Uncommon Schools

Teaching Fellow

May - July 2019 • New York City, NY

What I liked

What I liked about my fellowship with Uncommon was the amount of support and feedback that we received on a daily basis. This constant feedback allowed me to grow exponentially as a future educator.

What I wish was different

The only thing that I wish had been different would be the length of the fellowship. 7 weeks was enough time to get a feel for the field of education but I think that 9 weeks would've given a richer experience.

Advice

One piece of advice I would share would be that Uncommon Schools are truly that, uncommon. The experience I gained working with them over the summer is priceless. From getting the opportunity to lead my own classroom, to networking and gaining lifetime friends, this was a once in a lifetime experience.

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Student Teaching Fellowship

May - July 2019 • Newark, NJ

What I liked

The experience

What I wish was different

Nothing

Advice

It’s a lot to list , but change of environment .

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High School History Teacher

May - July 2019 • New York City, NY

What I liked

I loved that fact that I was able to teach in my own classroom and that I was given so much opportunity for growth. They hosted us in dormitory style housing and I was able to have a mentor teacher as well. We went through many professional development sessions that helped to groom us as teachers. I also was offered a full time offer to teach there after I graduate which I will be doing. This program was truly amazing and the work that Uncommon does is phenomenal.

What I wish was different

I wish that the program was longer!

Advice

Work hard and you will get the best experience!

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Summer Teaching Fellow

May - August 2019 • Newark, NJ

What I liked

I loved the kids!

What I wish was different

I had fundamental differences of opinion surrounding teaching philosophies and best-practices for students, especially those receiving special education services.

Advice

Know what charter schools are and how they operate. Use this information to inform your understanding of the internship.

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Teaching Fellow

May - July 2019 • New York City, NY

What I liked

Everyone in the program was nice and helpful. It was my first internship but I did not have to feel scared.

What I wish was different

The pay schedule and how they reimbursed us for transportation and fingerprinting.

Advice

If you're interested in teaching or aren't sure what to do after graduation, you should apply to the program. It's a good challenge that can help figure out what type of person you are.

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Teaching Fellow

May - July 2019 • New York City, NY

What I liked

This was an invaluable experience for pre-service teachers to lead a classroom of their own and continuously receive feedback on their practice. Additional benefits include free housing in Downtown Brooklyn and compensation for an unlimited Metro-card.

What I wish was different

I wish there was a higher level of organization and communication among the various leaders and coordinators however I understand this program is still in it's early years of existence.

Advice

As a member of a cohort of teaching fellows, get to know each other and use each other as resources to support your success in the classroom.

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Summer Teaching Fellow

May - July 2019 • Troy, NY

What I liked

I loved how this role prepared me to teach in a classroom, I am able to follow lesson plans and teach history to high schoolers

What I wish was different

If they prepared us to deal with certain instances that had come up

Advice

If you want to receive an opportunity to teach come here! You will know for sure if you want to be a teacher when you leave. I know I want to be one !

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Summer fellow

June - August 2019 • New York City, NY

What I liked

I really enjoyed how supportive and helpful the staff is while providing you space to improve on your own. They also give all the tools and resources necessary to succeed in their program.

What I wish was different

Their Special Education seminar wasn't very clear and providing mentor teachers for a second day of preparation week could really help.

Advice

One piece of advice is to be open to criticism and change because it will change you.

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Summer Teaching Fellow

June - August 2018 • Newark, NJ

What I liked

Great hands on experience for class room teaching in charter school setting

What I wish was different

More time management

Advice

Hard work, perseverance, and patience required!

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Uncommon Schools Summer Teaching Fellow

May - July 2018 • Boston, MA

What I liked

Got great professional development.

What I wish was different

Nothing.

Advice

Mentor teachers were amazing resources.

3 people found this helpful

3rd Grade Teacher

May - July 2018 • New York City, NY

What I liked

Learning instructional skills Meeting current veteran teachers Receiving coaching and feedback

What I wish was different

Learning more about the school's outreach to the community

Advice

Time management is key to being a successful teacher!

1 person found this helpful

Operations Intern

May - July 2018 • Troy, NY

What I liked

Fantastic work environment. Friendly people. Tasks and expectations fully explained.

What I wish was different

Nothing.

Advice

Try your best at your job and put forth effort in order to help the kids succeed.

3 people found this helpful

Summer Teaching Fellow

June - July 2018 • New York City, NY

What I liked

I loved the real world experience that I received actually being able to lead my own classroom.

What I wish was different

I wish it would have been longer.

Advice

I would advise students to be all in in this experience.

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Summer school Teacher

May - August 2018 • Newark, NJ

What I liked

I liked the fact that the teaching fellows had a week full of workshops to get them accustomed not only to the school's lingo, but also with workshops involving useful methods to help them be better at teaching. I enjoyed the experience of not only interacting with the subject that I had to teach, which was World History, but also the connections that were able to form between students and teachers and coworkers. The small classroom environment was also great as a first time teaching experience.

What I wish was different

I wish I would have been more aware of the work that had to be done prior to being immersed into summer school. I did know that we had to prepare lesson plans as well as worksheets, however, when learning about monitoring keys, tacking on grading as well as recording & evaluating teaching methods; I was really shocked about how much work goes into summer school prep and teaching.

Advice

Even though at times the workload may feel overwhelming, it does become better and much more manageable. I would also add to make sure to interact with your coworkers for a better experience.

6 people found this helpful

Summer teaching fellows

June - August 2018 • New York City, NY

What I liked

I like the experience I got that facilitated growth as a teacher, presenter or public speaker.

What I wish was different

I would have liked that our teaching training extended to special needs students

Advice

I would advice that it is important to become a sponge and absorb as much information as possible and be willing to step out of your comfort zone to enable growth

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Summer Teaching Fellow

May - July 2017 • New York City, NY

What I liked

I liked the opportunity to live and work in New York.

What I wish was different

A lot of the internship was disorganized, which made the interns' jobs much more stressful than they needed to be.

Advice

This is a great job for deciding if a career in education in right for you.

3 people found this helpful

Summer Teaching Fellow

May - July 2018 • New York City, NY

What I liked

I enjoyed meeting people from different backgrounds. Uncommon Schools receives a substantial amount of applications for their Summer Teaching Fellowship Program. However, only a small percentage are offered positions. Being able to meet these individuals, hear their stories and learn about their career goals is extremely rewarding.

What I wish was different

I wish I had more time working with this program.

Advice

Utilizing the network of professionals available to you is crucial to your own personal development.

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Summer Teaching Fellow

May - July 2018 • New York City, NY

What I liked

Within the 7 weeks of the internship I learned so much about myself. Not only was the opportunity a hands on experience, I was groomed professionally. Teaching has always been one of my many passions. The STF program solidified my next move as a young professional.