Thank you for your interest in Being Tea Teacher Training!
If you are planning to enroll in our program, please review the following policies and Statement of Inclusivity. Your acceptance into our program means you are agreeing to these terms. Feel free to email me with any questions at hello@beingtea.com.
Statement of Inclusivity
The work of being an inclusively-aligned educator demands that we look at what we teach beyond subject expertise. We must see and deeply value the people in our spaces. To quote Brooklyn-based school educator and social justice activist, Cornelius Minor, “I cannot be spiritually awakened and doing work that is vocationally dead.”
Being Tea Teacher Training asks teachers to commit to supporting and valuing students and fellow teachers for their unique differences across race; country of origin; gender and sexual identity; age; body form and/or disability; mental health needs; religious and cultural heritage; and socioeconomic status.
Students of marginalized backgrounds are warmly encouraged to apply! BIPOC and LQBTQ+ persons have made up nearly 50% of each cohort to date. (I, myself, am an Autistic, queer-identified, non-binary, sober person. My partner is also disabled and AuDHD.) Your experiences and expertise are very welcome here.
All applicants are asked to respect that while in this program, you may hear ideas and information that challenge your own previously held views.
Racism, misogyny, anti-queer or anti-trans, xenophobic, and other similarly narrow and non-inclusive views, statements or behavior will not be tolerated here. This is for the protection of our diverse teacher trainee cohort, the Being Tea community, and the students our teacher trainees and graduates also serve. As program director, at my discretion, trainees may be asked to leave the program in the event of violations of this protection.
Since our program founding in 2019, we have never had an incident of this nature. However, as our program grows and new trainees come into the space each year, I am keenly aware of the need for drawing this explicit boundary for our community safety.
Teacher Training Program Policies
Note: These policies are subject to additions, changes and review from time to time, as needs emerge with each training cycle.
Basic Participation Requirements
The Being Tea Teacher Training program is a combination of a “flipped classroom” – the students study material ahead of time, then come to class prepared for discussion – and a blended classroom that includes the use of videos and other supports. This program is interactive, collaborative, and inherently participatory. It is not self-paced or unsupported.
As the program director, I reserve the ability to make a determination that this program is not suited for a student if they choose to no longer actively participate without prior communication. (ie: “ghosting” or No Call–No Show more than twice) Participation includes: the reviewing monthly lecture videos and course workbook; coming to live group workshops on time and prepared; making time for homework or other engagement options on a regular basis; and staying in communication with me about your study, progress, and needs for support.
Attendance for Group Workshops
All students need to maintain an attendance rate of 65% for our monthly group workshops. This means that out of 8 total workshops over the 8-month program, you need to attend at least 5 sessions live with our group, unless we agree on an alternative arrangement in advance of your acceptance into the program. Make-up assignments are required for any missed group sessions. Emergency situations are an exception to the 65% attendance rate.
Monthly Homework and Communication
Homework assignments include personal feedback from me, and are ungraded. Completing them is optional for students who are not intending to graduate or teach right away upon finishing the program. However, the homework assignments are created for your benefit and practice – they directly build on skills necessary for completing your graduate project. They also give me insight into your learning, which helps me be a better teacher for you.
My policy on homework is: I ask graduate-track students to keep me informed if they need to be late. Homework is required for these students (at least 70%, or 5 out of 7 assignments), but lateness on assignments is ok. For non graduate-track students, you’ll have other options for monthly course engagement if the homework assignment is not a good fit, and I also ask you to keep me informed if you need to submit any of those late.
If a student goes more than two months with no submitted assignment of any sort, including homework or other offered forms of learning engagement – and no communication with me otherwise about it – I will arrange a check-in meeting to ensure the training program is still serving their needs.
Graduate Project + Graduation Requirements
To graduate from Being Tea Teacher Training, students complete a capstone project: teaching a tea class they create for our teacher cohort and any friends or family they wish to invite. This class can be in-person, but there must be a web camera and audio to broadcast it to our online cohort. The class can also be formatted for online, instead of in-person. The training program itself prepares the student for assembling and refining their graduate project. Students have from May 1 to August 31 to complete their project.
The graduate project is not a requirement for participation in Being Tea Teacher Training. It is perfectly acceptable to take this course for personal or professional enjoyment and study! There are numerous life, social, and professional skills to be gained in this program, just as it is. Teaching the practice class is only required if the trainee wants to graduate and join our graduate community. Students in good standing may also return in the future and complete their graduate project, whenever the time is right for them to step into teaching work.
Tuition, Cancellation and Refunds
Tuition for Being Tea Teacher Training is paid monthly across 12-months, starting in September. There is no deposit required upon enrollment. However, students are responsible for the full amount of their tuition once they reach the fifth month of the program (Module 5). This represents 60% of the program, which is ample time to experience the content. Students may only cancel, with no further tuition due, prior to month five. As a small business owner, I am unable to offer refunds for either used or unused tuition.
If a student in good standing needs to depart due to circumstances outside of their control (emergencies, relocation, job change, etc), they are warmly invited to rejoin us the following year – with no additional fees – and simply resume their remaining tuition payments where they left off.
I recognize that a lot of life happens over the course of a year, and my goal as program director is to support you all the way to the finish line – whenever that happens for you.