Monday, December 8, 2014

#thingsstudentssay

I promised that I would blog throughout my teaching experience. I have not been doing a very good job at keeping that promise. For now, please enjoy reading these hilarious, sweet, spunky responses from my students on a recent survey question:

Questions: 
1. What is one thing you want for Christmas? 
2. What is one thing you want to give someone else for Christmas? 

Student 1: 
1. The one thing I want for Christmas is to have a good day with my family
2. Something that makes that person happy 
aww...

Student 2: 
1. I want a 1970 Dodge Charger and a golden XBox 1
2. A dollar
well that's generous of you...

Student 3: 
1. For Christmas I want to eat tamales
2. And I want to give a kiss to Eduardo. 
Eduardo sits in front of her in class and he is fully aware that she would love to kiss him...awk. 

Student 4: 
1. I want make-up and new clothes for Christmas
2. I want to give food or clothes to people who need it
*proud moment*

Student 5: 
1. Jelly Donut
2. Oxygen 
....

Student 6:
1. Nutella
2. Nutella
because who likes figgy pudding? 

Student 7: 
1. For Christmas, I want nothing. 
2. What I want to give to a girl, is love. 
why does love always feel like a battlefield....

Student 8: 
1. I want to have my mom forever. 
2. I want to give cupcakes
:) 

Some days, they are hooligans with a ton of energy and I just want to know what teacher fed them jelly donuts and 5-hour energy shots when I wasn't looking. Other days, they are broken and come in quiet because life's stresses and burdens at home are so distracting that they struggle to focus in school. But every day, I love all 100 of them and they deserve my best. I'm so thankful for this experience so far! 

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Pick your head up

I'm sitting in my first period class while my collaborative teaching partner administers the test for the first half of the class. B [name removed] is sitting at my desk because he received a warning and another consequence for putting his head down instead of working on his test. My faculty advisor and I are both coaching him to keep his head up and complete the test. He's a bright student, and I know that he can and will succeed when he decides to persevere.

This is my fourth week of summer school, and all four weeks I have told B at least every other day to pick his head up. He knows that I care about him because I won't let him sleep. I won't let him sleep during my test, or during the TAKS or STAAR tests, because I see the potential he holds.

I understand that many of my students have difficult situations at home that are not ideal for coming to class prepared to learn every day. Some have children, some have children on the way, some do not have parents involved in their lives, some don't have their own bed to sleep in, and many work part or full-time jobs during the week and on weekends. The reality of my students' lives impacts the way that I greet them in the mornings. It makes me come to class every day with a smile on my face and an encouraging attitude. It's what motivates me to plan ahead and get them on track for graduation. It's why I sit and go over concepts and word problems one-on-one with students until they "get" it. Essentially, it's the very reason I am doing this work.

The reality of the community and neighborhood around Sam Houston High School is impactful in my teaching style, but it is not a reason to lower expectations for my students. It is not a reason to focus only on the historically high-performing students and only teach to their level of interest. It is not an opportunity for any student to opt out of participation in my classroom. It is not a justification for my students keeping their heads down in class or coming in late.  If I don't hold them to a high standard, who will? Who will teach them why punctuality is important? Who will help them model what hard work looks like? Who will push them to shoot for higher goals than they ever thought they could achieve before? Who will believe in them when so many teachers, administrators, and other people have given up?

In four weeks, I'm not positive that all of my students know my heart behind my teaching practices, but I continue regardless. I refuse to let B or any other student put his or her head down rather than work. I respect what he and all of my other students bring to the table- their backgrounds, their home lives, their interests, dreams, and goals. I am thankful that they taught me this summer. Thank you, B, for teaching me to pick my head up after a not-so-hot day in the classroom. Thank you, J, for teaching me how valuable it is that we have an engaging intro to the lesson. Thank you, M, for letting me know that you are a visual learner and I need to incorporate more visual representations.

Thanks to you, 61 Algebra 1A students at Sam Houston, I am leaving institute with my head up, encouraged, and ready to take on the next 2 years in the Rio Grande Valley.

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Move to McAllen

I didn't really move to McAllen, but everyone thinks I did. They aren't too far off. I came to McAllen earlier this week to begin training for Teach For America - Rio Grande Valley (RGV). I am staying in a hotel with over 90 other corps members this week as we train to become educators in this region. I am far from home and I miss it- mostly the people. 

However, I read my own blog this morning from September 2013 and was directed to John 1. I was reminded of the abundant grace, life, hope, and joy that I am given each day. I can do this not by my own strength or might or power, but because the God who created me knew that I would be right here on June 5th, 2014, before he even created the world. He is all-powerful, and there is a reason and a purpose that I am here. I can and will teach Algebra 1 to over 100 ninth-graders this fall, and I believe that he'll give me the strength I need for each day. (Just as He does every day, regardless of what I'm doing.) 

Back to training- I am headed to Houston with all of the other 2014ers this Sunday for "Institute"- TFA training through which we will learn how to teach! We will teach, collaborate to form lesson plans, observe and learn from veteran teachers, and establish a basic knowledge of how we will manage our classrooms. 

In July/August, I will "officially" move to the RGV, train some more, and begin teaching in August at Roma High School in Roma, Texas. Look it up on a Texas map for some entertainment. It's a small town of somewhere between 10 and 12 thousand people, but I visited the district office and the high school yesterday and the facilities and resources are incredible. When I met my assistant principal at the high school, he took me to the library, where almost all of the math teachers were meeting together and working on curriculum. It was great to meet the other teachers and see what they are preparing for our students this year.

The school has a fairly new football stadium with turf that was built about 4 or 5 years ago, a new baseball stadium that was built last year, and a massive Performing Arts Center. It is next door to a middle school and to an elementary school, which provides a platform for unique collaborative projects between the schools. Every year (for the past 6 or so, I think), a group of Roma HS students goes to Boston for Spring Break to tour Harvard University and a few other campuses, and to explore another region of the country. For most, this is the farthest trip they've taken and the first time they fly on a plane. For many, it may be their first time traveling outside of the Rio Grande Valley. The trip is designed to encourage students to keep setting high goals for their future, to attend college, and to have the courage to move away from home and try something new, if they so desire. 

How did I get to the valley? My sweet Momma drove down with me!  On Monday, we explored Roma and ate at El Mexicano (delicious), went to Falcon Lake Park (15 minutes from Roma- a lake & dam on the Rio Grande with a national park around it), looked at some housing options, etc. We stopped at an overlook point that has a good view into Mexico (you can see the border from pretty much anywhere in Roma- and my phone periodically switches to picking up Mexico cell towers throughout the day whenever I'm in Roma). Mom and I had a great time together and she flew back home on Tuesday morning and (of course) we both had some misty eyes for a little while. 

Now I'm on day 3 of training with TFA and I am learning a lot about the Valley and TFA's work. Yesterday morning, I went back to Roma and signed a contract! (Am I an adult now?) I'm excited to get to Houston and learn how to teach and how I will manage my own classroom. As I alluded to at the beginning of this post, each day has it's high points and low points- but overall, I am learning not to stress and not to rely on my own strength- it won't be enough- but to instead lean on Him who called me here and to pray without ceasing. 

Friends, family, and loved ones: I miss you deeply and I am increasingly thankful for your support in this journey. Keep in touch! 

Love, 
Emily Grace