“‘Twas the night before The First Day of School, and all through the house, Miss S was sure stirring… Too nervous to rhyme. Her lunch was all packed, her bags all prepared, in hopes that the children… would not be there. She knew it was not the right thing to think, but really,…
read more »Before my summer is officially over tomorrow morning for my campus retreat, I’d like to join the fray and respond to some posts and comments in the TFU airspace. The topic is, broadly, how to best achieve reform. A couple of TFU bloggers have gone to the mat for consensus-building. To borrow a turn of…
read more »I know as teachers, we become very attached to the children we see each and every day. Therefore, we also become attached to the “stuff” that reminds us of them; the pictures they drew, cards they wrote us, and even work they did that we were so proud they accomplished. We also have this subconscious…
read more »I wanted to write about TFA orientation while it is still fresh in my mind. I think it’s important to air our grievances as a matter of conscience. Many if not most of TFA’s corps members can be described as politically progressive(1). I think a great deal of the disillusionment that many corps members feel…
read more »Finally! We have moved from our current headquarters at the Mastery Charter central office/the Pickett Campus to our permanent home… Mann Elementary. http://www.masterycharter.org/schools/mann-campus/life-at-mann/photo-gallery-5.html Our “Mann”-ly welcome began with the principal. Let’s just say, this is a man on a mission. He expects big things, and above all that we “Teach our hearts out.” This sounds…
read more »“Everyone here is so young and dynamic!” This was something I overheard at Institute last year, and it was definitely a declaration of pleasant surprise. For each corps which is predominantly early 20-somethings, you go through most of your schooling in environments run by…old people. Not old people, but people indeterminately older than you. Then…
read more »Lately, when I hear TFA described by anyone not already involved in it, the phrase “national service organization” leads the description. I’ve been unsure how to word it myself. Most of the time, I’ve said something to the effect of “It’s this thing where mostly recent college grads get placed in urban and rural schools…
read more »My first experiences with my new school system have been nothing short of Excellent. How could they be anything less? It is, after all, Mastery Charter’s mantra; “Excellence. No Excuses.” As I dive head first, and whole-heartedly, into my new organization, I have begun to fall in love with the Mastery way of Life……
read more »pur·pose noun 1.the reason for which something exists or is done. I suppose I should begin this project like we begin each lesson for our students; Explain “Why.” Why have I decided to keep a written account of my experiences as a first year special education teacher? Why, when I will be stressed and exhausted from the…
read more »When TFA was conceived twenty some-odd years ago, founder Wendy Kopp outlined four goals in her senior thesis at Princeton for the organization: Goals: A. To help solve teacher shortages. B. To focus positive attention on the education system and on the profession of teaching. C. To attract the ‘best and the brightest’ to teach.…
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