Story by Jen Jordan / May 18, 2023
By Kady Preston and Brooke Tompkins
Why did Meeting Street Schools Create New Teacher Academy?
In Malcolm Gladwell’s 2011 book Outliers: The Story of Success he makes the claim that it takes 10,000 hours of intensive practice to achieve mastery of complex skills such as playing the violin or getting as good as Bill Gates at computer programming.
Let’s pretend that teachers only work 8 hours a day for 180 days of the year. According to Malcolm, a teacher would need to be practicing their skill for about 7 years in order to achieve mastery in the field. But we don’t have seven years. Teachers have a direct impact on the trajectory of each life that enters their classroom each and every day, whether they are in their first year of teaching or their seventh.
So how do we accelerate this timeline?
How do we get new teachers to reach mastery over the complex skills needed to move students’ academic growth THIS year?
That is where New Teacher Academy comes in.
What is New Teacher Academy?
New Teacher Academy (NTA) is a practice field for teachers to refine and execute the skills and teacher moves every master teacher needs. While each campus in the Meeting Street Schools network offers consistent feedback to teachers every day, New Teacher Academy provides a place for new teachers to practice their teacher moves in front of other first year teachers before bringing it to children.
The program, led by a master teacher, supports first-year teachers in not only honing their teacher skills, but also provides new teachers with fellowship and community. NTA consists of teachers who are in their first year of teaching. This means that every educator is coming from the same starting point. Sessions are thoughtfully designed to ensure that content is relevant and high-leverage, and teachers spend the bulk of time doing the practice and getting feedback. Sessions include topics such as how to partner with families, the art of reteaching, and how to create a culture of error.
How did New Teacher Academy impact you as a first year teacher?
“New Teacher Academy gave me the opportunity to connect and relate to other first year teachers, get insight into the highs and lows of a typical day of teaching, learn applicable classroom management skills and gain confidence in my ability to lead my classroom,” stated Brooke Tompkins, NTA Class of 2023. “My NTA lead, Kady Preston, was a perfect example of the teacher we should strive to be and how to live and represent the mission and goals of Meeting Street Schools every single day.”
On May 10, 2023, the second cohort celebrated the completion of New Teacher Academy with their mentors, principals, and other Meeting Street Schools leaders. They were each recognized with a “Path to Success” shout out from their NTA lead and received certificates of completion.
Join a community of incredible, passionate people working to change the lives of our students. Our compensation and benefits are a cut above the rest: the most competitive total compensation in the region.
Start Your Career!Meeting Street Schools (MSS) is an innovative non-profit where schools, families, and the community collaborate to create environments where all children can achieve their full potential. With a network of schools across South Carolina, including MSA-Charleston (Charleston, SC), MSA-Spartanburg (Spartanburg, SC), MS-Brentwood (North Charleston, SC), MS-Burns (North Charleston, SC), and MS-Jasper & Beaufort (Jasper, SC), we are committed to providing students with the rigorous education they deserve.
Founded on the principle that every child deserves an excellent education regardless of their socio-economic background, Meeting Street Schools has been a beacon of hope and a testament to what's possible in education. Our schools are driven by a strong focus on student achievement, evidence-based instruction, and relentless support of our students and their families.
While united by our shared mission, each MSS campus, is unique in its character, tapping into the local spirit of the communities they serve. Explore each of our schools and discover how they're creating a brighter future for students in South Carolina.
Nestled in the heart of Charleston, South Carolina, MSA Charleston is more than just a school—it’s a hub for innovative learning and community engagement. As part of the Meeting Street Schools network, MSA Charleston embodies a commitment to excellence through its rigorous academic programs, inclusive culture, and focus on developing the whole child. With a curriculum that emphasizes both academic and personal growth, MSA Charleston prepares students to be curious learners and active citizens of their community.
MSA Spartanburg stands as a pillar of educational innovation in the Spartanburg community. The school’s dedicated educators and supportive learning environment ensure that each child receives a high-quality, personalized education with exceptional faculty and teachers. MSA Spartanburg is distinguished by its emphasis on community partnership, fostering relationships that extend beyond the classroom to build a strong foundation for lifelong learning and success.
MS Brentwood is a place where education meets opportunity. Serving the Brentwood area, this school is a testament to the transformative power of education. With a student-centered approach that celebrates diversity and encourages excellence, MS Brentwood is dedicated to equipping students with the skills they need to thrive in the 21st century. MS Brentwood also serves as a hub for the Brentwood community to access educational and wellness services. The school’s commitment to innovation, coupled with a warm, welcoming environment, makes it a standout in the MSS network.
Located in a community rich with history and culture, MS Burns is renowned for its dynamic educational approach that intertwines traditional learning with modern teaching techniques. The school’s focus on experiential learning ensures that students at MS Burns are not only recipients of knowledge but also active participants in their educational journey. MS Burns exists to spark an educational revolution for the students and families in the Dorchester-Waylyn Neighborhood in North Charleston. With a commitment to creating a supportive and challenging academic environment, MS Burns is forging a new path in public education.
MS Jasper represents the Meeting Street Schools’ dedication to community-based education with a global perspective. The school provides a nurturing environment where students are encouraged to explore their potential and cultivate a love for learning. With its diverse programs such as Eureka Math, and Wit and Wisdom, MS Jasper puts a major emphasis on character development, specialized learning and equips students to become thoughtful, engaged members of society, reflecting the MSS ethos of empowerment through education.
“MSA is a family. Once you’re in, you’re in. They said they would follow our kids from K-3 to college and they actually lived up to what they said they would do. Not only did MSA challenge my daughter academically but it also exposed her to new things that she probably wouldn’t have been exposed to at our previous neighborhood school. Our journey at MSA was exciting and rewarding. They actually walk the walk.”
“We come into work everyday truly believing that our students are capable of achieving anything that is put in front of them. Here at MSS, students are provided the opportunity to achieve success through the facilitation of well-educated teachers, resources, and a responsive classroom school environment.”
Meeting Street Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, or national or ethnic in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarships or loan programs, and athletic or other school-administered programs.
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