Our Professional Learning Community

  • A video call grid with the title "Our Professional Learning Community" at the top. It shows multiple participants in individual video windows, all smiling and looking at the camera.

Our Professional Learning Community

Our Professional Learning Community

The New Teacher Academy Professional Learning Community is a collaborative support network for educators as they enter the teaching profession. Teachers become part of this professional learning community through the New Teacher Academy and commit to meeting together monthly during the following academic year.

Our Community Goals

The New Teacher Academy Professional Learning Community brings novice teachers together around the shared goals of:

  • effectively navigating professional expectations, 
  • developing teacher voice and identity, 
  • building positive relationships with students and their families, paraprofessionals, co-teachers, members of the school community, and local community organizations,
  • implementing culturally responsive and inclusive high leverage practices to engage all learners, and
  • growing professionally while practicing self-care.

Throughout the year, PLC members support one another through the particular joys and challenges of being a new teacher.  As they engage in reflective dialogue, participants learn from one another’s diverse perspectives representing a variety of educational settings, backgrounds, and experiences.

Future Teacher Leaders

Every novice teacher in our PLC also has the opportunity to develop leadership skills by serving as a Feature Teacher and a Book Study Facilitator during our monthly meetings.  

Select members are invited to return to the New Teacher Academy as facilitators who welcome the new cohort, share their experiences, and develop resources for other novice teachers.

What Our Cohorts Have To Say

“I love getting to talk to and see the familiar faces of our groups! It makes it really easy to open up and talk about what’s going on in our classroom, positive and negative. NTA has created a safe space to talk about teaching and leave feeling positive!”

- 2nd year teacher

"I really like hearing and seeing what is working well for other teachers and being able to take ideas back to my classroom.”

- 3rd year teacher

“I especially enjoyed the featured teachers segment tonight.  The visuals presented and the different ways to use smart boards were very informative and gave me ideas on ways I can implement them in my classroom.”

- 1st year teacher

“I was able to reflect on my own experiences and learn from the advice of others who are new as well. I learned a lot about self care strategies I haven’t previously thought about.”

- NTA facilitator

“There is always room to learn. So while I came in with tips, I left with to-do lists to incorporate into my classroom."

- NTA facilitator

Facilitating “helped me to reflect on my own teaching and to continue to grow in discussing professional ideas with my peers.”

- NTA facilitator

A classroom classroom setting where a group of adult learners are collaborating around a table during a professional development workshop. In the center, a woman wearing glasses holds up a laptop to show her screen to her group members while speaking. The table is filled with notebooks, pens, a blue supply caddy, and drinks. In the background, other small groups are seated at tables, and a large presentation screen is visible on the wall.

Resources for New Teachers

Explore our expert-curated list of new teacher resources to empower your teaching journey. Learn More