Teach for America partners with Dallas ISD, working to reduce educational inequalities
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Triniti Morse knows firsthand the impact educators have on future generations.
"I grew up in a home where sometimes we didn't have food," she said. "I grew up in a home where sometimes I was holding a baby on my chest while I was writing a paper. I grew up in a home that was hard sometimes."
School was always her sanctuary.
"I had teachers that I could go to their classroom and hang out and really decompress," she explained.
So now, she's paying it forward by entering a DFW school next year through the Teach for America program, which works to reduce educational inequalities. To get prepared, this summer she and dozens of other new teachers are training with veteran Dallas ISD teachers.
"With this partnership, Dallas ISD is able to provide TSA newcomers with the opportunity to have a real-world experience," Dallas ISD Director of Recruitment Steven Jackson said.
"The curriculum seems very specifically geared towards the types of communities that these teachers will actually be practicing in," Dallas ISD veteran teacher Aden Morgan said. "After COVID, one of the things I personally noticed is there was an uptick in negative behavior among students. Some of the upticks in behavior might be persistent even as these teachers enter the workforce."
A big part of their work focuses on social and emotional learning.
"Teaching students the life skills to deal various things in their life," Morgan said.
It's something Morse said teachers will also benefit from heading into next year.
"Teachers these days are facing a lot of pressure inside the classroom and then it kind of bleeds out into personal lives," she explains. "How can I make sure that I'm also providing for myself and meeting my needs so that way I can come as a teacher at my best every day?"
Yes, there will be challenges but she welcomes them.
"To create a classroom environment where students feel seen, heard and loved is something that I look forward to, something that excites me and something that I really am passionate about," Morse said.
About 30 of the teachers attending this training will teach at DISD schools next fall.
Right now, the district has about 500 more positions to fill and will be hosting a job fair next month. It will take place on July 21st form 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Conrad High School.
