage in community service during the summer. High school students may be able to look into outside funding sources as well.
Other Breakthrough Opportunities School Year Program tutor/teacher/mentor While we’re asking you to join us for the summer, Breakthrough’s students attend the program for tutoring, enrichment, and mentoring year-round. This afterschool and weekend programming offered by sites needs the same staff of high school and college teachers that the summer program does. The school year opportunities vary from site to site, so you should contact your local Breakthrough director for more information.
NonNon-teaching teaching positions Breakthrough sites offer a variety of non-teaching positions during the school year and summer sessions. These include student recruiting and admissions, office administration, alumni tracking, developing resources, writing, research and more. Contact individual sites for additional information. Or e-mail dbryson@breakthroughcollaborative.org to learn more about internships currently available at Breakthrough National in San Francisco, CA.
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Teacher Commitments and Responsibilities You’ll teach classes and much more! At Breakthrough, you’re not an assistant or aide in a classroom – you’re the teacher. During your summer-long commitment, it will be your responsibility to: • • • • • •
Teach up to three academic classes and one elective. Participate in ongoing reflection about the work, the students, the program, and your personal involvement. Be an active, positive role model for the students in the program. Work with students’ families to best serve the needs of their children. Learn about career pathways into teaching and other education leadership positions through mentoring and career panels. Participate in the co-curriculum (see next page).
Academic classes are at the core of the Breakthrough day Literature, writing, math, science, social studies. To prepare students with the academic skills necessary to thrive in top high schools our academic classes are rigorous. Faculty members are responsible for planning, teaching, and evaluating their own academic classes. It’s typical to teach two or three classes (generally the same subject to different sets of students), but depending on the program, you may team-teach a class or teach fewer classes for longer periods.
Propose and teach your own academic electives Such as African American History, Korean Literature, and Native American Poetry. In addition to core courses, you may also teach an academic elective of your own design. Because Breakthrough courses are meant to provide students with the tools that they need to succeed in a college-preparatory, high school environment, these rigorous courses emphasize writing, critical thinking, and study skills.
Design your own non-academic electives and "mini-courses" Such as Drama, Basketball, Piano, and Knitting. Faculty members teach electives of their own design that provide a different type of educational opportunity: less traditionally academic, yet well-planned and full of powerful learning. These classes range from photography to basketball, from costume design to hip-hop dance, and from chess to drama. Elective classes stretch students in new and different ways, providing exposure to activities they often do not have access to at school or home.
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9 The Co-curriculum What is the coco -curriculum? Since Breakthrough focuses on educating the many facets of the student, each program creates a learning environment that extends from the classroom all the way to the local community. This "co-curriculum" is critical to creating a powerful and exciting learning environment. Breakthrough thrives as a colorful place, filled with student work, and bustling with constant bake sales, diversity workshops, basketball contests, poetry nights, skits, field trips, and dances. These activities are all part of Breakthrough's co-curriculum and are essential to the growth of the students. You will be an educator both inside and outside of the classroom.
