Teacher Residency MS in Education & Special Education

Learn to teach through hands-on classroom experience in the teacher residency MS program at Touro’s Graduate School of Education. The Touro University Teaching Residents (TUTR) program — offered in cooperation with the New York State Department of Labor’s Empire Teacher Residency Program — combines a classroom residency in NYC Public Schools with graduate coursework designed around the instructional context of those schools.

Working closely with experienced mentor teachers, you’ll build confidence through daily teaching practice and collaborative work in real classroom settings. As a Teaching Resident, you’ll apply research-based strategies directly in the classroom, reflect on your experiences, and grow with guidance from experienced educators.

What to Expect as a Teaching Resident

As a Teaching Resident, you’ll participate in a structured preparatory experience designed to help you develop classroom skills through daily teaching, mentoring, and feedback.

In the TUTR program, you can expect to:

• Complete a residency placement in partnering NYC Public Schools during one academic year as part of your master’s coursework.
• Take graduate-level coursework over 5-6 semesters via asynchronous online classes, live courses via Zoom, and in-person sessions at our NYC campus in Times Square. 
• Teach in NYC Public Schools with placements in priority districts (such as District 75 and District 19) at Touro GSE partner schools.
• Work alongside a NYCPS Mentor Teacher (the classroom teacher of record), gradually taking on some instructional responsibilities while learning through observation, collaboration, and guided practice. 
• Receive a stipend of $30,000 during the academic year of your residency placement.
• Commit to teaching in NYC Public Schools for two years following completion of your residency experience.

Throughout the program, you’ll complete core coursework alongside residency-specific classes and fieldwork, with instructional formats designed to support immersive, classroom-based learning.

Mentoring, Supervision, and Advising

A key strength of the teacher residency program is the support built into the experience. As a Teaching Resident, you’ll work closely with a dedicated Mentor Teacher — the classroom teacher of record — who supports your growth through day-to-day teaching, collaboration, and guided practice in the classroom.

Throughout the program, guidance and feedback are embedded within both your coursework and residency experiences, helping you reflect on your practice and continue developing your skills as a teacher.

Meet a Teaching Resident: Sally Carrasco

Sally Carrasco spent more than 16 years working as a paraprofessional before taking the next step toward becoming a teacher. When her principal shared information about the Touro University Teaching Residents program, Sally saw an opportunity to finally combine hands-on classroom experience with the chance to earn her master’s degree.

During her residency, Sally has worked in both elementary and middle school settings, learning alongside different mentor teachers and gaining firsthand experience in differentiated instruction, classroom management, and adapting lessons in real time. As a Teaching Resident in a special education classroom, she’s valued the opportunity to see how experienced educators support students with diverse learning needs. 

“You have to think on your feet, change a lesson when needed, and learn classroom management in real time,” she says.

For Sally, the combination of support, mentorship, and practical experience has made the program a meaningful way to enter teaching.

“If you're passionate about being a teacher, then this program is a great choice,” she says. “It’s a rigorous program, but I think that if it’s something that you really want, then it's totally worth it.”