Fellows Program at Trinity

Over the course of two years, teaching fellows will earn a master of science in education (M.S. Ed.) at the University of Pennsylvania through the completion of ten course units, including intensive on-site sessions, innovative and collaborative distance learning, and the completion of an inquiry project. Grounded in theory and practice, the ISTR integrates the expertise of professional educators from leading institutions—scholars and practitioners alike—with a unique cohort of teaching fellows from other independent schools participating in the program. More information on the DSTR can be found here.

While earning their M.S. Ed degree, fellows spend two years at Trinity learning their craft under the supervision and mentorship of a master teacher. In their first year, fellows spend a significant number of hours observing their mentor and other teachers within and outside of their department to learn best practices, begin to develop their own teaching style and build a strong network of educators. Simultaneously, fellows gradually gain experience in the classroom, under the guidance and supervision of their mentors, first by teaching individual lessons and eventually taking over teaching responsibilities of a single class. The mentor teacher remains the teacher of record for that class and works closely with the fellow to shape and implement lesson plans. In their second year, fellows take on the responsibility of teaching two classes. They are supervised by the principal and department chair while they continue to receive support from their mentor. Throughout the two years, each Fellow is surrounded by a community of Trinity educators that will support the transition from observer to teacher through feedback, evaluation and observations. In both years, Fellows are expected to become involved in the life of the school beyond the classroom.