After years of funding teachers' innovative ideas through classroom grants and boosting teacher excellence through professional development grants, MFEE collaborated with Montclair Public Schools to launch Teacher Learning Communities (TLCs) in December 2022. 

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​TLCs are small professional learning communities to boost teaching. Cohorts of teachers come together to learn, support each other, and create a local community of professional learning. The first TLC was for educators of Multilingual Learners (commonly known as “ESL students”). Eleven teachers from 4 schools met over six weekends throughout the school year for workshops led by the The SIFE Equity Project.  The highly-skilled coaches have over 20 years of experience teaching multilingual learners with particular expertise in working with students with interrupted education. They are designing curricula for districts across the country. 

During and between the workshops teachers had the opportunity to practice, reflect, and advance their application of what they learned. Additionally, the expert trainers were available to provide personalized feedback, coaching and suggestions for practice. Teachers participated outside of their school schedules, and MFEE provided a stipend for their participation. 

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Participants will continue their work together with the same coaches for a second year.  Additionally, MFEE will launch a new TLC next year in response to teacher requests to work with Dr. Bree Picower and Dr. Tanya Maloney on their Six Elements of Social Justice.