Their position will fall somewhere between classroom teacher and principal. We think that this dual responsibility will retain a lot of outstanding teachers who might have left otherwise. Some TIRs are also working with Milwaukee Area Technical College to help recruit prospective teachers into UWM's teacher education program. And they are an integral part in creating the TIR program itself, as they suggest and implement programs under which they serve as mentors on a wide variety of levels. Even after a new teacher receives a license, when they enter the teaching profession they still need further mentoring and guidance.
Leadership development encompasses all the other components.
Eventually, when the TIRs' two-year stint is over and they're back at MPS, they will be called upon to take the initiative to create and administer new programs within their schools. They're also learning how to work with principals and other key leaders in schools. In Residence Program, confers with TIR Gretchen Barberena, who has taught third grade at La Escuela Fratney in Milwaukee and third, fourth, and fifth grade at Milwaukee Spanish Immersion School. She has also been involved in the district-wide effort to implement the Investigations math curriculum at the elementary level. So far, the partnership's efforts have been paying off.