New Teacher Academy implemented for second year at Costa

By Stacy Cruz
Staff Writer

The New and Nearly New Teacher Academy is being implemented for the 2013-2014 school year for its second year at Mira Costa.

The New and Nearly New Teacher Academy is a program where teachers with two years of experience or less are able to interact with teachers with more experience. Older teachers serve as advisors for new teachers, giving them insight on classroom techniques and overall teaching methods.

“The overall goal of the program is to provide support to the new teachers,” math teacher Kelly Donovan said. “This group of more experienced teachers allows for the newbies to get together to see that they are not alone.”

The program hosts meetings, which take place at least once a month.

“It gave me an opportunity to interact with some other new teachers,” English teacher Cameron Chow said. “It also helped me understand some of the struggles that they had, and work together to find solutions for those.”

In this program, new teachers are exposed to Costa activities, opportunities, and events.

“It helped me personally to learn about the importance of the culture here at Mira Costa and understand how to take part in all of the opportunities that Mira Costa has to offer teachers and students,” Chow said.

Many teachers hope this program will continue into the future.

“I am proud to be a part of the New Teacher Academy,” Donovan said. “I am certain I would not be as successful or happy if I had not been a part of it.”