BPS Teaching Fellowship

The BPS Teaching Fellowship offered a direct, practicum-based route into the teaching profession. As the only district-based DESE-approved initial licensure program in Massachusetts, the Fellowship prepared candidates to lead their own classrooms within a single year — combining intensive training with real-world teaching experience in Boston Public Schools.

How the Program Worked

The Fellowship was a 12-month commitment structured around three phases, each designed to build the knowledge and skills needed to succeed as a classroom teacher in an urban district.

Phase 1: Summer Intensive Training

Fellows began with a multi-week summer program covering the fundamentals of effective teaching. Coursework addressed lesson design, classroom management, differentiated instruction, assessment literacy, and culturally sustaining pedagogy. Fellows practiced teaching in supervised summer school settings, receiving immediate feedback from experienced coaches. By the end of the summer, Fellows had developed a foundational teaching toolkit and had already logged practice teaching hours.

Phase 2: Full-Year Classroom Placement

In the fall, each Fellow was placed as the teacher of record in a BPS school. This was not a shadowing or co-teaching arrangement — Fellows were responsible for all aspects of instruction, from curriculum planning through grading and family communication. The immersive nature of this placement was the Fellowship's defining feature. Fellows learned to teach by teaching, supported by a structured coaching system designed to accelerate their development.

Phase 3: Ongoing Coaching and Cohort Learning

Throughout the academic year, Fellows received regular one-on-one coaching from a dedicated mentor. Coaching sessions included classroom observations, feedback conversations, and collaborative planning. Fellows also met regularly with their cohort for professional development seminars, peer observation debriefs, and reflective practice sessions. The cohort model provided a professional community that helped Fellows navigate challenges and celebrate growth.

Licensure Outcome

Fellows who completed all program requirements — including passing MTEL exams, fulfilling practicum hours, and receiving a satisfactory evaluation — earned a Massachusetts Provisional Teaching License. This credential qualified them to teach in any public school in the Commonwealth and carried the same recognition as licenses earned through traditional university programs.

District Support Structure

The Fellowship was embedded within BPS's broader educator development infrastructure. Fellows had access to the same professional development resources, curriculum materials, and instructional technology available to all BPS teachers. The district's investment in each Fellow extended beyond the program year: graduates were encouraged to continue their development through BPS's mentoring programs, leadership pathways, and tuition support for advanced coursework. The goal was not simply to prepare teachers for their first year, but to launch careers that would sustain over time.