The Mississippi Teacher Corps Class of 2005 arrived on campus last week (please note that MTC denotes classes by the year they start). “This is another outstanding group,” said Dr. Andy Mullins, the Co-Director of the Teacher Corps.

Dr. Mullins met with the entire group on Tuesday afternoon and outlined the history of education in the Mississippi Delta as well as giving them a walking tour of the Ole Miss campus.

“This is the youngest group we have had,” said Dr. Mullins. “They have a lot of enthusiasm and are engaged in everything we're doing.”

With 28 participants this is the largest class in the programs history. They come from all over the country, from Vermont to Washington state. Five participants are from Mississippi or went to college in Mississippi .

(Dan Bauers '04 leads a Praxis II Study Group)

“It's great to finally meet everyone after talking on the phone and emailing with them for so long,” said Ben Guest, the Program Manager of MTC.

The first-years had two days of orientation, during which they attended workshops given by Dr. Mullins, Dr. Germain McConnell, and Joe Sweeney, a second-year corps member. On Thursday they started their student teaching in the morning and taking their first class, EDSE 500 Foundations of Education, in the afternoon. Ms. Ann Monroe is their instructor for EDSE 500.

The second-years, MTC Class of 2006, started their summer classwork last week as well. Second-years take only morning classes and only in June. After a years worth of hard and rewarding work they are enjoying the relaxed summer schedule. There are currently 18 second-years as one chose not to continue with the program after the end of the school year. The Class of 2006 initially started with 21 participants. “It's natural,” said Mr. Guest. “This is a rigorous program and teaching is hard work.”

(MTC Class of 2006)

The Mississippi Teacher Corps is the most competitive alternate-route teaching program in the country. It is a two-year program that recruits recent college graduates to teach in critical-shortage areas in the Mississippi Delta, in exchange for a full scholarship for a master's degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Mississippi. The program was founded in 1989 by Amy Gutman, a Harvard University graduate and Dr. Andy Mullins , current Special Assistant to the Chancellor of Ole Miss. Since 1989 more than 300 participants, reaching an estimated 60,000 students, have taught in critical-needs school districts as part of the Mississippi Teacher Corps.

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