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. 

Preparing for edTPA is a big undertaking, but it is a necessary process for those with dreams of teaching. Alternate Route alum Julia Mills has put together multiple tips for those who need a little guidance throughout the process. Mills is an artist, writer and educator living in Southern New Jersey.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak began, educators have realized that sharing resources is more important than ever. Teachers across the globe are connecting virtually to share best practices and professional development resources. 

Sharing resources is important to education because it benefits everyone. Educators are introduced to new teaching methods and tools and students benefit by having an engaging educational experience.

Recently, we connected with many Alternate Route candidates on which websites they use for educators and why. Below are 46 go-to education resources for multiple subjects that come highly recommended.

October is LGBTQ+ History Month! In fact, the official establishment of LGBTQ+ History Month was actually founded by a history teacher in Missouri. Rodney Wilson was the first openly gay public school teacher in the state and chose October to represent LGBTQ+ history because the first and second LGBTQ+ marches on Washington happened during the month. 

Education organizations across the state of New Jersey and beyond have planned a variety of learning events for the fall. As in previous years, Rutgers Alternate Route at the Center for Effective School Practices has made it easy for New Jersey teachers to identify PD opportunities for the upcoming fall teaching season.