Growing Their Own

Denton ISD’s innovative program to recruit teachers starts in Kindergarten

Denton ISD’s innovative Teach Denton campaign began in 2014. Their “Grow Your Own” program is a long term investment that identifies Denton ISD students for future teachers. The students are nominated to join the Future Teacher Academy. The program targets every grade level in the district—from kindergarten to 12th grade. It encourages staff members to identify students who would make good teachers. Those students are then paired with mentors and provided education and training classes in the district’s Advanced Technology Center. The mentors also help students with the college application process. And students who seek teaching positions in the district after graduating college are given priority hiring status.

MISSION OBJECTIVES

• Identify Denton ISD Students, in grade K-12, who exhibit natural talents and traits. • Provide mentor support to those identified Denton ISD Students who would be excellent candidates for Teach Denton. • Increase the number of students in education & training classes at the Advanced Technology

Center. • Monitor the number of former

Denton ISD students who then return to their childhood communities as teachers. • Increase diversity of new teachers hired to reflect the demographics of the community.

WHY WE MUST GROW OUR OWN

“Traditional recruiting in Not effective in hiring teachers that connect with students in our classrooms. We must develop INNOVATIVE strategies, be INTENTIONAL in hiring and ultimately SECURE the right candidates”, Emily McLarty, Director of Staff Engagement

“We must develop INNOVATIVE strategies, be INTENTIONAL in hiring and ultimately SECURE the right candidates.”

During a training session, Ms. McLarty starts with an exercise. “Stop and take a deep breath and remember that teaching is the most important work, educating kids is the most important work in the

world. Being a teacher is a great job. We are always in demand. It is a stable profession, it’s a profession for which you can have tremendous pride and you can provide for your family in a meaningful way. Remind ourselves to have our shoulders back and head high when we introduce ourselves. ‘I’m a first grade teacher, I’m a school nurse, I teach P.E.’ ” She goes on the explain more. “We are attempting to find those people that were put on this earth to be teachers. We want to tap into that potential and invest in students that feel that sense of pride and calling from early on. We are in need and in higher demand than ever before. We are encouraging our teachers to look and listen for that kid that looks to make sure all of the students are included, asks the really tough and deep questions. Look for the student that takes an idea and really runs with it in a way that is unexpected. And also that kid who is a turkey, yet so magnetic that others kids follow and listen and engage with that kid. We need to tap in to these teacher qualities, identify those kids, and build a picture for them so they see a future for themselves as a teacher.”

“Our overall goal is to provide TEACH DENTON Students priority consideration for future teaching opportunities in Denton ISD”

Leah Zavala, who wears many hats at Denton ISD, is the Campus Liaison for the Teach Denton Academy, Education Internship Instructor, and the Future Teacher Academy Director. While teaching the internship classes, she often heard that students were being discouraged to pursue teaching as a career. To encourage them, Zavala also sponsors an active Texas Association of Future Educators (TAFE) chapter; her students have competed at the region, state, and national level. She also saw a need for keeping the passion for teaching alive in all grade levels, not just the 11th and 12th graders she teaches. To do so, she created a week-long summer program, called “Future Teacher Academy,” to inspire Denton ISD students Academy. in grades 3-10 to become future Texas educators. She explains the they host a week long program in the summer for the interns in grades 3-10. It is a half day camp with 4 periods. The 11th and 12th grade interns are the teachers for the

Ms. Zavala identifies the key strategies for their Future Teacher Academy: • Select Campus Ambassadors • Identify Students Early • Provide Financial Support • Promote Teaching Profession • Assist with College Admissions • Commitment to Hire Denton ISD Alumni

SUCCESS IN PARTNERSHIPS

Teach Denton has partnered with an alternative certification program, iteachTEXAS. Diann Huber, Ed.D, iteachTEXAS Founder and Advisor, is passionate about their dedication to the program. “iteachTEXAS has established an endowed scholarship for the ‘Grow Your Own’ program. Each year the outstanding graduating senior of the GYO is awarded a $1000 scholarship to participate in the teacher preparation program at Texas Woman’s college.” Kim Kirby, HR Manager, Special Projects goes on to explain other partnerships that help support scholarships. Non-profit clothing donation bins to help local families in need are set up in Denton. Teach Denton gets paid monthly by the weight of the donations they receive. Last year alone they were able to offer $8000 in scholarships to High School seniors in the Future Teacher Academy. Denton ISD is eager to share their program with anyone who is interested in learning more. Please visit the Teach Denton website or contact Kim Kirby at kkirby@dentonisd.org for more information.