OK-Thrive

Launching with a pilot program in 2022, OK-Thrive aims to empower new teachers and cultivate growth and professional development during the critical first three years postgraduation.

The Retention of Innovative Educators

for Oklahoma

OK-Thrive is a mentorship and coaching program designed to support new teachers during the first three years in the profession. OK-Thrive will pair exceptional practicing or retired educators with new teachers to provide responsive support, goals-based coaching, and leadership development. OK-Thrive aims to root educators in Oklahoma and to positively impact teacher retention across the state.

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Serving Oklahoma

and reflecting our land-grant mission

Like most states across the nation, Oklahoma is experiencing a teacher shortage crisis, and the inability to retain teachers is the primary contributing factor. According to the Oklahoma State Department of Education, more than 1 in 3 new teachers leave the profession by their third year, and nearly half leave the profession within five years. OK-Thrive was developed to meet the challenge of retaining high-quality educators, which is critical to student learning, and will support cost savings for school districts and communities.

Partnering for Success

Working closely with school district partners, OK-Thrive does not replace, but rather, supplements vital school, district, and state support. With a goal to strategically expand as funding allows, OK-Thrive would like to serve all districts across the state and provide the comprehensive support novice teachers require to persevere and thrive in the profession.

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Thrive Sessions

Thrive sessions are targeted teacher professional development sessions that address the critical needs of early career educators. During these sessions, teachers will be encouraged to share their expertise while also engaging in discussions and activities that highlight research-based best practices in the classroom.

Professional Communities

As a member of the OK-Thrive community, educators will be encouraged to participate in a professional community of early career teachers who work inside and outside their districts. These interactions will help facilitate collaborative development as they share expertise, lessons learned, and new skills that have made them more effective educators.

Personalized Coaching

OK-Thrive will help educators transition from training to practice by providing one-on-one responsive coaching that aims to address individual challenges and increase capacity as teachers learn to navigate the demands of the profession.

Contact

John Weaver DirectorCollege of Education and Human Sciences405-744-8005 john.weaver@okstate.edu