Here are some specific coco -curricular responsibilities responsibil ities you might hold: Advising: Breakthrough students enter the program with diverse strengths and challenges. One may need advice about how to schedule homework time in the midst of many chores at home, another student may be struggling with peer conflicts, and another may be feeling self-conscious about her new braces. As a Breakthrough teacher, you must be sensitive to the needs of your students and always be available to listen, give advice, or in some cases refer them to someone better prepared to handle their situation. Working with Families: Families play an important role at Breakthrough and getting to know them is one of the highlights of the summer. They are among our best resources. Conversations on the phone, conferences, and "Back to School Nights" provide valuable insights into how to best work with and encourage a student’s development. Regardless of whether our students may be facing challenges at home, we expect their families to commit to the program. Committee Work: Committees are chaired by and made up of teachers. They provide opportunities to learn about the responsibilities of administration and leadership. Their work ranges from planning events such as Celebration, to coordinating visitors and media in Public Relations, to beautifying the school through the Art Committee. Committee work helps create in each program the vibrant and unique atmosphere that makes Breakthrough different. Special Events: As a teacher, you will be involved in various special events that happen at different Breakthrough programs. Thus, even though you may not have organized an event, you will be involved in its execution: running the improv contest at Olympics, leading a group downtown on City Day, DJ-ing the dance, masterminding a skit for an All School Meeting, coordinating the 7th grade song for Celebration, etc. Club Leading: Clubs provide home bases for Breakthrough students, as well as teams that take on various challenges and competitions over the course of the summer. Two to three teachers work together as club leaders for a group of approximately 10 students. Club leaders organize and lead their clubs in Olympics, Spirit Day and other activities that unify and help students learn to work together. Club leaders are also advisors who are the most tuned into the needs of their students. The club leader is expected to be aware of students’ academic and personal challenges, and either provide guidance and support, or refer the student as needed.
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Teacher Growth through Guidance Most Breakthrough teachers arrive in our program never having taught before. Others may never have taken an education course. Because we recognize the challenges of the program, we work to provide you with support throughout the summer.
Teacher training week Each program spends at least five to seven long, intensive days preparing teachers for the summer. Teachers attend workshops on lesson planning, rehearse lessons for their peers, and learn about their students. These intense training sessions are led by site directors, professional teachers, and staff members who have taught previous summers.
Support from professional Mentor/Master teachers During training week, professional Mentor Teachers (called “Master Teachers” at some sites) will be available to help you plan for your classes and prepare you for the world of teaching. After the training week, mentor teachers will visit your classes, provide feedback and on-going training throughout the summer, and generally be available as your best resources. Mentor Teachers are also expected to make sure that classes are rigorous enough, challenging enough, and appropriate for our students. They are there to catch you if you struggle.
Faculty room resource library Every site has a resource library of materials available for your use. Curriculum binders, sample lesson plans, books, and workbooks are all available for your review throughout the summer.
Support from your colleagues All programs have department meetings that serve as support sessions for teachers in various subject departments. During these meetings, mentor teacher lead the department in workshops and discussion focused on sharing best practices, triumphs, and challenges. In addition, many programs encourage teachers to observe each others’ classes in order to collaborate about teaching and course content. Many teachers will brainstorm lesson planning techniques and share teaching strategies. Your colleagues will be talented students who are diligent and caring, and you will all learn together. You will soon learn why Breakthrough prides itself on its spirit of collaboration and teamwork. The Breakthrough teacher blog at http:// teachbreakthroughs.org will be updated throughout the summer with dispatches from teachers across the Collaborative. Newbies and veterans, some struggling and others soaring (most are doing both), you’ll find support and kindred spirits nationwide.
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Leadership Positions Faculty positions at Breakthrough demand leadership skills; there are several positions that require additional commitment to and interest in administration. Please be aware that the types of leadership positions vary at each program. Please inquire about the leadership options at individual sites when you interview.
Department Chair Academic departments are formed by teachers in each of the core academic subjects. These teams share resources and planning, and are responsible for administrating regular department meetings and serving as a peer mentor. Department Chairs also supervise subject-specific activities, such as “Word of the Day� at all-community meeting or the Science Fair. While Department Chairs are most often experienced Breakthrough teachers, anyone with a particular talent for a subject and an interest in administration should indicate interest.
Administrative/Leadership Committee Each program creates a committee to handle daily operations and to establish a positive tone throughout the summer. The structure and name of the committee varies from site to site. This committee is the backbone of most programs, and has a variety of responsibilities that may include: organizing All School Meetings, running the faculty meetings and handling altered schedules, spearheading interdisciplinary work, overseeing events committees, and handling unforeseen challenges that arise over the summer. The committee works closely with the director(s) to discuss the logistics of the day and week. These positions are time and energy intensive, and members are instrumental in setting a positive tone for the entire program. Administrative Committee members generally begin work a week before faculty training and have lighter teaching loads.
