More than 700 join WTU during New Teacher Orientation:

Over 1,000 new teachers turned out for the DCPS New Teacher Orientation at the Columbia Heights Education Campus in mid-August. The Washington Teachers Union (WTU) was on hand to let the new teachers know about the services and benefits available through the union. The WTU also provided professional development courses in areas such as classroom and behavior management, Common Core State Standards, working with English Language Learners and teaching reading. More than 700 of the new teachers took advantage of the opportunity to sign on as full dues paying members of the WTU. Speaking on the orientation’s opening day, WTU President Elizabeth Davis (2nd from left) told the new teachers to try to learn all they can from their more experienced colleagues. She told them that the best way to reach students is “to connect your lessons to their lives.” DCPS Chancellor Kaya Henderson urged the new educators to have high expectations for their students. “Our young people need to know they can be anything they want to be,” she said. Click here for more photos.