SJSD supports new educators through BTAP training
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- The St. Joseph School District recently took part in the Beginning Teacher’s Assistance Program, also known as BTAP, at Lafayette High School.
The training was led by Darbie Valenti-Huff and was all about helping new teachers get their careers off to a strong start — offering professional development, mentorship and a chance to build connections with other educators.
This program is part of the Missouri Teacher Development System, or MTDS — a statewide effort to give educators continuous opportunities to grow.
“We are able to bring our mentors as extra support so then when we come back to the school and we want to implement things, we have someone who was there as a veteran,” Ariana Davis, teacher said.
Davis says the training is required for all first-year teachers so they can learn how to recognize students’ needs in the classroom — and put that knowledge into practice during lessons.
The goal of the training is to boost teachers’ confidence and encourage collaboration that helps build stronger relationships between students and educators in the classroom.
“Of course we don’t know everything that’s going on at home but just being familiar with the signs for each of those things helps understand our students more,” Davis said.
Davis says she plans to use some of the techniques from the training to better capture her students’ attention.
She says one exercise focused on brain-based learning — a strategy that gets kids talking and thinking, while giving teachers insight into how students process information and grow.
“Being able to take the nontraditional aspects and learning and bringing that to the classroom to help them transition into middle school, I think is extremely important,” Davis said.
She says her goal after completing the BTAP program is to grow as a teacher for her sixth graders — the oldest in elementary school — so she can serve them better and connect with them on a deeper level.
