TTC Newsletter | Fall 2020
TRAINING TEACHERS DURING COVID-19
In March 2020, Shady Hill School did what most schools did. We shifted gears, sent our students and teachers home, and prepared them for a different Shady Hill. Apprentices in TTC ‘20 stepped up and pitched in. We learned from them, became friends with “Google meet” and developed a long-term relationship with Zoom. Summer came. We relaxed a bit and planned for the new school year. Our SHS leadership team worked tirelessly to plan for several different scenarios: full remote, hybrid, and in-person all focused on safety and a rich learning experience in a different environment. In August, we had a full week of faculty meetings on the health and safety protocols. 

Much of the stuff we like to fill a classroom with is gone. Everything made of paper is laminated. Desks and chairs are spaced six feet apart. Recess requires students and teachers, alike, to get creative with the games we play. Tents adorn the campus for outdoor instruction and during our second week of school, all of our Lower School students are meeting with teachers, classroom assistants, and 15 apprentices in person but not before a second round of COVID-19 testing on campus. Group A make up the middle schoolers who returned to school for their first week of in-person classes while Group B is engaged in remote instruction until the next week, alternating weeks of on and off-campus learning. 

The TTC Class of 2021 does not meet in person for seminars. While the apprentices had orientation with Mark Stanek in half groups, all of their coursework at SHS and the universities is remote. They relish their time with their host teachers connecting with kids and planning and teaching five days a week. They will gain a skill set that no other cohort has developed within this unique year. 
Meet the TTC Class of 2021
New apprentices are always eager to begin their experience at Shady Hill. No other group has been asked to start learning how to teach by teaching during a global pandemic, though. However, as you might have expected, apprentices have risen to the occasion. We have adapted the fall placement to be responsive and flexible to in-person and remote learning at Shady Hill. This means that on any given day apprentices might be running tech for remote learners, stepping in to assist for a lesson, covering recess or walking a child to their classroom, or filling in for the unexpected. As they learn to teach during extraordinary times, they are still learning important lessons: relationships still matter; the presence of children provide comfort and purpose; and membership in a cohort helps lessen the distance between us. As ever, apprentices remain reflective and appreciative of the work everyone does at Shady Hill to enable the school to remain open. During an online pre-practicum, one apprentice observed that “In a pandemic at Shady Hill, it feels like this is a community that can do this,” while another said that what she valued about working with her Host Teacher (what we now call Directing Teachers in the fall), was that the nature of online learning has created a “cool opportunity to talk about new ways to do things.” Even during an unpredictable time, apprentices find ways to build community, learn, and respond in powerful ways.
Teaching During the Pandemic: Survey
We Need Your Help!
We always love to hear from you. Especially now, we’re in need of your voices as we think about how we can make sure we are providing support and resources that respond to what our alums need. Could you take 5 minutes to complete this short survey about teaching during a pandemic? We’ll aim to use the results to plan for future programming, to coordinate all the ways you’ve been teaching during this time, and to get a temperature check. Please aim to complete this survey by November 20. We’ll share results in the next newsletter.
Classroom Resources for
Culturally Relevant/Anti-Racist Teaching
The racial uprisings during the spring of 2020 that have continued into the fall have many of us looking for resources and for ways to teach these issues in classrooms. Have you found any good resources during this time? If so, drop us a line to share, and we’ll include them in future updates that we share with others. Here are some we have curated (all titles are linked).
Advisory Board Updates
After two years of shaping the direction of the TTC, we are saying goodbye to our first class of Advisory Board members who served from 2019-2021. If you’re interested in serving for a two-year term, please complete the nomination form. Alums with teaching, leadership, and experience with non-profits are encouraged to apply. We have filled 2 of 13 seats. We meet 3 to 4 times a year with a group of engaged alumni who serve as thought-partners for the TTC.
Join Us In the Meeting Room
We are pleased to announce monthly informal gatherings of TTC alums. Each month, The Meeting Room will feature a topic and time for discussion and socializing. Upcoming topics are below. To join, log on using this link. We’re looking forward to seeing you! Meetings are each month at 7:00 p.m. EST (NEW TIME!). 

11/18: Teaching during the Election
12/16: Culturally Responsive & Antiracist Practices
1/27: Supporting Our LGBTQIA+ Students & Educators

Save the date for future Meeting Room gatherings: February 24, March 31, April 28, May 26
The Impact of the TTC

Impact matters. Our vision of a flourishing, equitable future depends on people stepping up to address needs, creating new modes of being, and thinking creatively about possibility. Check out the most recent SHS Magazine, which features the impact of the Shady Hill Teacher Training Center and how the graduates of the residency program demonstrate what making a widespread difference looks like. 
Share updates about your life, accomplishments, resources, and job opportunities. We’ll include them in future newsletters. Email Janet Ross with your news.

Follow Shady Hill on social media to find out the latest updates, reconnect with what you loved about your apprenticeship, and even catch a glimpse of apprentices in action. 
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