The support for our Teacher Education Program
graduates continues long after graduation!
graduates continues long after graduation!
We offer a private alumni network to connect Boulder Journey School Teacher Education Program (BJSTEP) graduates around the world.
Employment Connections
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Resource Sharing
Alumni use the space to ask for support and share resources.
Recently one of our graduates who is living in New Zealand was preparing a presentation for a college course. She posted a query about the impact of the program on others and received feedback from alumni who have graduated over the past decade and half.
Recently one of our graduates who is living in New Zealand was preparing a presentation for a college course. She posted a query about the impact of the program on others and received feedback from alumni who have graduated over the past decade and half.
One of the big take-aways for me was the beauty in constantly challenging myself to learn more, reflect, read, reach out, research- never be stagnant! My job and lifestyle shouldn't be separate entities - all the pieces of my life can connect, inform, and inspire the other pieces. I did not fully understand or experience this until my time at BJS. I am currently working at the very FIRST state certified nature school in Dallas, Texas called the Blackland Prairie Conservatory & Atelier. I am the art teacher/general assistant and am currently trying to organize the atelier before the year starts!
- Katie Sapp, 2016 BJSTEP alum |
I currently work as a master teacher at a fairly new private preschool in New Orleans. That position basically means that I'm mentoring new teachers and working with 6 of the 12 classrooms as a mentor (I go in their room weekly and observe/participate and give feedback for growth when we meet once a month).
Biggest takeaways: -relationships are fundamental. Without good, strong relationships with the children, families, and coworkers, none of the rest of it can happen -similarly, all voices matter-so listen carefully to them. While the children's voice is incredibly (and arguably the most) important, we as teachers also have a voice. We also have passions and interests to share with the children. And when we open ourselves up to them, that is when we are truly treating them as an equal citizen with valuable thoughts/feelings/etc -all "parts" of the reggio approach work in conjunction with one another and don't really function effectively without the rest -find a way to really think of everything as a researcher--question, theorize, observe, make changes, requestion, repeat -be intentional about everything you do. - Katherine Brou, 2016 BJSTEP alum |
I brainstorm with and mentor the teachers, children, and families for 6 classrooms at my school in NC. I am also taking on more and more of our classroom material needs- I sort through donations, order art supplies, visit the Scrap Exchange here in Durham for interesting loose parts, and organize things so that people can find what they need in our materials shed.
I think that one of the biggest changes in my practice that I took from my time at BJS was the importance of the little details- the straight edges, the extra look from another party. I think I also gained confidence in my ability to research, to go find the answers that I need; whether they are answers about the specific children I'm working with, or about development in the wider sense. - Laura Haslam, 2016 BJSTEP alum |