Teacher of Record Pathway
Lead a classroom today!
Are you currently working on a permit? Have you had previous teaching experience?
The Nashville Teacher Residency’s Teacher of Record Pathway is designed for educators who already have significant classroom experience and are ready to take the lead. Participants serve as the sole teacher in their own classroom from day one, earning a salary and benefits from their school district while working toward a Tennessee teaching license. This pathway blends the responsibilities of a full-time teaching role with the ongoing coaching, coursework, and support needed to meet licensure requirements and excel in the profession.
Key Features
12-18 Months
Teachers Candidates earn full licensure in 12 to 18 months, all while continuing to lead their own classroom full-time.
Praxis Support
Structured study sessions and practice materials help you prepare for and pass every Praxis exam required for licensure.
Coursework
Coursework runs alongside your teaching schedule, so you're learning while applying it in your own classroom.
Your Classroom
From day one, you're leading your own students, making a real impact in the classroom while you earn your license.
Teacher of Record Pathway
What You’ll Learn
The Teacher of Record Pathway is ideal for paraprofessionals, classroom associates, permitted teachers, or others with substantial hands-on experience who are prepared to manage a classroom independently. From the start, participants are the lead teacher, responsible for instruction, classroom management, and student engagement, while receiving targeted coaching from an NTR field coach and ongoing support from their school community.
The program typically takes 12 to 18 months to complete, depending on the licensure type pursued. Throughout that time, participants benefit from personalized feedback, the option to pursue a master’s degree, and access to NTR’s network of support even after graduation through the alumni program. By the end of the pathway, participants not only earn their Tennessee teaching license but also have a year or more of full-time teaching experience behind them—making them well-prepared to continue making a lasting impact in the classroom.
Start Teaching Immediately
From the very first day, you’ll take full ownership of your classroom, planning lessons, leading instruction, and managing the learning environment. This pathway is built for those who are ready to put their prior experience into practice, allowing you to apply new strategies and skills in real time while also growing through feedback and coaching. It’s a unique balance of independence and support that accelerates your development as an educator.
Full Salary & Benefits
As a full-time employee of your school district, you’ll earn a competitive salary and receive benefits while working toward your teaching license. This means you can advance your career without putting it on hold or stepping away from the classroom. The stability of a paid position allows you to focus on honing your craft, building relationships with students and families, and making an immediate impact in your school community.
Earn a Practitioner's License
Evening coursework complements your day-to-day classroom experience, ensuring what you learn is immediately relevant and applicable. By aligning academic preparation with your live teaching responsibilities, you’ll steadily build the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to meet licensure requirements graduating as a fully licensed Tennessee teacher while already creating an impact in your own classroom.
"I had reached a point where I had used my available permits and wasn’t sure there was a path forward for me to continue teaching. NTR gave me that path. More than that, they cared about me as a person. From helping me navigate licensure to providing emergency financial support when I needed it most, NTR made it possible for me to stay in the classroom and keep pursuing the career I knew I was called to."
Frequently Asked Questions
Please review the FAQ section for questions specific to the Teacher of Record Pathway. If you’d like to speak with a recruiter, please email recruitment@nashvilleteacherresidency.org
This pathway is designed for people who have student facing experience. This is often a person on a provisional license or permit that needs to earn full licensure while they continue working.
In the residency, you train for a year in someone else's classroom before leading your own. In this pathway, you're already the teacher of record, so your coursework and support are built around the classroom you're already running.
Yes. You'll be paired with a mentor who supports you while you teach, offering guidance suited to the day-to-day realities of running your own classroom.
You'll get the same structured Praxis prep as residents — study sessions and practice materials — fit around your teaching schedule so exam prep doesn't fall entirely on you.
Contact Us
Our team is ready to answer all your questions.