Fellowship Program

Fellows have the opportunity to

• deepen their expertise of Wit & Wisdom while receiving training and coaching from Wit & Wisdom writers and facilitators to deliver PD sessions,
• broaden their perspectives on English Language Arts education by traveling and collaborating with teachers and ELA professionals across the country, and
• extend their professional learning networks as they share experiences and best practices with the Wit & Wisdom team and other ELA professionals with whom they interact as Fellows.

The Great Minds team works directly with teachers in sessions delivered at different phases of implementation. Great Minds PD sessions

• emphasize experiential knowledge building,
• engage participants as trusted colleagues,
• amplify specific components of the curriculum,
• drive inquiry,
• integrate differentiation, and
• deliver practical methods and strategies.

For more information, see "About Wit & Wisdom's Guiding Philosophy for Professional Development".

There is no cost to the individual, as Great Minds covers all travel costs. Each Fellow's home school or district grants release time for the training sessions.

Please submit a cover letter that addresses:

• How long have you been using Wit & Wisdom as a primary instructional resource and at what grade level(s)?
• What Wit & Wisdom PD sessions have you attended? What were your two most valuable takeaways? (If you aren't sure of the session title(s), please provide a brief description of the session focus.)
• Why are you interested in applying for this position?

Individuals experienced in teaching Wit & Wisdom at any grade level (K–8) are welcome to apply. In addition to lead classroom teachers, educators with experience in Special Education, ESL, instructional coaching, and leadership are all strongly encouraged to apply.

Selected applicants will participate in in-person and virtual meetings in March 2023 and attend one required three-day trainings in Spring 2023. The in-person training event is mandatory for all prospective Fellows. In addition to training, all facilitators are required to deliver selected PD session material in person/virtually as the final requirement prior to facilitating PD independently as a Fellow.

Fellows will deliver PD sessions during Summer 2023 (June 1 - August 30) and during the 2023-24 school year. Fellows are paid an hourly rate for work during the summer and during school holidays. Fellows work for Great Minds during the school year, according to the details of their job-share contract.

Travel depends on the demand for PD, but Fellows can expect to travel outside their state. Great Minds will compensate for travel time and make every effort to ensure the Fellow’s schedule is manageable with local school and personal responsibilities.

During the summer, Fellows must be willing to provide a minimum of 10 days of on-site PD as assigned by the Great Minds PD services team. 

During the school year, the amount of travel will depend on the job-share agreement between Great Minds and the Fellow’s home school or district. For example, if a Fellow has an 80:20 job-share agreement with Great Minds, then over a two-week period, she could expect to work in her home school or district eight days and with Great Minds PD two consecutive days during the period. That would translate to facilitating two PD sessions a month.

1. The school or district will develop internal capacity and expertise to support ongoing implementation of the curriculum.
2. Fellows can offer PD sessions at no cost to their home districts as often as the district needs.
3. Fellows will have extensive opportunities to expand their network of Great Minds curriculum implementers, giving their school and/or district access to that network and additional support.
4. Great Minds will fund a portion of the salary and benefits of the Fellow during the fellowship in a job-share agreement. The amount funded is determined by the amount of time dedicated to facilitating Great Minds PD during the school year.

Throughout the application and training process, the Great Minds PD team will evaluate prospective Fellows on their content knowledge, understanding of the curricula, and facilitation skills. To become a Fellow, educators will need to demonstrate a clear grasp of the curriculum’s learning design, concise communication, and responsiveness to the needs of peers and participants. Fellows must be able to strike a balance between maintaining the integrity of the curriculum and taking a collegial approach.