Your Teaching Position


Inspired Teaching Fellows
Fellows-in-Residence

Inspired Teaching Fellows
Participants in the Inspired Teacher Certification Program are eligible to teach in traditional or charter public schools as well as independent schools within the District of Columbia. Fellows who teach in DCPS should anticipate beginning full-time teaching in late August and will be expected to report for district and school-based training approximately two weeks before students return to school. Academic calendars for charter and independent schools vary widely.

The Inspired Teacher Certification Program places Fellows in three areas: Early Childhood (PK-3); Elementary (1-6); and English (7-12). 

For all teachers, the school day typically starts before 8 am, and the teaching day continues until at least 3:30. After school you may have staff or committee meetings, school or district professional development sessions, or parent meetings. In the first year of teaching, long evenings spent planning and reviewing student work, in addition to any certification program coursework, are the norm. The first year of teaching is an incredible amount of work. 

Inspired Teaching will work to cluster small groups of Inspired Teaching Fellows at schools that have demonstrated a commitment to student-centered learning and a professional learning community approach to teacher development. Building on the relationships we have built principals throughout the city over the past 14 years, Inspired Teaching will actively support prospective teachers in finding the best fit possible at a DC school. All 2009 Inspired Teaching Fellows were offered positions in at least one school before the start of the 2009 school year. 

In the end, however, participants have the right and responsibility to secure their own teaching placement.

Teacher Salaries and Benefits

Inspired Teaching Fellows become full-time employees of the school district or public charter school where they teach. Accordingly, Fellows are paid by their employer and receive the same salary and benefits as other beginning teachers. DC area schools have competitive salary scales and benefits packages. Additional information about the salary scale and benefits package available to teachers in the District of Columbia public schools can be found at http://teachdc.org/benefits.html. Each individual charter school sets its own salary scale and benefits package. 





Fellows-in-Residence

Fellows-in-Residence will be placed at Capital City Public Charter School to work in collaboration with lead teachers in grades PreK-6 (all subjects) and 7-11 (Humanities). Fellows-in-Residence are vital members of the professional community and serve as critical sources of support for lead teachers in the academic and social curriculum. Duties include planning lessons and learning expeditions with experienced teachers; working with students in small-group or one-on-one settings; accompanying students on fieldwork; and communicating with parents. The position also includes ongoing training in the skills and dispositions of an effective educator working in a collaborative setting.

Capital City PCS is an award-winning school of choice recognized as a national model for school reform. In 2008, the school had the highest reading and math scores among DC charter elementary schools, and was honored by a visit from President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. Capital City implements the Expeditionary Learning Model (www.elschools.org) in tandem with the Common Principles of the Coalition of Essential Schools (www.essentialschools.org). These approaches emphasize active pedagogy, depth over breadth, a strong social curriculum, and a commitment to equity and diversity. Capital City also boasts a strong inclusion model for learners with special needs. The school serves a highly diverse student population from across the city.

After the Residency

Capital City routinely fills teaching vacancies with Fellows; currently, more than half of the Lower School lead teachers are former Fellows. Upon successful completion of the Inspired Teacher Certification Program during the summer of 2011, Fellows receive a Regular II teaching license and are eligible for lead teaching positions in DCPS as well as in charter and independent schools.