Director of Athletics Some programs have a Director of Athletics because of the extensive athletic programs offered to the students before, during, and after school. Programs foster physical fitness for a variety of interest and skill levels. Besides administrative duties, which include responsibility for scheduling events, caring for facilities, and managing equipment, the Athletic Director encourages students to develop individual confidence and commitment to teamwork.
Art Director/Photo Director, Video Artist Those who dream about murals, paper magic, visual concepts, and art mania, consider directing the art program at Breakthrough. Art directors celebrate creativity, coordinate all art activities, see that art supplies are readily available, and oversee the art facilities. Most importantly, art directors weave art into all realms of the learning experience. Photo directors and video artists document the program with pictures, slide shows, and videos. Many sites have dark rooms for film development. Video equipment varies from site to site.
Celebration Chair The Celebration chair coordinates and oversees all details of the end of summer extravaganza that we call Celebration. Parents, families, and community members attend this combination of graduation, artistic and academic performance and all around celebration of the incredible work accomplished by the teachers and students over the summer. The Celebration chair must have a knack for organizing logistics and promoting the Breakthrough spirit.
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A Typical Day The day runs from 7:30 a.m. to about 6:00 p.m. in most programs. However, many times you will find your hours of involvement to be much longer. Commitments outside the program are difficult to maintain. Many Breakthrough alums say that you must live, eat, breathe, and even sleep Breakthrough to be an effective teacher. Here is an example of a typical day for a teacher at Breakthrough (specifically that of a math teacher):
7:307:30 -8:00 8:008:00-8:25 8:258:25-8:50
AM
8:508:50 -9:45 9:459:45-10:40 10:4010:40 11:00 11:0011:00 -11:55
Possibilities: prepare lesson materials, respond to student essays, rehearse All School Meeting skit. Meet buses in front of the school. Breakfast, collect homework, attendance, and announcements. Study time. Meet with that student who is having trouble understanding fractions in your math class. Math block. Have a student lead the class in solving homework problems Math project. Students measure the volume of the gym. Snack break with students.
PM
Math Department meeting. 11:5511:55-12:25 Lunch Time! Possibilities: meet with club to discuss fundraising or help a student with math. 12:2512:25-1:20 Free period. Talk to study skills teacher about a student whose study habits worry you. Elective class. Native American History: Finish discussion of Plains Indians. 1:201:20 -2:05 Each student reads a selection from Black Elk Speaks. Non-academic elective class. Acting: Do voice and movement warm-ups. Run 2:052:05-2:55 through Scene 1 of Raisin in the Sun. Discuss character objective. Illustrate objective with improvisational games. Afternoon activities. Get involved in an afternoon activity: Join the Dance 2:552:55-3:35 Workshop; play volleyball. 3:35All School Meeting! 3:35-4:00 3:55Round-up. Accompany students to get backpacks from lockers. 3:55-4:00 4:00Buses depart. Stand at buses; wave goodbye. 4:00 -4:15 Faculty meeting. Announcements, discussion, reflection. Meeting can last 4:154:15-6:00 until 6:00 or later. Carefully mark papers and quizzes. Complete lesson plans for the next day 6:00 focusing on goals of students. Sleep and dream about classes.
This schedule reflects that of one Breakthrough site. All sites have different schedules. The commonality commonality among them all is a “full time +� commitment by all teachers.
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Apply to Teach There is no “perfect” Breakthrough teacher. Each teacher is selected for his/her unique blend of academic achievement, talent, and personality and a deep commitment to Breakthrough’s students and mission. It is precisely for this reason that the Breakthrough application contains multiple essay questions. Please be sure to plan enough time to complete all the questions.
