Alternate Route alum Sharon Phillips originally went to school for Information Technology, but found herself in education because of the raw talent her colleagues saw. 

For years, Phillips worked in coding, designing programs and training staff, but after the dot-com bubble burst in the early 2000s those in tech went from cherry-picking the job market to being thrust into cutthroat job competition. 

During this time, Phillips switched gears. She moved to New Jersey and focused on being a mother to two boys. That’s when education began creeping into her life. She became heavily involved in their school, from helping in the classroom to being part of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA). Phillips took to education so well that other people began to notice.

Educators now have a year of virtual learning experience under their belts, and looking back on this somber anniversary, it is inspiring to see how these educators have risen to the occasion. 

These incredible groups of people had a huge learning curve ahead of them. While there are plenty of educators that are comfortable with existing and emerging tech, many had to learn multiple new programs, and do so fast. 

To get an idea of the challenges educators have faced and the lessons they have learned, we turned to a few of our Program Advisory Council members. This group of individuals represents the best in New Jersey education and we are proud they are part of the Rutgers Alternate Route community. Overall, these esteemed professionals have been impressed with their colleagues’ resilience, willingness to adapt and dedication to student success.

Spring is the time for fresh starts. If landing a new job is one of those starts, we congratulate you on taking that step! 

While many educators and districts are looking forward to summer breaks, finding top-tier talent is always a priority. 

There are plenty of New Jersey school districts that are currently hiring for Spring, with a diverse list of job options for new and veteran educators. We’ve connected with our partners and scoured the internet for current job openings available in New Jersey. 

If you have a job posting you’d like us to share, please email altroute@gse.rutgers.edu  with the subject line “Position Announcement.”

Black history is an integral part of our nation’s history, and, as our culture gains more cultural awareness, it’s increasingly important that we continue to grow that focus and awareness beyond just February.

For this Black History Month, we wanted to know how Alternate Route candidates are incorporating Black history in their curricula. To do so, we sent out a survey to participants who shared the measures they are taking in the classroom. We loved seeing all the responses and how Black history fits into every subject area

Twenty years ago, New Jersey lawmakers set out to reform the way public schools address the history, accomplishments and experiences of Black Americans with The Amistad Bill. The bill, which became law in 2002, requires New Jersey public schools to incorporate into social studies and other content area lessons  materials and texts that “integrate the history and contributions of African-Americans and the descendants of the African Diaspora.”

The bill also formed the Amistad Commission, which ensures schools are adequately teaching Black history, contributions and experiences. This is done through members that survey school materials, help maintain a consultant directory and act as a liaison between textbook publishers, legislators, schools and resource organizations.

Creating strong financial wellness habits can be challenging for anyone, and with several unique aspects of a career in education, new – and even veteran – teachers can benefit from a financial wellness check-up. 
 
The first financial challenge educators are faced with is summer vacation. Do they have to get a summer job? How much do they have to save to enjoy the break? What about preparing for retirement and everything else life requires?

Conferences have looked a little different this past year. With COVID-19 canceling in-person events, planners and promoters put their heads together to offer virtual experiences for those seeking professional development. 

And what we learned is conferences can go on! It took an open mind and a lot of changes, but the conference landscape has been able to adapt. As we enter 2021, conferences are still virtual, which we’ve found to have its benefits. People who otherwise couldn’t attend physically now have access to new information, making learning accessible to more, which is always a win.

New Jersey has plenty of exciting virtual conferences lined up for educators this winter, with topics ranging from equity, health, how the brain learns and more.

Starting a new job is a great way to kick off the new year. Whether you are in the middle of the job search or thinking about switching gears in your career, opportunities abound!

There are plenty of New Jersey school districts that are currently hiring for winter, with a diverse list of job options for new and veteran educators. We’ve connected with our partners and scoured the internet for current job openings available in New Jersey. 

See below for a list of current opportunities! 

For those ending 2020 with an empty gas tank, please know that’s okay; a lot has been asked of you this year! Always remember that your hard work has impacted many young lives. 

Take time this holiday break to recharge and indulge in what gives you joy. Doing so will help you get back in the swing of things and give your students your all. To help you gear up for 2021, here are 12 pieces of wisdom from mentor teachers trained by our program who survived their own first year in the classroom and are coaching new teacher colleagues to thrive." 

Last month, we shared 45 of our candidates’ favorite online resources for teaching. The blog post received a great response, which tells us our community is curious and loves exploring resources. 

Luckily, our candidates gave us so many websites that we were able to gather 45 more online education resources for our community. We are thankful to our Alternate Route candidates for sharing the websites that help make them better educators and hope other educators find them useful as well.