Teacher Residency Program: NMHU School of Education Teacher Licensure Program

Welcome to the beautiful career of teaching . . .

Were you born to teach, to inspire and to help people reach their fullest potential?  Are you interested in learning more about the outcome and impact of a Teacher Residency Program?

We are ready for you! On this page you will learn about the Teacher Residency Program and all of its benefits as you begin your teacher career journey.  Join the NMHU Teacher Residency Program and prepare for all the wonderful possibilities available as you become a highly knowledgeable, skilled and licensed teacher.

Our Mission

We plan, create, and carry out a long-term, sustainable teacher residency program that will support incoming teachers to be dedicated, knowledgeable, and reflective professionals who will empower New Mexico’s K-12 students to create successful lives.

NMHU School of Education Vision

To be a premier school of education that prepares educators, leaders and counselors as agents of social change who transform the lives of individuals and communities they serve.

NMHU School of Education Mission

We immerse our students in authentic academic and professional settings, providing them with opportunities to bridge theory and practice and to engage in critical reflection that informs action.

SOE Core Values

  1. Authentic Learning
  2. Reflective Practice
  3. Diversity
  4. Social Justice
  5. Excellence/Quality
  6. Transformation

Areas of Focus:

Our graduates are licensed in early education, elementary education, secondary education, and special education. Our focus is in:

  1. Special Education
  2. STEM
  3. Elementary Education with a Bilingual Education Emphasis

Participating Partner Districts:

We enjoy our collaboration with many school districts throughout New Mexico – from Las Cruces and Clovis, to Albuquerque and Rio Rancho, to Las Vegas and Santa Fe, to Farmington and Shiprock.  We are currently developing Professional Development Schools in:

  • Cuba
  • Pecos
  • Peñasco
  • Mora
  • West Las Vegas
  • Las Vegas City Schools
  • Wagon Mound
  • Santa Rosa

Program Overview

Your student teaching residency will be the most challenging, joyful, exhilarating, and demanding experience in your post-graduate or undergraduate course of study.  It takes true commitment and resilience to succeed. The Field Office works closely with your school administration, your Cooperating Teacher, your University Supervisor, and NMHU Faculty to empower you towards the success you seek and deserve.

The teacher residency is a well-developed preparation model that provides rigorous pre-service professional learning opportunities for teacher candidates resulting in full certification before becoming teachers of record. Teachers, like other professionals, must master a complex interplay between disciplinary knowledge and the application of knowledge to nuanced situations. We are here to support your successful journey to becoming one of New Mexico’s new generation of licensed teachers.

A successful culmination of all the hard work in your degree program relies on your consistent commitment to the teaching profession and to your students throughout this residency program.

The Three Main Goals guiding the project’s design and evaluation:

  1. Strengthen recruitment and selection processes across preparation programs to attract, prepare, and retain a strong teaching force that reflects the state’s student population;
  2. Reduce variability of implementation across different residency program types and localities to ensure equitable access to well-prepared teachers; and
  3. Create sustainable funding streams with competitive wages so paid residencies can grow and become the norm in New Mexico.

Admission Process

The application process is straightforward, and the Field Office supports you at each step throughout the process.

  1. Firstly, apply to NMHU
  2. Then apply to the School of Education (SOE)
  3. And, once Content and Methods coursework is complete, apply to FB III student teaching
  4. We will automatically enroll you in the Residency Program once eligibility is established.

To apply to NMHU, please click here: https://apply.nmhu.edu/apply/

Requirements for SOE Admission are:

  1. All undergraduate core courses and extended core courses completed
  2. All transcripts (Proof of AA if applicable)
  3. Must meet with your faculty advisor (proof needs to be noted in Degree Audit)
  4. Overall GPA of 2.75
  5. C or better in:
    • EDUC 1120 – Introduction to Teaching
    • SPED 2110 – Introduction to Special Education
    • ENGL 1120 – Freshman Comp II
    • ECED 2110 (ECME majors only) – Professionalism
    • “S” in EDUC 1190 – Field Based I
  6. Philosophy of Education
  7. Background check
  8. Liability Insurance
  9. 3 Professional References (Email Addresses needed)

The PED Residency License

Every NMHU Teacher Candidate in the one-year Residency program will apply to PED and receive a Residency License.