The Breakthrough teacher application can only be found online If you are interested in teaching, you should complete an application online. After you have created a log-in and have logged into the application, you can save changes and return to your application an unlimited number of times to complete your application. However, you must complete and submit your application by March 1, 2009.
http://teachbreakthroughs.org/apply-to-teach/ Please Note: The selection timeline may vary from site to site, but selections begin in February and some sites will fill most of their positions prior to the deadline. The admissions timeline is posted below – if you have any questions, please contact teach@breakthroughcollaborative.org or call 415-442-0600 x106.
Final Application Deadline: March 1, 2010 5pm PST/6pm MST/7pm CST/8pm EST March 17, 17, 2009 May 21, 21, 2009
Final Notification from First Site Preference: Preference : By this date, applicants will be notified whether they have been granted an interview or not with their first site– some may be notified before this date. Waitlist Notification†††: By this date, applicants who have been placed on Notification the Waitlist will be notified whether or not they have been accepted to teach in a Breakthrough program.
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You have the option to be placed on the Breakthrough National Waitlist. If you’re not accepted to the program(s) to which you applied to teach, and you indicated you would be willing to teach anywhere, your application is then automatically placed on the Breakthrough National Waitlist. By indicating on the application that you are willing to teach at any Breakthrough site, you are agreeing to be placed on the waitlist and are willing to be placed as late as May 21, 2010. You will be notified when you are placed on the waitlist and at that point, all directors in the Collaborative will be able to view your application and applicants are selected on a first come, first served basis.
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14 The application process Complete the online application. You will need to complete and submit the online teaching application. The application consists of four sections: Who Are You?, Tell Us More, How Do You Think? and What Are Your Preferences?. You will be asked to tell us about your background and experience, do some very serious reflection on some challenging essays, and make some decisions about what role you’d like to have with Breakthrough. Expect to spend a significant amount of time honing your application. As with most online interfaces, it’s a good idea to do your work in a word processor and copy-paste your essays into the online form. Your login may timeout, and you may lose your work. If that happens, you can’t say we didn’t warn you. On page two you will find a section of the Application entitled, “Gap Grant.” GAP Inc. has partnered with Breakthrough Collaborative to support the recruitment, selection, and training of underserved populations in leadership and service opportunities. We confidentially collect economic and college graduation information to evaluate our progress in this effort. All applicants remain anonymous to Gap, which receives only demographic data without any individual names or locations. We thank you for being honest in your responses.
A Note about Online Automation The Breakthrough Teacher application process is highly complex during which your application can change hands several times. Applicants are required to pick at least one and up to four preferences of sites at which they'd like to teach. The directors of those four sites are notified when they take “ownership” of the application. That is, an applicant’s 1st choice has immediate ownership of the application upon submission until they decide to select that applicant or reject. Beginning in late February our directors receive a limited amount of time (at minimum 1 week) with a given application, after which time our automated process moves the application to the next site. If an applicant is rejected by their 1st choice site, the 2nd choice site gains “ownership” of the application and can decide to select or reject. And so on. In an effort to provide more transparency to our applicants, this year the online application system will notify you via automated email when you are being moved through various stages of the application process. Specifically, you will receive emails when you start your application, submit your application, are rejected from a site (and moved to your next choice), when your application is placed “Under Review” for extended scrutiny, if and when you have been placed in the National Waitlist and when the National Waitlist is no longer open. This transparency will allow the applicant greater trust in the process that our directors make great efforts to work through thoughtfully, respectfully and efficiently
Get a Letter of Recommendation. You’ll be able to download from the application a Recommendation Form. You need to find a professor, teacher, employer, or someone else who can testify to your work ethic, leadership qualities and commitment to education. Letters from friends and family members are generally not considered strong recommendations. You will ask your recommender to return this letter to you in a signed, sealed envelope. You will then hold onto the letter until you are invited to an interview. Do not send your letter of recommendation to anyone except a director who asks for an interview.
