“ I feel fortunate to work with students in a low-stakes setting. It genuinely helped me build my confidence over the course of the semester.” –Sonoma State
“I never imagined my practice could change so much in a short amount of time. It makes me realize how much there is to learn and practice. Getting good at teaching is going to take a long time and a lot of work.” –Berkeley
Dr. Megan Taylor addressing the large group discussion at the collaborative learning event
These sentiments were shared by some of the pre-service teachers in attendance of a Collaborative Learning Event held by Trellis Education this November. Imagine a day full of learning, sharing and innovating as the participating pre-service teachers get the chance to collaborate in groups with their peers, observe mentor teachers and gain valuable insights about the rewarding career they are pursuing. These Collaborative Learning Events are just a part of what Trellis has to offer in an effort to address the need for teacher preparation in California. All too often teachers face the classroom environment with little to no guidance. With this lack of support, new teachers oftentimes grow increasingly discouraged and find themselves at a crossroads in the career without direction. Enter Trellis Education: the innovative way to prepare and mentor teachers through collaboration, reflection and community building.
What is Trellis Education?
Mentor Fellow Erik brockway teaching his science class with onlooking pre-service teachers
Trellis is a six-year induction program that puts new teachers on track for success and is "setting the gold standard in teacher education and professional learning of secondary STEM teachers in California”, as suggested by Trellis founder and CEO (and Sonoma State Assistant Professor of Education) Dr. Megan Taylor. Taylor went on to put into words the motivation behind her unprecedented program, "At Trellis Education, we have an ambitious vision on how to improve STEM education and it starts with the teachers." Trellis Education wants to offer the support new teachers need and help cultivate their skills in an environment deeply rooted in collaboration with the hopes of ameliorating the STEM crisis and teacher shortage.
The program is comprised of a six-year model, each year moving the student closer towards being a master of their craft. Year 0 is dedicated to “Apprenticeship”, Years 1 and 2 are “Residency”, Years 3 and 4 are “Fellowship” and Year 5 is when the teacher enters the “Mentorship” phase. For the first three years the participants are immersed in the classroom environment at a site where they teach only 50-80% of the instructional day. The remainder of the day is subsidized by Trellis and is intended as a preparatory period. This gives the new teacher enough time in the classroom to work on managing classroom dynamics and honing their skills while still remaining energized about teaching. As suggested by Mimi Sommer, a Trellis Mentor Fellow, “Giving new teachers a partial workload in their first two years gives them opportunities to observe experienced teachers and time to plan, to help avoid burnout.”
The Model
Dr. Jake Disston, Representative for Trellis at UC Berkeley, overseeing a cohort meeting at the collaborative Learning event
While proceeding through the Trellis model, the pre-service teachers have an opportunity to be guided by one of the Trellis Mentor Teaching Fellows. The Mentor Fellows are at each of the school sites where the pre-service teachers are placed and provide the meaningful support needed in the first few years of teaching. Then, as the pre-service teachers progress to their sixth year in the program, they will then have the opportunity to become a mentor to the incoming pre-service teachers that year. Throughout the program the participants are given the opportunity to pursue both their Master's degree as well as National Board Certification. Trellis Education has proven to provide an indispensable opportunity for aspiring STEM teachers in California.
Along with the day-to-day support, Trellis Education has also begun offering the aforementioned Collaborative Learning Events. These conferences are held at different school sites and stand as an opportunity for the pre-service teachers and mentor fellows to come together and collaborate on insights and methods they have learned while in the program. Much of the event is focused on discussion within cohorts where the pre-service teachers have a chance to discuss with each other and engage in peer-to-peer learning. Ranging from larger group discussions to presentations among 3-4 of their peers, these pre-service teachers have an invaluable opportunity work together with individuals going through the same process.
Support and Partnership
Superintendent, Louann Carlomagno and Dean Carlos Cuauhtemoc Ayala at the Collaborative Learning Event
The support and partnership shown by the California public school and university system has been overwhelming and a notable contributor to the success of Trellis. Sonoma State's School of Education is a key partner along with Stanford University, UC Berkeley and San Francisco State's STEM teacher preparation programs. Administrators in the school districts where Trellis has been enacted are enthused about their involvement and see how vital the program is. Sonoma Valley School District Superintendent, Louann Carlomagno remarked, “We could not be more pleased with the work we are doing with Trellis Education. We believe this is an absolute game changer for both our teachers and our students and we know that the end game here is for our students to graduate, college and career ready and we know working with Trellis is putting them right on that path.” Trellis has also garnered support at the university level and is being whole-heartedly praised as an innovative new way to prepare teachers. Dean of Education at Sonoma State University, Carlos Cuauhtémoc Ayala said, “Trellis capitalizes on learning progression and says “how can we use that learning progression to overcome the challenge of the disconnect between the university and what is happening in K-12’.” This support, both on the K-12 and university level ensures that Trellis will be able to continue offering its vital service to new teachers in the STEM fields.
Learn more about Trellis
Dr. Megan Taylor, Trellis founder and Ceo and Dr. Jake Disston, Trellis Representative at UC Berkely MACSME
As succinctly stated by Dr. Megan Taylor, “Trellis is preparing teachers with a cohesive trajectory of experiences over six years, supporting them throughout,” but it is evident that it even goes beyond the preparation and mentorship. Trellis gives support to its pre-service teachers in every way possible, ensuring that even at a tumultuous time in their career, each pre-service teacher knows that they are valued and have the guidance needed to progress in their field. To learn more about Trellis, visit their website. If you are interested in becoming a part of Trellis, the application deadline for the 2016-2022 term is December 23. Click here to apply. And to see more photos from the November Collaborative Learning Event, visit our gallery here.
Photography by Pamela Van Halsema
