Read Anderson Heston's article: Teaching in a Forgotten Part of America

Description

The Mississippi Teacher Corps is a two-year program, similar to the Peace Corps, that recruits college graduates to teach in the Mississippi Delta. The program is designed for non-education majors and offers a host of benefits, including:

• Teacher training and certification
• Full scholarship for a master's degree in education
• Job placement that includes full pay ($30,000+) and benefits
• The opportunity to make a difference in the lives of students in one of the poorest areas of the country

Read Carey Applegate's article: Carpe Diem in the Mississippi Delta

Summer Training

The program, and the initial summer training, starts in June of each year at the University of Mississippi. All classes, workshops, and training seminars are closed. Only MTC participants can attend.

During the summer all participants receive:

• Full scholarship for a Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction
• On-Campus Housing or reimbursement (up to $700) for off-campus housing
• A $1,000 stipend
• Teacher Certification (with reciprocity in all other states)
• Breakfast and lunch during the summer school teaching
• Several meals, socials, BBQ's, and weekly frisbee and basketball games

Listen to NPR's report on the Holly Springs Summer School

Holly Springs

The initial MTC summer training involves student teaching at Holly Springs High School. Second-year MTC teachers serve as the lead teachers. Holly Springs is a critical-needs school district about 30 miles from Oxford. During the summer school all participants receive:

• Breakfast and lunch
• Experience teaching every single day
• Transportation to and from Holly Springs

Watch the film "Making The Difference: A Year in the Mississippi Teacher Corps"

School Year

During the school-year all participants teach in a critical-needs school district in Mississippi. All teachers are placed either in the Mississippi Delta or in Jackson. Jackson is an urban city of about 300,000 people.

During the school-year all particpants receive:

• Full pay (starting salary is $30,000 a year) and benefits, including health insurance
• Full scholarship for a Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction, including all textbooks and lab fees
• Saturday classes twice a month at the University of Mississippi, including mentoring groups with selected second-year and veteran MTC teachers
• Hotel room for Friday evening in Oxford
• Constant support from your MTC mentor

After the first year of teaching participants take classes in June only, and also serve as veteran teachers at the Holly Springs Summer School. During the second year of teaching participants take two fall classes, meeting in Oxford for seven Saturdays (about twice a month). Additionally, some second-years may be asked to mentor the first-years teachers.

At the end of the second year participants will have earned a Master's Degree in Edcuation from the University of Mississippi. Participants will also have:

• Teacher certification
• Two years experience
• Two years of full pay and benefits
• Two years of making a difference in the lives of kids in one of the poorest areas in the country

Listen to co-founder Dr. Andy Mullins discuss the History of the Teacher Corps

History

The Mississippi Teacher Corps was created in 1989 by Dr. Andy Mullins and Amy Gutman. At the time Dr. Mullins worked at the State Department of Education. Amy was a journalism student at Harvard University interning at the Greenwood Commonwealth.

In brainstorming ideas of how to fill the impending teacher shortage in the Mississippi Delta Amy and Dr. Mullins came up with the Mississippi Teacher Corps, a program, founded on the ideals of the Peace Corps, in which recent college graduates from all over the United States would come to Mississippi to teach.

Initially the Mississippi Teacher Corps was a one-year program funded by several foundations in Mississippi. In 1993, the program was altered substantially and became a two-year program with a full scholarship and training from the University of Mississippi. In 1994, the program became fully funded by the Mississippi Legislature.

Since 1989 more than 400 participants, reaching an estimated 80,000 students, have taught in critical-needs school districts as part of the Mississippi Teacher Corps.

Listen to NPR's report on the Mississippi Teacher Corps

Objectives

The Mississippi Teacher Corps has three objectives:

1) To provide dedicated, talented teachers for Mississippi school districts where an inadequate supply of teachers exists.

2) To afford a structured entry into the teaching profession for outstanding liberal arts graduates who have never taught before.

3) To identify and nurture educational leaders in the 21st century.

Watch our "Teacher Spotlight" videos

Benefits

- Full Scholarship for a master's in education from the University of Mississippi

As part of the Mississippi Teacher Corps you will receive a full scholarship to the University of Mississippi for a master's degree in curriculum and instruction from the School of Education. The School of Education is an NCATE accredited institution. You will complete your coursework and earn your degree during the two years of the program through a combination of summer classes, and selected weekend classes. Once you have your degree your pay scale will increase, whether you choose to teach in Mississippi or in another state.

- Coursework tailored to the program

The coursework that makes up your degree has been specifically created for the Mississippi Teacher Corps. The classes are designed for first-year teachers who do not have an education background and are teaching in the Mississippi Delta. The only way to take the classes offered is to be in the Mississippi Teacher Corps.

- Teacher Certification

After the initial summer training you will be a certified teacher with a Class A license. After the two years of the program and with your master's degree you will have a Class AA license.

- Free textbooks, course fees, etc.

In addition to the full scholarship the Mississippi Teacher Corps also pays for all textbooks, course and lab fees, graduation fees, and any other costs associated with getting your masters degree.

- Summer stipend

During the initial summer training all participants will receive a $1,000 stipend.

- Housing

During the initial summer training participants will be housed on-campus. For married couples or for those choosing to live off-campus you will be reimbursed for the cost of on-campus housing.

During the school year when you come up for Saturday classes your hotel room will be paid for on Friday and Saturday nights.

- Job placement

Participants are placed in critical-needs school districts by the Mississippi Teacher Corps.

- Full pay and benefits from your school district

As a certified teacher at your school district you will receive full pay and benefits from your school district. Benefits include health insurance.

- Socials

The Mississippi Teacher Corps has many different social activities: basketball; volleyball; Ultimate Frisbee challenges between the first and second years; lunch and dinner socials; a holiday social; an end-of-the-summer social; and an end-of-the-program social.

- Networking

As a participant in the program you will meet other highly motivated, high achieving people from all over the country.

- Life-changing experience

The most important benefit of the Mississippi Teacher Corps is working with, and touching the lives of, young people in the Mississippi Delta. As a teacher you will impart knowledge to these young people, but you will learn from them much more than you ever teach.