Advance your education in any field with the LEAP to Teacher Program serving all school and daycare workers. Open the door to your future!
What is the LTT Program?
LTT offers a free, specialized set of support services to all school and daycare workers, helping them pursue an undergraduate or graduate degree or a certificate program in teaching or any field of study. In partnership with the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies (SLU) and several participating CUNY colleges, LTT is available across New York City at the following CUNY campuses: BMCC, Bronx Community College, Brooklyn College, College of Staten Island, the CUNY School of Labor & Urban Studies (non-teaching degrees), Lehman College , Medgar Evers and Queens College.
Mission: The LTT’s mission is to empower participants to become more effective in their schools/daycare and more impactful in their communities.
Contact
Program Manager
Sheryl Smith
sheryl.smith@slu.cuny.edu
646-313-8531
Prospective Students
Learn more about the LTT program and its services, attend one of our monthly LTT open house sessions or fill out the inquiry form, and our program specialists will contact you to set up a zoom or in-person meeting.
Eligibility
To be part of the LTT program and receive free services, you must be:
- Employed in any school and daycare setting
- Enrolled or interested in applying to an undergraduate or graduate program at one of the LTT partnering CUNY colleges
What Does LTT Offer?
All support services are free and designed for adult learners returning to school to advance their careers or achieve personal growth. These services are offered from preadmission to graduation.
College Entrance Support
- College preparation classes
- Pre-admission advisement
- ESOL College preparation class
College and Career Support
- Academic advisement from admission to graduation
- Tutoring, writing support, workshops
- Career advisement
- Professional Development with CTLE Hours
Funding College
- SLU LEAP to Teacher Scholarship: This scholarship was created to assist Paraprofessionals/Teaching Assistants employed with the NYC Department of Education. Applicants must be admitted and enrolled graduate students in a teacher shortage area at one of the LEAP to Teacher collaborating CUNY colleges.
- Assistance with financial aid and grant opportunities.
- Information on DOE vouchers and reimbursement program.
Workshops and Courses
- Student Success Workshops
This series of online workshops introduces LTT students to study skills and provides writing improvement tips. Here are some of the topics covered in the workshops: 1) Classroom skills and note taking 2) Reading Difficult Text 3) Drafting Strategies (4) Paraphrasing/Summarizing (5) APA/MLA Citations (6) Revision Strategies 7) Introductions and Conclusions 8) Time Management 9) How To Boost your GPA. Please contact your LTT coordinator to get more information or email ltt@slu.cuny.edu
- Teacher Certification Exam Prep Workshops(workshop flyer)
The Combined Early Childhood & Childhood Multi-Subject (CST) exam preparation workshop focuses on the strategies required to be successful in the multi subject specialty test for grades K- 6th. This workshop will cover the overall exam format for Literacy and English Language Arts (Multiple choice and constructed written response), and Arts and Sciences.
The Educating All Students (EAS) exam preparation workshop focuses on the skills needed to effectively teach diverse populations. The workshop covers the following topics: Techniques to approach various multiple choice questions, constructing an effective constructed written response and test-taking strategies. Test Prep Workshops Schedule
This free non-credit course is a 32-hour online refresher course (eight 4-hour sessions) which is open only to LEAP to Teacher students. The course covers all required mathematics competencies for a NY State certified elementary teacher. Running consecutively on eight Saturdays, participants learn the importance of becoming an effective problem-solver, identifying common math misconceptions and how to teach math effectively.
- Students who complete this course are eligible to earn 20 CTLE credit hours.
This course is also helpful for students seeking certification in childhood education in the state of New York to prepare them to pass the math section of Childhood Education Multi-Subject Content Specialty Test.
Check out our Math for Elementary Educators.
Please contact your LTT coordinator to get more information or email ltt@slu.cuny.edu
Students with Disabilities CST Test Preparation Workshop consist of the following:Overview of test format, objective & design
-
- Introduction & review of the competencies on the exam
- Review & discuss sample questions
- IEP review & disability classifications
- Analysis, Synthesis & Application of constructed response
- Test taking strategies tricks & tips
- Additional resources and more!
Special Education Essentials: A Comprehensive Review and Refresher Series This virtual refresher course comprises a six-week series of workshops that delve into the required NYS competencies for certified teachers working with students with disabilities. The sessions will thoroughly cover topics such as the foundations of Special Education, the 13 classifications of students with IEPs, utilizing assessments to guide instructional planning, and implementing research-based strategies to ensure student success across various placements. Through a case study approach, participants will engage in the analysis, synthesis, and application of content from each session.Completion of this workshop series qualifies participants to earn 12 CTLE credit hours. Additionally, this course serves as valuable preparation for students pursuing certification in Special Education in New York State, aiding them in successfully passing the Content Specialty Test for Students with Disabilities: SWT-CST (06) test.
- Teaching Assistant Workshops
How to become a paraprofessional (workshop flyer).
The Murphy Institute’s LEAP to Teacher Program offers a free 6-week exam preparation workshop for CUNY students who have over 40 credits interested in obtaining the NY. State Teaching Assistant Certification and becoming a Teacher Assistant/ Teaching Paraprofessional to provide direct instructional services to students under the general supervision of a certified teacher. The workshop prepares students for taking the New York State Assessment of Teaching Assistant Skills Test (NYS-ATAS), the required test for getting the teaching assistant certification. For more information, please contact ltt@slu.cuny.edu
- NY State Mandatory Workshops for Teachers and Other School Workers
School Violence prevention Under the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies, The Murphy Institute’ s LEAP to Teacher Program is an approved School Violence Training Provider . After satisfying the requirements, students will receive their School Violence certification on their TEACH account
Child Abuse Under the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies, The Murphy Institute’ s LEAP to Teacher Program is an approved Child Abuse Training Provider . After satisfying the requirements, students will receive their Child Abuse certification on their TEACH account
Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) Training Under the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies, The Murphy Institute’ s LEAP to Teacher Program is an approved DASA Training Workshop Provider . The 6 hour training will address the training for harassment, bullying, and discrimination prevention and intervention in schools. After satisfying the requirements, students will receive their DASA certification on their TEACH account
Video Testimonials
Anecia McCall, LEAP to Teacher Alumni, Undergraduate Program, Brooklyn College
Norma Osorio, LEAP to Teacher Alumni, Borough of Manhattan Community College(BMCC)
Daniella LaRosa, LEAP to Teacher Alumni, Undergraduate Program, College of Staten Island (CSI)
Amanda Clark, LEAP to Teacher Alumni, Graduate Program, Queens College
Tishawna Campbell, LEAP To Teacher Alumni, Graduate Program, Lehman College
Join LTT at one of these colleges:
Historical Background
LTT was created in the mid-nineties to meet the needs of UFT para-educators attending Queens College. It was housed under the umbrella of the Queens College Worker Education Labor Education and Advancement Project (LEAP), established in 1984 to create a space within CUNY dedicated to addressing labor issues from an academic perspective and preparing future labor leaders.
In 2006, The Queens College Worker Education program joined forces with the Murphy Institute for Worker Education and Labor Studies to better reach and serve union members throughout all of CUNY. In 2018, the Institute underwent an exciting expansion and became its own entity, now called the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies (SLU). Throughout all of these transitions, the LTT program has remained true to its original mandate of providing an adult-friendly environment catered to the specific needs of evening students and union members.
For more information, please attend one of our monthly open house events, or contact one of our site coordinators to schedule an appointment at the college of your choice.