Why TeachStart Fellows love Foundations Training

Foundations Training gives TeachStart Fellows the tools and confidence to succeed as lead teachers in schools. We asked 120+ Fellows from the 2024-2025 school year to share their training experience.

They loved our instructors, gaining practical skills, and learning from their peers! Overall, they feel more prepared to make a difference in the classroom.

What is Foundations Training?

Foundations Training is where every TeachStart Fellow’s journey begins. This 5-day intensive helps Fellows build the skills and mindsets to create safe, welcoming classrooms.

Led by expert facilitators, the training is interactive and hands-on, with plenty of small group activities to work through real-world situations. At the end of the week, Fellows present a demo lesson, putting everything they’ve learned into action.

What’s TeachStart?

TeachStart is your paid pathway to becoming a lead credentialed teacher. As a TeachStart Fellow, you’ll earn a full-time salary and benefits, all while working towards your teaching career.

Without further ado, let’s hear their thoughts!

Learning in community

Fellows loved building strong connections with other teachers in their cohort. Sharing experiences, ideas, and feedback with peers creates a supportive environment where everyone grows together.

“I loved meeting the community of fellow teachers and having the same group throughout the week. Because of how familiar I became with the group, I felt more comfortable to participate and engage–especially with the demo teach.” -Los Angeles Sub, 22F, September 2024 cohort

“I love the collaboration aspect. There are so many trainings that don’t allow you to talk to a group about the content. Sharing your experiences and ideas with a group is valuable because you get to learn from each other.” -Los Angeles Sub, 27M, August 2024 cohort

“What I liked the most about Foundations Training was that I was able to formulate an example script and present it whilst also receiving feedback on some things that I may not have picked up on that could have been a possible detriment.” -Sacramento Sub,  23 M, July 2024 cohort

Practicing with purpose

Deliberate practice makes perfect! Fellows got to apply and refine everything they learned and work towards delivering a masterful final demo lesson.

“I enjoyed the opportunity to practice everything that we learned, because it is one thing to read and hear about it and another to put it into action.” -Los Angeles Sub, 22M, July 2024 cohort

“I like how everything we learned built towards our demo teaching. There was purpose to creating and revising our script. I wish I had something like this before my first time in the classroom as a substitute. I would’ve felt much more prepared if I had these strategies and techniques to succeed.” -Los Angeles Sub,  26F, July 2024 cohort

“I loved that the week was constantly geared towards improvement and reflection with lots of avenues to generate that outcome!” -Phoenix Sub, 24M, September 2024 cohort

Practical tools for first-time teachers

Fellows leave Foundations Training with a toolkit of strategies they can use from day one. Here are some tools they found useful.

“I enjoyed the opportunity to practice elevator pitches and lesson introductions.” -Los Angeles Sub, 29M, August 2024 cohort

“I learned so much about engagement and directional strategies. The practice and scrimmage set me up for a good start.” -San Francisco Sub, 41M, September 2024 cohort

“So many practical skills! My toolkit is filled to the brim. Classroom management was something I worried about the most, but now I’m feeling so much better than I was at the beginning of the week.” -Phoenix Sub, 36F, July 2024 cohort

“I liked working on a script that follows the ‘anatomy of a lesson plan’ that we can build off of in the future.” -Philadelphia Sub, October 2024 cohort

Expert instructors

Our instructors know their stuff—and it shows. Educators valued their energy, expertise, and ability to model techniques so well.

“The facilitators were so kind, patient, and informative.” -Los Angeles Sub, 22F, September 2024 cohort

“I really enjoyed my facilitator Autumn. Her teaching style is definitely a style I am going to try to mimic in my teaching.” -Los Angeles Sub, 24M, September 2024 cohort

“I enjoyed both facilitators, Cristian and Denise, for creating a most relaxing atmosphere on zoom.” -Los Angeles Sub, 60F, August 2024 cohort

“I liked the camaraderie among the Fellows and the facilitators. Everyone was very welcoming and supportive. I felt like I could ask questions openly.” -Los Angeles Sub, 48F, July 2024 cohort

A safe space to learn

We’re thankful our instructors and attendees cultivated a safe space to learn and not fear mistakes!

“It overall felt like a safe and nurturing learning environment to be a part of.” -Los Angeles Sub, 22M, July 2024 cohort

“Everyone was so nice. We’re all fish out of water in this scenario and it was very comfortable. I liked that we were checked in on at the end and given tips on how to improve. It was very thoughtful.” -Los Angeles Sub, 45M, July 2024 cohort

Equity-focused, culturally responsive teaching

Educators enjoyed learning how to support diverse learners and teach in a way that supports every student’s growth.

“Implicit bias is everywhere, and discussing what those are and how to navigate them helped me realize I have much more learning to do. This training was so hands-on and informative in such a short time, I haven’t experienced training like it before.” -Las Vegas Sub, 24F

“The training taught me to have multiple options when engaging with students. It shared ways that they may be more comfortable when it comes to learning.

It also taught that we will be facing challenges together, but how we navigate them is what’s most important when it comes to being an advocate for these kids. I learned tools to better handle classroom situations.“ -Mentone Paraprofessional, 26F

*These quotes aren’t from TeachStart Fellows, but Scoot subs who have completed similar training sessions outside of the TeachStart program. All training sessions are designed and quality-checked by our Global Head of Learning & Development, Naama Wrightman.

Final Thoughts

From hands-on practice to supportive instructors and cohort mates, it’s easy to see why Fellows loved their training. We’re proud to know they’re stepping into classrooms inspired, prepared, and ready to make a difference every day.

If you want to teach with a company that prioritizes your professional growth and gives you the flexibility to create your own work schedule, apply to Scoot!

If you’re interested in becoming a full-time teacher in less time and cost than traditional pathways, sign up to receive info emails from TeachStart.

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