TEACH/Here, a teacher residency initiative that is preparing math and science teachers for hard-to-fill positions in Knox and Hamilton County schools, has announced a $154,000 grant from AmeriCorps, through Volunteer Tennessee, to support training and stipends for participants.

TEACH/Here operates through a partnership between Hamilton and Knox County schools, the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and the Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga.

“Graduates of TEACH/Here will provide outstanding math and science instruction to students in Hamilton and Knox County schools, especially in disadvantaged communities,” said TEACH/Here Director Cheri Dedmon. “Their commitment fits well with the national service mission of AmeriCorps, and it is a huge benefit to us that AmeriCorps has agreed to help with funding.”

Residents are recent college graduates or mid-career professionals who specialized in math- or science-related fields and have become interested in teaching. Similar to a medical residency program that provides “on-the-job training” for doctors, residents will work in a mentoring relationship with a master teacher for one year, where they will work side-by-side with the master teacher in the classroom four days per week. On the fifth day, residents will take classes at UT Knoxville to earn both a master’s degree and a teaching certificate by the end of the year.

“This partnership with AmeriCorps is a natural one,” said Susan Benner, head of UT Knoxville’s Department of Theory and Practice in Teacher Education. “Teaching is an important community service, and we are pleased to see this support for our student residents in both Hamilton and Knox county schools.”

Residents will log at least 1700 volunteer hours in schools assisting their mentor teachers, and will complete a service learning project by the end of their training. Residents are not salaried, but receive a small living stipend as part of their TEACH/Here service.

“These teachers are sorely needed,” said Connie Atkins, director of Human Resources for Hamilton County schools. “I look forward to the day when I can place an excellent, well-prepared teacher in every math and science class in this school district, and TEACH/Here and AmeriCorps will help make that goal a reality.”

Now in its first year of operation, TEACH/Here has recently placed 18 resident teachers to work alongside highly successful and experienced mentor teachers in four schools. Ten residents are working in Tyner Academy and Tyner Middle Academy in Chattanooga, and eight residents are working in Central High School, Fulton High School and Gresham Middle School in Knoxville. These 18 residents were chosen from a pool of over 100 applicants from around the country, and some relocated from as far away as California and Oregon to join TEACH/Here.

Next fall, these residents will take classroom positions in Hamilton and Knox counties, where they have agreed to work for at least four more years to repay the cost of their training and education.

For more information on TEACH/Here, visit www.TeachHere.org. For more on AmeriCorps in Tennessee, visit http://www.volunteertennessee.net/.