Teacher Accelerator Program Expands To Barry University

By: Andrea Briones

The teacher shortage in Florida has reached a breaking point, but Barry University is working to bridge the gap.

Achieve Miami’s Teacher Accelerator Program, a non-profit organization committed to training aspiring educators, has partnered with the university for the first time this spring.

Founded in 2023, the organization has trained more than 500 educators across different colleges including University of Miami, Florida International University, Broward College and Miami Dade College.

PHOTO CREDITS: TEACHER ACCELERATOR PROGRAM

“We recognize and understand that there is a national shortage. The teaching profession has come under attack over the last ten years,” said Executive President and Provost Dr. Pablo G. Ortiz. “So, we’ve got to really step in and do what we can to help continue to provide a pipeline of teachers that are going to be serving our community and our schools.”

At Barry, TAP will recruit seniors who took the courses Teach Bio Sec Sch (BIO-476) and Strategies & Foundations (EDU-360).

Classes began on Jan. 12 and are being taught by Dr. Stephanie Bingham and Dr. Sean Buckrels, respectively.

Selected students will participate in a six-week paid summer internship through Achieve Miami, where they will teach in Miami-Dade or Broward County Public Schools before landing a full-time teaching position at a public, private or charter school in Florida.

Participants will learn about different teaching methodologies, lesson plan requirements, teaching foundations and how to prepare for and pass the Florida Teacher Certification Examinations (FTCE).

“I’m excited to implement the strategies that I’m going to be learning in the classroom and I’m looking forward to the summer training,” said Vanessa Acevedo, a senior majoring in photography with a minor in education who has been selected for the program. “They help [students] secure a job, which I think is incredible. Just overall, really supportive.”

Acevedo hopes to teach arts and language arts after the program.

PHOTO CREDITS: TEACHER ACCELERATOR PROGRAM

TAP will cover the Subject Area Exam ($150), the 240 Tutoring for Subject Area Exam ($300), the Florida Department of Education Teaching Certificate ($75) and the Fingerprint & Background Check ($99).

During their first year of teaching, the program will also provide a hiring stipend of $2,000 and ongoing mentorship to support their professional journey.

“Anytime we have the opportunity to engage smart, passionate, young people in a profession that they might have not considered beforehand, we’re excited to have a presence,” said Leslie Miller Saiontz, the founder of TAP. “Our idea is, if we can help open the eyes of students to a new career and make the process as seamless as possible, we are here to support [students] and we are excited to engage in [their] journeys.”

Future applicants must be non-education seniors who are interested in teaching after graduation.

For additional details, visit the program’s website at https://teacheraccelerator.org.