STF was the first time I had been around this many people who were as passionate as I was about urban education reform. It was stimulating, invigorating, and reassuring to know that there were other people in the world who cared so much about student success. After every conversation or workshop with my cohort members, I felt inspired and motivated to strive for the best and keep doing the work that I am doing."
--Tahsina Siddiqui, 2010 Fellow; 2011 Kings Collegiate Charter School Teacher
My fellow superseded my expectations! Beyond looking for ways to improve and becoming a better teacher, I expected for the fellow to be passionate and open-minded, and she was all of these things and more.”
--2011 STF Mentor Teacher
The Summer Teaching Fellowship (STF) is a unique, highly competitive teacher recruitment and preparation program. STF is designed to introduce college juniors of color who are passionate about student success and social justice to teaching within Uncommon's classrooms. Fellows develop the skills necessary for leading high-achieving urban classrooms across Uncommon’s networks through the mentorship, collaboration, and hands-on experience STF provides.
Uncommon Schools recognizes the importance of building a talented staff of teachers who reflect the diverse backgrounds and experiences of our scholars. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, nationally only 9.3% of elementary and middle school teachers identify as Black/African-American, and 7.3% identify as Latino. These numbers drop even lower when looking specifically at Black and Latino men in the teaching profession. STF is part of Uncommon's commitment to attracting, hiring, and retaining teachers from underrepresented backgrounds in order to enrich our scholars' learning experiences.
STF is currently offered in New York City and Boston, and may expand to include our Rochester and Newark schools. Fellows come from college campuses across the United States. As a fellow, you will work and teach in one of Uncommon’s schools with the support of a mentor teacher and STF staff. You will also engage in professional development sessions 3-4 evenings per week. To build cohort community, fellows also take part in a range of fun social and cultural events together.
The program begins in early June and concludes in late July. For the seven week cycle, fellows receive the following:
Fellows…
STF is a unique experience that past fellows have described as challenging, rewarding, and ultimately life-changing. Ten STF alumni are currently teaching full time with Uncommon Schools. Program alumni have also become leaders in the field of education reform and have seen their teaching, organizational, and leadership skills grow in unanticipated ways.
The STF experience extends beyond your summer fellowship. Uncommon Schools provides continued support and mentorship to program alumni through graduate school and competitive program application support; opportunities to receive coaching from current teachers and leaders; and alumni social events.
As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status or disability.
The strongest STF candidates exhibit the following traits:
The minimum program requirements are as follows:
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October 28th, 2011 |
STF Application Opens |
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October 31st - March 15th, 2012 |
First round phone interviews. Selected candidates from this round will be invited to STF host school for in-person interviews |
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March 1, 2012 |
STF Application Closes |
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March 20th – April 6th, 2012 |
In-person interviews |
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April 13th, 2012 |
Candidates notified of a spot in the 2012 STF cohort |
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Early June, 2012* |
STF 2012 Begins |
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Late July, 2012 |
STF 2012 Completes |
*Specific program start and end dates will be available in March 2012
The application to the Summer Teaching Fellowship is available through Uncommon’s job board. Please click here to register for Uncommon’s job board and access the STF application.
Join Associate Director of Organizational Learning Idrissa Simmonds and an STF alumnus for one of the following webinars:
“An Uncommon Summer: Applying to the Summer Teaching Fellowship”
This webinar will provide details on submitting a strong application for STF and will allow participants to hear from an alumnus of the program currently teaching with Uncommon. Please click on a date to register for the webinar.
Are fellows only placed in New York City schools?
We are currently exploring opportunities to extend the program to include schools within our Newark, Boston, and Rochester regions. Candidates can indicate their choice of location on the application and will be notified of specific STF placement sites in the spring.
How many fellows are accepted into the program?
STF will accept 25-35 fellows for the 2012 cycle.
Is this a paid internship?
Yes. Fellows receive a stipend of $3,500 for the seven-week cycle.
Will housing be provided?
Yes.
Do I need to be an Education Major?
No. A major in education or prior teaching experience is not required for admittance into the program, though the strongest candidates exhibit a demonstrated passion for working with students and an interest in pursuing teaching as a profession.
What grade level will I be teaching?
Fellows may be placed in any classroom at the k-6 level. You will be able to indicate your grade level interest on the application.
Can graduate students apply for STF?
STF is only open to college undergraduates. For admittance in the summer 2012 cycle you must be graduating in spring 2013.
Uncommon has a range of other positions that would be suitable for recent graduates and graduate students. Please visit our Job Board to view current openings.
Please also view the Uncommon Schools general FAQs.
For more information on The Summer Teaching Fellowship, contact stf@uncommonschools.org or use our "Contact Us" form and select "Recruitment."