For further information, contact the Field Office:  sjweatherburn@nmhu.edu or call 505-454-3108

Teaching Cohort Options

  1. FB2 – Full year
  2. FB3 – Full Year
  3. FB3 – One semester
  4. Alternative Licensure

Cohort Benefits and Opportunities

The most impressive aspect of the stipend and residency programs is the financial benefit, which has several positive effects for you as a student teacher. The significant impact of the generous compensation is that you can focus 100% on student teaching, and not worry about picking up part-time jobs that distract from your focus and your growth and development as a teacher.  Additionally, this financial support allows you to buy additional textbooks, materials for your classroom, some new professional-looking clothes.  And, of course, there is less stress with covering the rent!

There are further advantages of the residency – including an extended student teaching experience working with a master teacher. The learning in a full-year FB III placement leads to a broader and deeper understanding of the classroom: fully knowing the whole academic year, with its focus on routines and procedures in August; BOY, MOY, and EOY test data analysis; but especially, witnessing the growth that students achieve in two semesters.

The stipend FB2-One Year Cohort:

  • The full-year residency stipend comprises: four payments of $ 8,750 paid soon after the start of the semester and soon after midterms – for each of the two semesters. Equaling a total of $35,000.
  • The NMHU School of Education makes adjustments / prorations to stipends if the status of the residency changes.

Note: Students who are teachers of record, long-term substitute teachers, or educational assistants are not eligible for this stipend.

The stipend FB3-One Semester Cohort:

  • The one-semester stipend comprises: two payments of $ 6,000 paid soon after the start of the semester and soon after midterms. Equaling a total of $12,000.
  • The NMHU School of Education makes adjustments / prorations to stipends if the status of the residency changes.

Note: Students who are teachers of record or long-term substitute teachers are not eligible for this stipend.

The stipend FB3-One Year Cohort:

  • The full-year residency stipend comprises: four payments of $ 8,750 paid soon after the start of the semester and soon after midterms – for each of the two semesters. Equaling a total of $35,000.
  • The NMHU School of Education makes adjustments / prorations to stipends if the status of the residency changes.

Note: Students who are teachers of record or long-term substitute teachers are not eligible for this stipend.

The Alternative Licensure Teacher Program Cohort:

The Alternative Licensure Teacher Program (ALTP) is designed for individuals who have earned a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree and are interested in pursuing a teaching license. The program is offered online asynchronously with some required synchronous seminars. Candidates will be required to obtain an alternative teaching license and secure a teaching position so that they are immersed from day one as a teacher of record in a classroom. Candidates may also choose to secure a position as a resident/co-teacher in a cooperating teacher’s classroom. Participants who are serving as a co-teacher/resident in a classroom will be assigned a co-teacher, either through their school or by the School of Education. All candidates will participate in an internship seminar throughout the duration of the program. The internship seminar provides ALTP candidates with the opportunity to interact with and receive support from a university supervisor and other candidates, engage in dialogue related to the course topics, share their experiences and challenges, work collaboratively on projects, engage in activities that prompt them to bridge theory into practice, and reflect on their own practice. Each seminar is aligned with the coursework taken during the 8-week session. The School of Education offers three individualized Alternative Licensure Teacher Programs: Elementary, Secondary, and Special Education.

Co-Teaching Information

Co-Teaching is an important component for the academic success of both the NMHU teaching resident, and their K-12 pupils. A strong co-teaching program will:

  • Reduce Student/Teacher ratio
  • Enhance ability to meet student needs in an large and diverse classroom
  • Greater student participation and engagement
  • Best way to mentor Teacher Candidates
  • Increase instructional options for all students
  • Increase student achievement

NMHU’s co-teaching strategies and philosophies include:

  • One Teach, One Observe
  • One Teach, One Assist

This approach includes variations and combinations of the following teaching approaches

  • Station Teaching
  • Parallel Teaching
  • Supplemental Teaching
  • Alternative Teaching
  • Team Teaching

Contact Us

For assistance with the New Mexico Highlands University Teacher Residency Program, please contact:

Stephen Weatherburn: Director and statewide supervision
sjweatherburn@nmhu.edu

Janis Keene: Coordinator for Albuquerque and Rio Rancho areas
jkeene@nmhu.edu

Julia Andrada: Systems, policies, and office management
jaandrada@nmhu.edu

Saasha Lambson: Residency Candidate Program Coordinator
saashalambson@nmhu.edu

Dr. Becky Kappus, Director of Alternative Licensure Teacher Programs
beckykappus@nmhu.edu

Elvita Fudge: SOE Field Office Distant Coordinator
efudge@nmhu.edu