A program-aligned instructional role is a role within a school, teaching or supporting PK–12 students. Instructional role requirements differ depending on the Relay program.
Appropriate instructional roles for Relay Teaching Residency or New York Relay Teacher Pathway candidates include, but are not limited to, teacher-in-residence, paraprofessional, or co-teacher.
- Year 1 students in New York can read more about the New York Relay Teacher Pathway in the Academic Catalog.
- Year 2 students in Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Washington DC can read more about the Relay Teaching Residency in the Academic Programs Guide.
- All other students can read about the Relay Teaching Residency in the Academic Catalog.
Appropriate instructional roles for all other Relay candidates (Non-Residency, Non-Teacher Pathway, etc.) include, but are not limited to, lead teacher or teacher of record.
Applicants to Relay Graduate School of Education must secure a program-aligned instructional role to be eligible for enrollment at Relay. Depending on the school or preparation program (e.g., Teach for America), an applicant may or may not know the details of the specific position that they will hold at the time of their application. As a result, Relay students are required to confirm their instructional role details through the School Authorization and Instructional Role Confirmation Form as a requirement to enroll in coursework each fall. If your instructional role is not aligned to the requirements of your program, you must also submit a transfer application to a program that does align to your instructional role by the start of the fall term. Failure to submit a transfer application, if necessitated by your instructional role, may delay program completion or result in administrative withdrawal. State and program-specific due dates for the School Authorization and Instructional Role Confirmation Form can be found here.
Program-Aligned Instructional Role for Students with a Residency or New York Teacher Pathway Area of Study
Students enrolled in one of Relay’s programs as a Teaching Residency or New York Teacher Pathway candidate must hold a position that meets the following criteria:
- Year 1
- Hold a non-lead teaching position aligned to the content area for the program that allows the ability to complete gateway and coursework assessments, including performance-based assessments (e.g., assessments based on classroom planning, observation, and reflection)
- Spend consistent time in the resident advisor’s classroom to observe, learn, and co-teach. Some states require a minimum amount of time in the resident advisor’s classroom, which is described in the Guide to Program-Aligned Instructional Roles.
- Take on more responsibility for whole-group instruction across the year, leading to full lesson and class instruction by the end of the year
- Release time from school to attend weekly clinical practice seminars (2.5 hours weekly)
- For more detailed information about instructional role requirements for the Relay Teaching Residency or the New York Relay Teacher Pathway, see the Relay Teaching Residency: Resident Job Description or the New York Relay Teacher Pathway: Apprentice Teacher Job Description
- Meet additional instructional role requirements specific to the Educator Preparation Program in your state, if applicable
- Meet AmeriCorps instructional role requirements, if applicable
- Year 2 (if applicable)
- Transition into a teacher of record/lead teacher role* in the content area for your program
- Meet additional instructional role requirements specific to the Educator Preparation Program in your state, if applicable
- Meet AmeriCorps instructional role requirements, if applicable
Program-Aligned Instructional Role for Students Without a Residency or Teacher Pathway Area of Study (Non-Residents)
Students enrolled in one of Relay’s Master of Arts in Teaching Programs or Certification/Licensure Programs without a Residency or Teacher Pathway Area of Study must hold a position that meets the following criteria:
- Year 1
- Hold a teaching position aligned to the content area for the program that allows the ability to complete coursework assessments, including performance-based assessments (e.g., assessments based on classroom planning, observation, and reflection)
- Meet additional instructional role requirements specific to the Educator Preparation Program in your state, if applicable
- Meet AmeriCorps instructional role requirements, if applicable
- Year 2 (if applicable)
- Hold a teaching position aligned to the content area for the program that allows the ability to complete coursework assessments, including performance-based assessments (e.g., assessments based on classroom planning, observation, and reflection)
- Meet additional instructional role requirements specific to the Educator Preparation Program in your state, if applicable
- Meet AmeriCorps instructional role requirements, if applicable
Program-Aligned Instructional Role for Students in the MAT in Special Education Program or the Advanced Certificate in Special Education Program
Students enrolled in the Master of Arts in Teaching in Special Education or the Advanced Certificate in Special Education must hold a position that meets the following criteria
- Year 1 in the MAT in Special Education Program
- Meet Year 1 instructional role requirements listed for Residents/NY Teacher Pathway candidates or Non-Residents, as applicable
- Year 2 in the MAT in Special Education Program and Year 1 in the Advanced Certificate in Special Education Program
- Hold a teaching position aligned to the content area for the program that allows the ability to complete coursework assessments, including performance-based assessments (e.g., assessments based on classroom planning, observation, and reflection)
- The ability to conduct direct-instruction to a minimum of six students who are officially classified as having disabilities, and
- The capacity to tutor a small group of students for the entirety of the school year.
- Meet additional instructional role requirements specific to the Educator Preparation Program in your state, if applicable
- Meet AmeriCorps instructional role requirements, if applicable
*Teacher of Record/Lead Teacher: A person employed by a school district who teaches the majority of the instructional day in an academic instructional setting and is responsible for evaluating student achievement and assigning grades.