You are using an unsupported browser. Please update your browser to the latest version on or before July 31, 2020.
close
You are viewing the article in preview mode. It is not live at the moment.
Hurricane Helene Support
For students affected by Hurricane Helene or other natural disasters, please reach out to your advisor for any needed support. Note that power outages due to extreme weather falls within our excused absence policy. Students can also access additional support through
Relay's Student Assistance Program.
Student Instructional Role
print icon

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. All instructional roles should be aligned with the content area of the program, including applicable grade-level alignment. Some flexibility exists to support students with instructional roles that fall outside of these guidelines. However, flexibility will only be granted in alignment with state regulations and at Relay’s discretion. 

 

Relay’s Instructional Role Guidelines by Program

 

Program-Aligned Instructional Role for Students with a Residency or New York Teacher Pathway Area of Study

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. Students can read more about the New York Teacher Pathway or Relay Teaching Residency in the Academic Catalog. 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:

  • In year 1, hold a non-lead teaching position aligned to the content area and grade level** 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 corresponding EPP Handbook.

  • 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)

  • In year 2, students must teach at least one group/class/grade/subject of at least 3-8 students in order to successfully complete the Capstone. Students should also teach the same group of birth–grade 12 students during their prerequisite class (CLIN-523, CLIN-531, or CLIN-533) and in EDU-510 whenever possible. Exceptions to this should only be made when a job change or leave from Relay prevents them from working with the same group of students.

  • In year 2, students may be required to transition into a teacher of record/lead teacher role* in the content area and grade level for their program.

 

Note: Relay’s guidelines may be less restrictive than state requirements. A student’s instructional role must align with state requirements, if pursuing certification/licensure, and Relay’s guidelines. State requirements specific to the Educator Preparation Program can be viewed in the Academic Catalog.

 

Program-Aligned Instructional Role for Students Without a Residency or Teacher Pathway Area of Study (Non-Residents)

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.* 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:

  • Hold a teaching position aligned to the content area and grade level** 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)

  • In year 2, students must teach at least one group/class/grade/subject of at least 3-8 students in order to successfully complete the Capstone. Students should also teach the same group of birth–grade 12 students during their prerequisite class (CLIN-523, CLIN-531, or CLIN-533) and in EDU-510 whenever possible. Exceptions to this should only be made when a job change or leave from Relay prevents them from working with the same group of students.

  • In year 2, students may be required to transition into a teacher of record/lead teacher role* in the content area and grade level for their program.

 

Note: Relay’s guidelines may be less restrictive than state requirements. A student’s instructional role must align with state requirements, if pursuing certification/licensure, and Relay’s guidelines. State requirements specific to the Educator Preparation Program can be viewed in the Academic Catalog.

 

*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.

 

**Content Area and Grade-Level Instructional Role Alignment

 

Table 5

Programs

Content Area

Grade Level

MAT in Early Childhood Education or Early Childhood Special Education 

or

Certification/Licensure in Early Childhood Education or Early Childhood Special Education

Early childhood setting

Infant to third grade (Birth to age 8)

MAT in Elementary Education 

or 

Certification/Licensure in Elementary Education

Either self-contained or departmentalized elementary setting

K-6 

MAT in English Language Arts Education 

or 

Certification/Licensure in English Language Arts Education

English Language Arts, Reading, Writing

5-12

MAT in Mathematics 

or 

Certification/Licensure in Mathematics Education

Mathematics

5-12

MAT in Science Education 

or

Certification/Licensure in Science Education

Science (e.g., General Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, etc.)

5-12

MAT in Social Studies Education 

or

Certification/Licensure in Social Studies Education

Social Studies (e.g., Social Studies, History, Government, Economics, Psychology, etc.)

5-12

MAT in Middle Grades Education 

or

Certification/Licensure in Middle Grades Generalist

English Language Arts, Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies

5-8

MAT in Special Education

or

Advanced Certificate in Special Education

or 

Certification/Licensure in Special Education

Must teach in a setting with:

  • 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.

*For the MAT in Special Education, the above requirements must be met in the second year of the program. Any content area is allowable during the first year.

K-12

MAT in Early Childhood Special Education

Early childhood setting

Must teach in a setting with:

  • the ability to conduct direct instruction to a minimum of six students who are officially classified as having disabilities or need more intensive academic, emotional, and/or physical support, and 

  • the capacity to tutor a small group of students for the entirety of the school year.

*For the MAT in Early Childhood Special Education, the above requirements must be met in the second year of the program. Any content area is allowable during the first year.

Infant to third grade (Birth to age 8)

 

Instructional Role Requirements and Qualifying Clinical Experience

Students who are enrolled in an educator preparation program to pursue certification/licensure must hold an instructional role that meets state- and program-specific requirements while completing their qualifying clinical experience. For more information about the instructional role requirements for one of Relay’s educator preparation programs, see the Academic Catalog.

 

Instructional Role Requirements for AmeriCorps Membership

Students who enroll as AmeriCorps members must meet the following instructional role requirements:

  • Must teach at a school site with a signed Memorandum of Understanding (or AmeriCorps Service Site Agreement)

  • Must teach full-time with a 9-hour workday

  • Must be a salaried employee with access to benefits

  • May not teach in a parochial school

  • May not hold a paraprofessional role

Feedback
0 out of 0 found this helpful

scroll to top icon