New Teacher Institute

Designed specifically for new boarding school teachers, this interactive workshop combines presentation of live lessons with in-the-moment coaching and feedback from mentors with engaging discussions about developing and refining your teaching practice. Using scenarios and case studies, you’ll explore methods for shaping a culture of learning and belonging, classroom management, approaches to grading and assessment, and the basics of student safety and boundaries.

You’ll tackle the unique and sometimes tricky opportunities and challenges of teaching in a residential setting and leave ready to hit the ground running in your boarding school community.

When

July 23–25, 2025

where

Miss Porter’s School in Farmington, CT

who

Faculty and teaching fellows in the first year of their teaching careers

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Examine the fundamental role of the teacher in the academic, emotional, cognitive, and social development of students in a boarding school setting.

Learn strategies for planning rich and robust learning experiences, assessment tools, and feedback mechanisms with students’ essential understandings and skills development as your compass.

Build a toolkit of pedagogical tools and strategies to create and manage the dynamic of your classroom and cultivate environments that support specific learning goals.

Gain real-time practice and feedback about your own instruction through robust lesson demonstration workshopping.

Unpack the latest research about how you can most effectively support the array of learning differences you may encounter in your classroom.

Learn how to design assessments, grading structures, and policies that provide students with rich, timely feedback that advances their learning and contributes to a culture of equity in your classroom.

Prepare your “plan for entry” as you anticipate your first moments with your students.

Brainstorm, strategize, and problem-solve with a personal network of new teachers and teaching mentors from across the boarding school industry.

2025 FACULTY

JAY BONNER

Ambassador for Constituent Outreach, Senior Teacher, Asheville School NC

Jay Bonner has served at Asheville School for over thirty-five years, first as a teacher, coach, and hall parent, and working in subsequent years as Dorm Head, Assistant Dean of Students, Dean of Faculty, Assistant Head, and Associate Head. He currently serves in an external constituent outreach and engagement role, while still teaching via zoom. He began his teaching career at Brown University and the University of North Carolina Asheville. He continues to write reviews and essays for various publications, along with writing fiction and working on a couple of book length projects.

JENNIFER RUNDLES

Dean of Students, Science Teacher, Lake Forest Academy IL

Jennifer joined the Lake Forest Academy community in July 2022 as the Dean of Students. She brings nearly 20 years of experience from boarding schools across the south. Prior to LFA, Jennifer spent four years as the Associate Upper School Director and Science Instructor at Darlington School in Rome, Ga., which is a PreK-12 boarding day school. Before Darlington School, she worked at Saint Mary’s School in Raleigh, N.C., for 15 years. While there, she held many roles including Science Instructor, Associate Dean of Teaching and Learning, Interim Dean of Students, and Associate Dean of Students. During her time in independent boarding schools, she has worked with TABS and SAIS by serving on committees and serving as a facilitator for their workshops throughout the year. Jennifer enjoys her audiobooks, good live music, cooking (mainly baking), and the History Channel. She lives on campus in Weinbrenner House and serves as a dorm parent in Marshall Field House, in addition to teaching AP Chemistry.

What Do OUr PAST attendees Say?

Come ready to learn because you will! Great experience and great for meeting others with valuable input.

Sawyer Belville

The Webb Schools

This summer institute represented the navy seal training needed to establish your academic success at your school.

Luis Raul Alicea

Kent school

Bring an open mind and a willingness to try new things! TABS New Teacher Institute creates a welcoming and safe environment that allows you to find your teacher style, maximize it, and own it.

Hadiyyah Abdul-Jalaal

Episcopal high school

I feel less apprehensive and more confident about starting my first year of teaching after attending this conference. The thoughtful and engaging faculty worked intently to answer questions and provide meaningful advice.

Keenan Ronayne

Kent school

I found the entire program immensely helpful. It made me think deeply and provided me with some pedagogical concepts to think through. I had the chance to witness different teaching styles and structures to see how I can build my own teaching style and bring in strategies to help diverse learners.

Kyra Wilson

St. Andrew's school (DE)