Bronx Charter School for the Arts partners with national program to improve teacher retention
At Bronx Charter School for the Arts, students aren't the only ones learning a few lessons.
Some of the teachers have taken courses outside of the classroom to ensure they're leaving a lasting educational impact on their students.
"I went to school in the Bronx, and then my parents moved us out, and then we went to Westchester, and the level of education was different. And that shouldn't be. So when I became a teacher, I said that my classroom is going to be 100%, 100% at the time. So kids are getting that level of science education in here that you be getting in the 'elite neighborhoods,'" Enibokun Edosomwan said.
The program at the Relay Graduate School of Education
Edosomwan teaches eighth grade biology at the school and has worked on her mission as an educator by going back to school herself at Relay Graduate School of Education.
"They made everything super easy. We're learning how to educate the whole child. It's not just about academics. It's about social emotional. It's about knowing where your kids are, what stages they are. Emotionally. How can we bring sort of their culture into the classroom? So relay has held me accountable for that, for making sure that my kids can see themselves in their lesson," Edosomwan said.
The Bronx Charter School for the Arts has partnered with Relay Graduate School of Education, a national institution that focuses on school leadership development across the country.
Relay professor Paul Chin taught Edosomwan and spoke to CBS News New York about what he believes sets the graduate school apart from other teaching programs.
"We really push our teachers to have really high expectations for their students to build positive relationships, with their students, and really just be responsive to the needs that they see and think about. What are some good research-based interventions that they can use to help every student meet the goals they set out to achieve," Chin said.
"We want to keep our teachers here"
The impact on student academic achievements, as well as the retention of teachers at Bronx Charter School for the Arts since partnering with Relay is easy to see for Kathy Ortiz, the executive director of the charter school.
"We want to keep our teachers here. So it's a great partnership. I love what they do, and in turn, my teachers love what they do and they learn a lot. And therefore my students are learning a lot. And it shows in my kids grades," Ortiz said.
Since graduating from the Relay program and applying it to her lessons, Edosomwan shared she also notices a positive change.
"They're more involved, they're more interested, or they come in, tell me, 'Miss Small, look what's going on. We found this, this and that.'"
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