Application Process

Interested in applying? There are seven steps:

1.  Read this website carefully.

2.  Check your eligibility status. Applicants must meet all eligibility requirements to be considered for the program, so please make sure that you're eligible before you apply.

3.  Apply Now! Applying is easy using our online application. A complete application includes the electronic application form, your résumé, and responses to three Application Questions. Your application will only be reviewed when all these elements are completed. You should take particular care with your responses to each of the Application Questions as they enable us to evaluate your writing and critical thinking skills, and more importantly, to gain a sense of your commitment to teaching high-need students in Milwaukee. You must provide a 200 - 400 word response each of the questions below:

• Nearly all Fellows are hired to teach in high‐need schools that are located in low‐income communities. Why do you want to teach specifically in a high‐need school, and why specifically in Milwaukee? What challenges do you expect, and what experiences have prepared you for the challenges of teaching in a high‐need school in our community?
• You are a first year teacher in a high‐need school, with two months left until the end of the academic year. You implement fun and engaging activities in class and offer tutoring 3‐4 times a week; however, one third of your students failed the last grading period. Several of these students consistently break established classroom rules by listening to their iPods, not turning in work, or engaging in off‐topic conversations. Many of your students worry that because of all the distractions in class, they will not be prepared to pass the end‐of‐year standardized exam, which is required to move to the next grade level. You reach out to your principal for help. The principal states that other teachers with the same level of experience are more effective and you assure her that you already reached out to them, as well as more experienced teachers, for advice. She asks you what is going on in your class, and what you plan to do about it.
  
  (1) What are the likely causes of the challenges in your classroom?
  (2) Explain your top two priorities for addressing these challenges, including why you chose these priorities.
  (3) What is the likelihood you could ensure high academic achievement for all of your students, and why?

• Briefly describe a time when you achieved a goal in the face of challenges (or while balancing multiple responsibilities). What specific steps did you take to ensure you would meet your goal, and how did you know you were successful? How will you apply that experience to set goals and measure success in the classroom?

4.  Register and take PRAXIS exams. Fellows must pass the Praxis I and Praxis II tests administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) prior to starting summer institute. You can learn more about these exams by visiting the Testing Requirements section of this website. Candidates are strongly encouraged to register and take the Praxis tests as soon as possible. In the past, failure to take and pass required tests within the required timeframe has prevented candidates from moving through the application process. It is therefore imperative that you are proactive about registering and taking required tests.

5.  Request your transcripts. If you are invited to an Interview Event, you will be required to bring an official (sealed) transcript from every college or university that you attended. Two additional, separately sealed official transcripts will be needed if you are accepted into the program. Because it often takes several weeks to process requests for official transcripts, we recommend that you request all three official transcripts from each school you attended upon submitting your application to the program. Please note: Graduates of foreign universities must have transcripts evaluated by a foreign credential evaluation agency. Please visit the Eligibility Requirements section for additional information.

6.  Attend an in-person Interview Event. Candidates who demonstrate strong potential to be effective teachers will be invited to participate in an Interview Event. In addition to bringing official transcripts to an interview event, you are also required to bring proof of test registration to the event. Interview Events are designed to give us a strong sense of candidates’ attitudes and the talents they would bring to the classroom. Participants will be asked to:

• Teach a five-minute demonstration lesson;
• Discuss a classroom scenario with other candidates;
• Provide a written response to an educational issue;
• Engage in a one-on-one interview

7.  Wait for a Decision. Admission to Milwaukee Teaching Fellows is highly competitive and will be based on the strengths of the submitted application materials and successful participation in an Interview Event. All interviewees will be notified of their status within two weeks after their interview date. We understand that being denied admission can be a disappointment, and it is natural to want to know the reasons behind the decision. Unfortunately, because of the large number of applications we receive, we cannot accommodate requests for personalized feedback on individual applications.