Program Components

All TOC II students are required to complete a ten month one-day-a-week internship in one of our partner schools. The internship experience varies by setting, but it is intended to provide TOC interns with the opportunity to grow their practice, build relationships with students and school community members, and support student learning in the classroom. All of our internship partner schools are committed to the needs of communities of color and most are located in District 5, just north of Teachers College.

TOC interns attend six powerful seminar sessions across the year; three are facilitated by Dr. Marcelle Mentor, and three are facilitated by Dr. Limarys Caraballo. TOC seminars are designed to support TOC students in their work as inclusive, anti-racist, and culturally sustaining students of teaching. They are also designed to support TOC students as they unpack and validate their own journeys as aspiring teachers from underrepresented backgrounds. 2023-2024 readings for TOC seminars include Punished for Dreaming by Bettina Love and Civics for the World to Come by Antero Garcia and Nicole Mirra.

TOC interns attend 4-6 “Workspaces” each year. Workspaces provide an opportunity for the whole group to be in community with one another while exploring a topic that is salient to the group. Recent workspace sessions have taken up self-care, financial health, intersectionality, and the job hunt. When possible, we invite experts to speak with us about the topic at hand. Many TOC members report that TOC workspaces serve as a powerful spaces to connect with others, recharge, and feel affirmed in their own identities.

After graduation, members of TC’s 2021-2026 Teacher Opportunity Corps are asked to teach in a New York State public school for at least 2 years, preferably within the five boroughs of New York City. Rest assured that TOC II staff actively support TOC students with their job hunts, and many of our professional development offerings focus on supporting students as they seek positions within the New York City Department of Education.