Windward Teacher Training Program

"Teachers new to Windward, even very experienced ones, begin their careers at Windward as a Teacher-in-Residence in the Windward Teacher Training Program (WTTP). The hiring of Teachers-in-Residence starts with an exhaustive recruitment process. Candidates are culled from a large pool of applicants. College career centers, job fairs, online advertisements, employment agencies, private referrals and unsolicited resumes are all sources of applications. Every resume is read and analyzed for proper credentials and special talents, skills, and interests. In choosing potential Teachers-in-Residence, administrators look for candidates who possess strong language skills, a passion for working with children with learning disabilities and the dedication necessary to becoming a teacher. When a candidate is chosen for an interview, a team of administrators meets with the candidate, explains the Windward program in depth and analyzes the candidate’s answers to carefully selected questions. A thorough reference check is completed before a candidate is offered a position. A future Windward teacher must also have patience, a strong work ethic, an intellectual curiosity, and an appreciation for being part of an organization that transforms children’s lives."

Click here to read more from Director of the Windward Teaching Training Program Sandy Schwartz.

The goals for teachers-in-residence in the WTTP program are:

• To become knowledgeable about the elements and structure of spoken and written language
• To participate in Windward Teacher Training Program (WTTP) workshops and courses
• To develop formal lesson plans and teach lessons that are observed by coordinators and administrators
• To participate in staff development sessions
• To assist the mentor teacher with the classroom program
• To discuss educational/instructional strategies with mentor teacher

In order to reach these goals, assistants are enrolled in Windward Teacher Training Program core courses:  Multisensory Reading Instruction (PAF), Expository Writing Instruction, and Language, Learning and Literacy. These courses reflect the research base of the Windward program and provide the foundation of knowledge about language. Assistants are also required to read selected articles that describe the body of research that supports the Windward program. 

Assistants are assigned a mentor teacher with whom they work throughout the year.  Mentor teachers also have responsibilities related to the training program that include explaining curriculum and instructional strategies, modeling effective classroom management techniques, providing guidance related to interactions with students, parents and others within the school community, explaining lesson planning and providing explicit feedback on an assistant’s professional growth.

Mentor teachers and members of the administrative team observe assistants, both formally and informally, on an established schedule.  Reflection by the assistants on these observations and input from observers help to improve an assistant’s teaching style and refine teaching techniques.  The evaluation of assistants supports their training and ensures that assistants are delivering the Windward program as prescribed.

The School is committed to providing new assistants with many varied opportunities for professional development, and as such, all new assistants meet as a group for weekly seminars. Designed to support and encourage new staff members, the seminars address a variety of topics related to Windward’s culture, its language arts and content area programs, questioning techniques for classroom use, lesson planning strategies, the use of technology within the classroom, classroom management strategies, and characteristics of our student population.

In addition, staff development sessions for the entire faculty are offered every Friday afternoon. These sessions, designed to improve teaching strategies and keep faculty up-to-date on new research findings, may include presentations by the School’s faculty members or consultants, divisional meetings to address teacher-generated topics, as well as presentations by experts on medications, diversity and behavioral issues.

Furthermore, speech and language pathologists work closely with assistants to provide instruction in the diagnosis and remediation of students’ specific expressive and receptive language deficits. The language arts director and curriculum coordinators present staff development sessions that are consistent with research-based strategies for delivering effective language-based lessons. 

Throughout the year, assistants also attend weekly curriculum staff development meetings and are expected to take an active role in these professional discussions. 

During the summer, in addition to WTTP courses and workshops, an intensive training program for assistants is designed and implemented through the WTTP.  This is an in-depth, seven-day program structured to present a consistent message about the School’s unique student population and teaching model, with a special emphasis on lesson preparation and delivery of a direct teaching model. 

Another WTTP designed staff development activity for assistants is the Windward Practicum. Each August, before the opening of school, selected Windward students are invited to take part in reading, writing and math courses designed to strengthen their skills in these areas. The summer classes are two hours a day for two weeks, and are taught by Windward master teachers and Teachers-in-Residence. Students receive instruction for the first hour and Teachers-in-Residence receive intensive staff development in the multisensory structured language program during the second hour. 

To further their professional development, Teachers-in-Residence are encouraged to take part in Windward's Summer Program. This four-week program consists of classes in math, reading, writing, science, study skills and organizational skills for both Windward students and students from other schools. Serving in this program allows assistants the opportunity to observe master teachers delivering selected aspects of the Windward program. 

During their second year, assistants are enrolled in a more structured program which includes additional observations, lesson planning, and attendance at advanced WTTP courses. Teaching assistants who have exhibited expertise in delivering classroom lessons may be assigned some part-time classroom teaching responsibilities. Administrators and curriculum coordinators continually monitor and coach assistants during this time.

It is the expectation that all teachers maintain their knowledge of Windward pedagogy by retaking the core reading, writing and language courses at the WTTP at least every five years; most teachers enroll in WTTP classes every semester. To further support ongoing learning, the WTTP maintains a collection of professional books and periodicals that faculty members read to stay current with ongoing research in the field of learning disabilities.

Experienced Windward teachers may choose to pursue an advanced certificate in structured multisensory language by completing a rigorous academic program. This program, which requires 100 hours of WTTP coursework and a year-long supervised practicum, is nationally accredited by the International Multisensory Structured Language Council (IMSLEC).  The WTTI is one of five institutions in New York State that has received this accreditation.