The Murphy Institute’s LEAP to Teacher (LTT) program at the College of Staten Island serves as a central resource for participating paraprofessionals with questions or concerns about any aspects of their learning journey at CSI. The main purpose of the LEAP to Teacher program at CSI is to enable employed paraprofessionals in the NYC Department of Education (D.O.E) to further pursue their education and advance their career. We help each student to enter and complete all degree requirements in a timely fashion and without undue stress. We have the best interest of each and every student at heart.

Contact
Site Coordinator
Jonathan Rubin
jonathan.rubin@slu.cuny.edu
Office: 718-982-4081
Call/Text: 718-569-8587
2800 Victory Blvd
Building 3S, Room 209
Staten Island, NY 10314
Prospective Students
- To learn more about the LTT program and its services, attend one of our monthly LTT open house sessions.
- Fill out the inquiry form, and our program specialists will contact you to set up a zoom or in-person meeting to answer your questions.
Academic Programs
Undergraduate Studies
The College of Staten Island School of Education provides undergraduate programs for teaching in Early Childhood/Pre-K programs, Elementary and Secondary schools. The College also offers a variety of programs including (but not limited to): Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering Science, Physics, English, History, Philosophy, Psychology, Social Work, Sociology/Anthropology, and World Languages and Literatures.
Graduate Studies
The School of Education provides graduate programs in Childhood Education, Adolescence Education, Special Education; and a Post-Master’s Advanced Certificate for Leadership in Education. One of the recent additions is a program called “Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) MSEd. The College also offers a variety of master’s programs in other fields of study in addition to education.
LTT Frequently Asked Questions – Answers to most common questions regarding eligibility, program availability and more.
LTT Academic and Career Support
The LEAP to Teacher program provides a full range of support services to undergraduate and graduate students. These services may include:
- Assistance with the admissions and registration process at CSI
- Free College Preparation Program
- Ongoing advisement to ensure a positive and rewarding college experience from pre-admission through graduation
- Assistance with applying for Financial Aid and accessing other special opportunities including scholarships and D.O.E Career Training Program (CTP) vouchers
- Online writing support and assistance with assignment comprehension and writing improvement and student success workshops – LEAP to Teacher students can contact Jean Soto, the Writing and Research Consultant, at 718-997-3079 or by emailing soto@slu.cuny.edu
- Information about NYS requirements for teacher certification and free NYS teacher certification exam preparation workshops
- Career advisement and assistance with preparing resumes, cover letter, essays, applications
- Networking with alumni to provide career opportunities
- Assisting with Teacher job search
- Sharing professional development opportunities
Workshops and Courses
The LEAP to Teacher program offers a variety of free noncredit courses and workshops designed to enhance students’ skills to pass different certification exams and provide an opportunity to complete some NY State mandatory training for educators.
New York State Teaching Assistant Certification Exam Preparation Workshop – Assessment of Teaching Assistant Skills (ATAS)
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
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 NY State DASA Training 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. For more information, please contact ltt@slu.cuny.edu
NY State Teacher Certification Exam Preparation Workshops
NY Teacher Certification Exam Preparation Workshops – Master test taking study strategies for the CST: Combined Early Childhood & Childhood Multi-Subject Test and EAS: Educating All Students.
Mathematics Refresher For Elementary And Pre-k Teachers (Non-credit)
This free 8-week course focuses on how to teach Pre-K and elementary mathematics efficiently. Running consecutively on eight Saturdays, students learn the importance of becoming an effective problem-solver, identifying common math misconceptions, and preparing for the Math section of the multi-subject CST for early childhood and childhood education. Embedded tutoring is also provided. Please contact your LTT coordinator to get more information or email ltt@slu.cuny.edu
Math Connection Conference (Spring Semesters Only)
As a collaborative effort, the LEAP to Teacher Program and the School of Education at CSI organize the annual Mathematics Connection Conference every May. The conference offers a wide variety of interactive presentations, panel discussions, and activities for children, specially designed for teachers and educational students. Please contact your LTT coordinator to get more information or email ltt@slu.cuny.edu
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) Revisions strategies; 7) Introductions and Conclusions, 8) Time management
Please contact your LTT coordinator to get more information or email ltt@slu.cuny.edu