STR Coursework & Fieldwork
STR is a Nationally-Renowned Model for Teacher Residencies
Seattle has been a leader since 2012 in running a teacher residency program to recruit and retain quality educators for Seattle Public Schools. Seattle was the first residency of its kind to involve the teacher’s union alongside school district and university partners.
A residency model differs from traditional teacher preparation for aspiring educators as it is designed to address barriers to becoming an educator. Key components of a residency model are prioritizing financial support, providing intensive clinical experience, pairing mentor-guided learning, and a focus on strategic staffing and placement.
Residency Year At a Glance
- Residents focus fully on University of Washington coursework in methods of teaching literacy, mathematics, social studies and science as well as foundational coursework for working with Multilingual learners and students with disabilities.
- Residents also learn about the social and political foundations of school and schooling and begin to engage in our community, families, and politics strand.
- Once the SPS academic school year begins (September–June), residents split their time between their school placement and UW coursework.
- Alongside their Mentor teacher, Residents are in their placement classrooms all day Monday through Thursday learning to develop a classroom community, lesson planning, co-teaching, pulling small groups for differentiation, and building relationships with students, families and colleagues.
- Fridays are dedicated to UW coursework with their cohort, coaches, and instructors. Additional coursework takes place on Wednesday evenings, aligning with Seattle Public Schools’ early release schedule.
- Residents will have support from an Instructional Coach who is responsible to support the Resident’s development as a professional and a colleague. Coaches observe Residents, provide feedback and push thinking on planning and instruction centered on students and culturally-responsive teaching.
- Residents continue in their placement school with their Mentor teacher. They continue to co-plan and co-teach with their mentor teacher on a daily basis and continue to hone their practice while working with their students. Wednesdays in Seattle Public Schools are early release days.
- Fridays are spent engaging in UW Coursework off-campus from their assigned Residency placement school.
- Residents take on Lead Teaching where they are responsible for the bulk of the lesson planning and teaching while their Mentor teacher and Coach provide targeted feedback and support.
- Residents who have successfully completed all evaluations, testing for endorsements and UW coursework will be recommended for priority hiring from SPS and interview for teaching positions during spring quarter.
- This quarter includes UW coursework related to Residents’ choice of second endorsement in either English Language Learners (ELL) / Multilingual Learners (ML) or Special Education (SpEd).
- Upon successfully completing the program, Residents will graduate from the University of Washington College of Education with a Masters in Teaching (MIT) degree.
- Residents begin working as teachers of record in Seattle Public Schools that fall, starting the first of their five year commitment to the district’s high-need schools.
- STR continues to support graduates through their first year and beyond through induction opportunities!
University of Washington Coursework
The University of Washington College of Education coursework is grounded in an abolitionist framework that challenges inequitable systems and prepares Residents to create classrooms where every student can thrive. Centering students who have been furthest from educational justice, the curriculum emphasizes equity, culturally responsive teaching, critical reflection, and authentic partnerships with families and communities. Residents are expected to approach the program with a deep belief that all students can learn, a commitment to social justice, and a willingness to continuously learn, collaborate, and grow. During the school year, coursework takes place on Wednesday evenings and all day Fridays, allowing Residents to immediately connect what they are learning in the classroom with their teaching practice.
Seattle Teacher Residency Fieldwork and Student Teaching
The Seattle Teacher Residency pairs each Resident with an experienced Mentor teacher through a comprehensive matching process that considers factors such as racial and ethnic backgrounds, shared lived experiences, language, location, interests, and personality. Together, they spend Monday through Thursday in the classroom, where Residents build the knowledge and confidence to lead their own classrooms. Throughout the year, Residents develop classroom community, plan lessons, co-teach, lead small-group instruction, and build meaningful relationships with students, families, and colleagues. As they grow, Residents transition into Lead Teaching, taking responsibility for most lesson planning and instruction while receiving ongoing guidance and feedback from their Mentor. In addition, every Resident is supported by an Instructional Coach who observes their practice, provides individualized feedback, and helps strengthen planning, instruction, and reflective practice with a focus on culturally responsive teaching and the success of students furthest from educational justice.