Individuals who fill classroom support roles are strong candidates for full-time teaching and often take that next step. However, while classroom support roles provide the necessary foundations to transition into full-time teaching, there is still a difference to prepare for.

Teacher apprenticeship programs recognize these qualities in school support staff and leverage them to address teacher shortages, target critical subject areas and offer professional development opportunities that cater to their target audience.

Support roles in education offer more than just support—they are a lifeline for schools, administrators, teachers and students. Studies have shown having a paraprofessional in the classroom can reduce teacher turnover and improve student outcomes. Likewise, substitute teachers are integral to promoting and maintaining student success.

Rutgers University’s Graduate School of Education was one of two Universities selected by the New Jersey Department of Education for the New Jersey Teacher Apprenticeship Program grant. Ms. Heather Ngoma, Director of the Rutgers Alternate Route program, and her team were awarded $400,000.00 for their project entitled ParaPreppED.

These are the tools, books, websites, and strategies that your peers swear by to keep their lessons engaging, relevant, and impactful. Whether you’re looking to revamp your curriculum or simply find fresh ideas to spark classroom discussions, these expert-approved resources are sure to inspire and elevate your teaching game.

For more than 50 years, Americans have been observing National Hispanic Heritage Month, a thirty-day celebration of contributions made by achievers of Caribbean, Central American, Mexican, South American, and Spanish heritage.

The September 15 start date marks the independence anniversaries of Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. Days later, Mexico and Chile gained their independence. Hence, the significance of the mid-September launch to the month-long celebration.

The Rutgers Alternate Route program has reached a significant milestone as its latest cohort of educators received the Reflective Teaching micro-credential. This achievement comes after a full year of rigorous self-examination and professional growth within the Supervised Provisional Teaching II course.

ESL teachers play a critical role in New Jersey’s classrooms, bridging communication and cultural gaps for ELLs while providing a foundation in English that unlocks a world of educational opportunities. They create welcoming environments where students feel safe to take risks, experiment with the language, and build the confidence to communicate effectively. Understanding that effective ESL instruction goes beyond grammar and vocabulary, they foster cultural understanding, promote social-emotional development, and empower students to excel across all subjects.

Conferences and webinars are simple ways to brush up on best practices, discover new methods to connect with students, network with other professionals and much more.

As a gift to our educator community, we’ve put in the work and rounded up 34 summer conferences, from June to August.

Through culturally responsive teaching, New Jersey teachers can help create more diverse learning experiences for their students. To assist with connecting educators with AAPI heritage resources, Rutgers Alternate Route has rounded up some engaging content ideas to incorporate into classrooms.