July 2012
1 post
This I Believe...
I believe in EQUITY in the power of everyone to be on a fair playing field. To have opportunity and choices like no other that is not dependent on their background, their experiences or where they come from, but based on themselves and their own self-advocacy and ability to speak up for what they need. I believe in DIVERSITY of experience, background, perspective of a group of people sitting...
May 2012
2 posts
Today was a rough day →
April 2012
5 posts
The Times Are A-Changing
There has been something in the air lately. I haven’t been able to put my finger on the way I’ve been feeling, but it’s been a little off. Then suddenly today it hit me. Everything is changing. It doesn’t feel that way because it is only that the school year is ending, but its true. Everything is changing.
Today I spent the afternoon with M. She spent the last week in...
WatchYesterday I caught my students drawing on each. It was right before lunch when students typically get distracted and a bit flighty. When I stopped before I said anything though, I realized she was showing him how to solve a math problem on his arm. I love this video.
The Final Countdown
12 days until testing. 40 days until the last day of school.
Ask any teacher in any failing school, before and during testing is probably to definitely the most stressful time. Students are cramming, teachers are pulling their hair out and everyone is pretty much yelling at each other. When I came back from break, I was so stressed knowing how much is at risk for my students and for our school...
January 2012
5 posts
Goodbye Forever
Sometimes he drove me crazy. Other times, he made me so proud. Jerald is so smart. He just doesn’t know it yet.
When he came into my classroom I felt immediately drawn to Jerald. He liked anyone who gave him attention, and being new to teaching and OKC, I had plenty of that to give. He also did exceptionally well on his diagnostic test. While I loved Jerald, he loved to talk more. ...
"Tell her, I'm a bad kid."
I have come into this semester feeling like I am in a whole different ball game. Having the last three weeks off to be able to rest, think about last semester, rest, separate myself from my classroom to gain a clear head about what needs to happen to make it a better space. This past week since I’ve been back I’ve been working at school 12 hour days, but I feel like it is paying off....
October 2011
1 post
A picture's worth
When I walked into F-110 at beginning of the year, I encountered many students who I would grow to love and also to know. One of these students was Morgan. When we started, I could never get Morgan to do her work. She would put her head down in class and often fall asleep. There were days when I would make her stand the entire class just to keep her awake. Even when she was awake, I still had...
September 2011
1 post
"they both left me at the same time"
Everyone always says the first couple weeks of school are the most challenging, especially of your first year. For me, the most challenging part has been wanting to do more for my kids and not knowing how to do that. This past month I’ve started to learn more about my students home lives and the ways in which they face poverty everyday when they leave our building and go home. For some of...
August 2011
1 post
You Get Us
When I first started with Teach For America, the idea of a blog felt strange to me. It felt like I was going to be documenting some life in a foreign land, when I knew for many of the families and students I work with, what may be foreign to me is their everyday life. Now that I’ve started teaching, I think it’s important to have a blog because I want to share how amazing and...
June 2011
1 post
Intro to Teaching
For the past two weeks now, I’ve begun my journey with Teach For America. There has been a ton of information and finally, after two long weeks, I will be stepping foot in the classroom on Monday and become Ms. Urban.
Last week, we had induction in Tulsa and Oklahoma City. I met with all the other Corps members from both cities. We mostly talked about the Teach For America core values...
