The “I CAN” Checklist of Specific Skills for New Teachers

This checklist can be used by:

New teachers to quickly evaluate the basic skills they have or still need before they can teach with confidence
Mentors and coaches working with new teachers
Administrators who need to assist or evaluate new teachers

The “I CAN” Checklist was developed by Golden Apple Fellow Dr. Renee Cargerman Dolezal. It is based on a decade of work, from 1998 to 2008, by Golden Apple teachers in the Golden Apple Teacher Education (GATE) program. GATE partnered with Northwestern University, ICTC, UIC, and Chicago Public Schools to provide alternative certification and prepare new teachers for work in classrooms throughout Chicago. Special thanks to Golden Apple Fellows and staff and NU-Teach staff, as well as the outstanding GATE teachers and helpful principals who work daily to inspire their students.

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From the "I CAN" Checklist:

"Below is a list of skills that all new teachers should have by the first day of school. The more of these skills you have, the more confident you will feel teaching. Use this list as a preliminary guide to develop your teaching skills. These are not all the skills you need, but they are the ones you can gain through observation, reflection, and practice. "

Renee Cargerman Dolezal, PhD, is a 1992 Golden Apple Fellow. Renee was chairperson of the English department at Arts of Living, a Chicago Public Alternative School for pregnant teens, where she and her students developed the Baby Lit program and an award-winning cable TV series, Teen Moms Only. She received her doctorate in Performance Studies from Northwestern University. Renee served as Director of the GATE program in 2008, and is currently a consultant, mentor, and field instructor in Illinois.