The Ready2Teach Residency requires an application that must be submitted to Ball Hall 202 no later than the first Tuesday of March of the candidate's junior year. 

Residency Candidates should be prepared to begin Residency I anytime after August 1st, and Residency II requires being ready to begin anytime after January 1st. Residency candidates will be notified of placements and beginning dates via email the semester prior to Residency I.

Requirements

• Have an overall GPA of 2.75 Undergraduates.
• Successfully complete all approved Pre-Residency  clinical experiences in conjunction with class work.
• Must take and pass the appropriate Praxis II content knowledge exam and submit the scores at least 30 days prior to the beginning of Residency I. 
  • Must submit passing scores of ALL required PRAXIS II licensure exams to the Office of Clinical Based Practice 30 days prior to the first day of Residency II.
• Must have positive evaluations from all clinical experiences.
• Be fully admitted to the Teacher Education Program one semester before Residency I.
• All course work required for initial licensure, except for Residency I course work,  must be finished prior to the Residency I semester.

Schedule

The Ready2Teach residency requires the commitment of one year. Residency I requires at least two per week in the assigned Residency classroom. Residency II candidates must be present at their school for the full day and are required to participate in faculty meetings, PTO/PTA meetings, parent teacher conferences, car duty,  etc.

Seminar

During Residency I, candidates will be required to attend a minimum of 5 Friday seminars.  All students must attned a weekly scheduled professional seminar with Residency II. No other courses may be taken during the Residency Year.

Placement

University of Memphis Policy dictates that students are required to have diverse clinical experiences. All Residency placements are made in accordance with this policy as well as in conjunction with identified Ready2Teach partner schools.  Placements are generally made in Memphis City Schools, Shelby County Schools, Tipton County Schools, and Jackson-Madison Schools. 

• Early Childhood Education majors must have PreK/Kindergarten experience and primary level experience.
• Elementary education majors must have an experience at the primary and upper-level grades.
• Middle Grades majors must have one lower middle grade experience and one upper middle grade experience.
• Physical Education, Dance, Music and Art majors must have both a middle/secondary and elementary placement.
• Teaching All Learners (TAL) majors must have an experience in K-6 inclusion classroom and/or a regular education classroom and  one K-12 modified classroom.

Pre-Service Instructive Mentors

Pre-Service Instructive Mentors (PIMs) (Murley, Nelson, Flynt, 2012) are selected according to criteria specified by the Tennessee Department of Education and in collaboration with partner schools. State requirements include:

• a regular Tennessee License for the teaching assignment,
• at least four years of teaching experience,
• and a history of positive evaluations from their principal or supervisor.

In addition to State requirements, Partner Schools and the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences collaborate to select Instructive Mentors who are excellent classroom teachers, have had professional development related to being a mentor and have demonstrated positive impact on student achievement as reflected by TEVASS data.  See The Residency I and II Handbooks for details, roles, and responsibilities.

The College of Education, Health and Human Sciences Ready2Teach Supervisors

The Ready2Teach supervisor must hold a certification and/or experience in teaching along with a master's degree and assumes the responsibility for supervising the activities of the residency candidate in the partner school. The supervisor works in conjunction with the Office of School Based Clinical Practice.

Professional Liability Insurance

Residency candidate are required to obtain professional liability insurance which will cover them during the entire year-long residency. This may be obtained through STEA, Christian Educator's Network or by a special rider added to a personal homeowner's policy. Proof of insurance must be presented prior to Residency I and II.