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15 Print out your Unofficial Transcripts. You will need to have a copy of your Unofficial Transcripts handy. You do not need to get the copy from your registrar’s office with the official seal. What you can print online or elsewhere will suffice. Like the Letter of Recommendation, you should hold on to your transcripts until you are asked for an interview. Do not send your transcripts to anyone except a director who asks for an interview.
Wait to be contacted by a director for an interview. Directors will process applications when they’re able to. Many will attempt to fill staff positions earlier in the process. However, the clock doesn’t start counting down on them until February. If you’re to be offered an interview, you’ll be contacted. If your contact information for the spring changes, send a note immediately to teach@breakthroughcollaborative.org.
Something important to remember. Once you submit your application, you are not able to make any changes to your work or your site selections. Measure twice, cut once. If you have questions (other than, “I submitted my application on Tuesday, and I haven’t heard about an interview yet”), feel free to send a note to teach@breakthroughcollaborative.org. teach@breakthroughcollaborative.org
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Where You Can Teach The choice is yours. When you apply, you can select up to four Breakthrough sites from 26 cities in 16 states, and Hong Kong. You will rank the sites in order of preference (one being your highest preference, four being your lowest preference). You do not have to select four sites but must select at least one. When selecting your programs, you should carefully consider individual program characteristics, such as student ages, teaching structure, or special courses.
Explore the Breakthrough programs. Search the Breakthrough Site Roster to learn more about each location. You may access the roster from the Online Application. Please also be sure to read the Site Roster to learn more about how many teaching positions are available at the sites. Some sites receive high numbers of applications to fill a limited number of positions, making it more competitive (particularly in larger cities). Even if you’ve never considered visiting a less-impacted city, you may find a great fit for your strengths there. Be open to new opportunities!
Housing arrangements If you choose an out-of-town site and do not already have housing arranged at that location, your site may be able to arrange a homestay. Generally these homestays allow teachers to live with the families of students, teachers, or other friends of the program. You must read the site description in order to determine if they are accepting homestays. Some sites also have arrangements with local colleges to offer dormitory housing for students.
Please be sure to state your housing needs clearly on your application. application. Realize that homestay availability is generally limited. Having a friend or family member to stay with will be helpful!
Travel arrangements Please note that in all but extreme cases, teachers are responsible for transportation to and from the site.
Breakthrough Affiliate Locations (number of sites in parentheses) Atlanta, GA Austin, TX Boca Raton, FL Cambridge, MA Cincinnati, OH Denver, CO (2)
Fort Lauderdale, FL Fort Worth, TX Hong Kong Houston, TX Manchester, NH Miami, FL (3)
Minneapolis, MN New Haven, CT New Orleans, LA New York, NY Norfolk, VA Philadelphia, PA (3)
Pittsburgh, PA Providence, RI Sacramento, CA Saint Paul, MN San JosĂŠ, CA San Juan Capistrano, CA
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Santa Fe, NM San Francisco, CA (Day) San Francisco, CA (UHS)
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Breakthrough Is Here to Help You Most of the questions we receive about applying to teach can be answered in this handbook. If you still need help, please do contact Breakthrough’s Teacher Excellence team with your questions.
Policies, ideas, concerns, bigbig-picture questions, and lifelife-afterafter-Breakthrough:
Dave Bryson Teacher Network Specialist dbryson@breakthroughcollaborative.org 415-442-0600 x106
July 20, 2009
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At the end of last summer, I described Breakthrough as the hardest and most rewarding thing I had ever done. Halfway through this summer, I am constantly reminded of that statement. There are simply not enough hours in the day to do everything I want to do with our students. At the same time, there is nowhere else I’d rather be because of the smiles and excitement on our students’ faces as they grasp academic concepts and enjoy learning; it makes all the nights of staying up late to finish lesson plans, or to design an activity for class worth it.
”
Emily, Breakthrough Philadelphia Read the rest of this story and more, at TeachBreakthroughs.org
2010 Teaching at Breakthrough Handbook