Category Archives: teach for america
We are kind. We are focused. We are honest. We are brave.
So much of the pre-institute reading and reflection has been about drawing connections between previous work and our new careers as educators. But stopping to think about what I hope the parents and families of my future students say at … Continue reading
I won’t get perfect, but I will get better
This is the sixth written response to the TFA pre-institute work (responses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5). This reflection is on “continuously improving effectiveness.” I can only imagine that getting filmed on your first day in the classroom is incredibly … Continue reading
Of course I remember having you in my class.
At the beginning of the Great Depression, high school graduation rates in the United States were 30 percent. In 1940, it was 50 percent. This educational leap forward is the lede for David Leonhardt’s piece in the New York Times … Continue reading
This is how a scholar listens
This is the fifth written response to the TFA pre-institute work (responses 1, 2, 3, 4). This reflection is on “executing effectively.” Well-executed classroom management can look like fascism. Teaching her classroom how to get up from their desks, for … Continue reading
Shiny magical smartphones and better tracking data
I noticed on one of my observation visits that the teacher almost never put down her clipboard. On it, she kept a chart that allowed her to track student progress and comprehension, take notes on students who needed additional help … Continue reading
Website building and reading comprehension
This is the fourth written response to the TFA pre-institute work (responses 1, 2, 3). This reflection is on “planning purposefully.” Have I ever planned at the level of detail outlined in the TFA training materials? No. In fact, I’ve … Continue reading
Why read? Because being illiterate pays poorly.
While making a classroom observation visit a few weeks ago, I jotted notes about several of the posters and wall hangings in the high school English class. One was a handmade poster with national literacy statistics: the percentage of unemployed … Continue reading
In this week’s newsletter: nobody slips through the cracks
This is the third written response to the TFA pre-institute work (responses 1, 2). The focus is on investing in students and their families, with special consideration to a trio of videos (linked below) demonstrating classroom techniques. My original assumption … Continue reading
The data on measuring big goals
This is the second written response to the TFA pre-institute work (response 1). The focus is on the importance of setting big goals. Research demonstrates that leaders who set exceptional expectations for their teams can get exceptional results. TFA’s own … Continue reading