Application Process

Interested in applying? Keep reading for more information about how the process works and what is required in order to join our program. Please note that we accept applications, offer interviews, and notify candidates of their acceptance on a rolling basis, so it's important that you apply early!

There are eight 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 with 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; they enable us not only to evaluate your writing and critical thinking skills, but also to gain a sense of your commitment to teaching high-need students in Baltimore. You must provide a 200 - 400 word response for each of the questions below:

• Nearly all Residents are hired to teach in high-need schools that are located in low-income communities. Why do you want to teach in a high-need school in Baltimore?  What challenges do you expect, and what experiences have prepared you to teach in a high-need school?
• 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 conversation. 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.                                                                                                                 
  • What are the likely causes of the challenges in your classroom? 
  •  Explain your top two priorities for addressing these challenges, including why you chose these priorities.
  • 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 steps did you take to ensure you would meet your goal, and how will that experience contribute to your ability to be successful with your students?

   

  Please note: there is a non-refundable $25 application fee that you are required to submit for processing through PayPal. Our application for Summer 2012 has closed, and will not open for Summer 2013 until this fall. Therefore, we are not accepting application fees at this time. You will be required to submit the transaction number from your payment receipt to your application prior to submitting your application. Please see the PayPal Instructions which contains step by step directions for submitting the payment.

4. Register and take PRAXIS exams. Residents must pass the Praxis I and Praxis II tests administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) prior to starting Pre-service training. 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 enrollment process. It is therefore imperative that you are proactive about registering for and taking required tests. 

5. Request your transcripts. If you are invited to an Interview Event, you will be required to bring at least one transcript, official or unofficial, from every college or university attended. Please do not have official transcripts sent to the BCTR office; if selected for an interview with our program, you will receive instructions on when and how we’ll accept them. Two sets of official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended will be required if you are accepted into the program.

Credit coursework - including transfer, AP or supplemental coursework - must be verified by transcripts from the institution where credits were earned.

Because it often takes colleges and universities several weeks to process requests for official transcripts, we recommend that you submit a request for official transcripts to be sent to your home address.at the time of your application submission.

Upon acceptance to the Baltimore City Teaching Residency, all transcripts from the institution(s) where a degree was granted must reflect “degree awarded” or “degree conferred” to be considered official. We suggest contacting the office of the registrar for details on the timing of this process.  

Please note: Transcripts from foreign universities must be evaluated by a foreign credential evaluation agency. Please visit the Eligibility Requirements section for additional information.

Unfortunately, we are unable to return materials that have been submitted, even if an applicant is not admitted to the program.

6. Attend an initial Phone Interview.   Applicants whose materials demonstrate their strong potential to be an effective teacher will be invited to participate in an initial phone interview. During this interview, which typically lasts for 20 minutes, applicants are asked to provide answers to a series of questions designed to elicit an overall sense of the attitudes and abilities they would bring to the classroom.

7. Attend an in-person Interview Event (Invited applicants only). Based on the initial phone interview, candidates  who demonstrate the skills, knowledge and attitude necessary to succeed in the classroom will be invited to an in-person interview event. In addition to your transcripts, you are required to bring proof of test registration to the event.  During the event, 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

Applicants will be notified of their status by email approximately 2 weeks after submitting an application.

Interviews are group events, so candidates will be allowed to choose from pre-determined dates and times. Unfortunately, individual requests for other times cannot be accommodated.

8.  Wait for a Decision. Admission to the Baltimore City Teaching Residency 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 three weeks of 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.