OVERVIEW

Operation TEACH (Teachers Enlisted to Advance Catholic Heritage), an innovative two-year post-graduate service program, seeks to develop a corps of highly motivated and committed educators to meet the needs of children in our region’s Catholic elementary and secondary schools.

The three components of the Operation TEACH program include: professional life, community life and spiritual life.  During their two-year service commitment, TEACHers are enrolled in the graduate program at College of Notre Dame in Maryland and complete a Master’s Degree in Education.  TEACHers live in community with other members of the program, sharing their experiences as new teachers and providing support and encouragement for one another.  Through community living, TEACHers help one another explore, strengthen and share their spirituality.  TEACHers represent a variety of undergraduate academic majors and come from a broad range of personal backgrounds and experiences.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

• Operation TEACHers are interviewed by Baltimore area Catholic schools and are hired by school principals. TEACHers and principals play a critical role in matching a TEACHer’s talents with the needs of an individual school.
  
• TEACHers are provided medical benefits during their two years of service through the contract they sign with the school in which they work.
  
• Graduates with no experience in education at all, as well as graduates who are already certified teachers, are welcome in our program.
  
• Living arrangements are in furnished community houses in the Baltimore area. Participants live in groups of 7 to 9 TEACHers. Each participant has a private bedroom and shares common living areas, such as the kitchen and living room.
  
• TEACHers earn a stipend of $11,500 per year.
  
• TEACHers are responsible for paying a small rent fee, community fund fee (covering food, utilities, fun, etc.), and any certification testing fees. Tuition, books, registration and graduation fees are paid by the program.

UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM FOR CATHOLIC EDUCATION

Operation TEACH is part of the UCCE – the University Consortium for Catholic Education. The UCCE is a partnership of university programs joined by the common mission of recruiting and training faith-filled, energetic teachers to strengthen, sustain and serve in Catholic schools. These programs – based in colleges and universities across the country – are unique in their details, but all share the same basic components of professional development, community and spirituality. More information about the UCCE for potential applicants to Operation TEACH, as well as a discussion forum for current TEACHers, alumni, and other participants of UCCE programs can be found at www.ucceconnect.com.