Hey all! I can't believe 5 weeks went by that quickly! Like a blink of an eye, and BAM! We are in summer academy (summer professional development for AUSL) I'd love to be able to say I had a "carefree" 5 weeks but the planner in me almost had a stroke! Don't get me wrong, I've worked in the turnaround setting for 4 years so I get and accept the unknown, but OH MY GOD I am running out of room in my house!!! I have classroom crap EVERYWHERE! :)
So I am teaching 6th grade ELA/Social Science. I'm excited! I have poured over the data and I am ready! I got the basic curriculum we are using which is Prentice Hall, for ELA, and I am lucky since I used it in my residency year. We are going to be using DBQ's for social science and again, I used these in my residency so I am super lucky! Since we are going to BAS all our kids, I spent time this summer with several of my closest co-teachers leveling books....1500 to be exact! I completed a DonorsChoose project for a classroom set of "The Giver" which will be our first novel, and I raised a substantial amount of money so I may purchase all the supplies and book bins I need for my class and my babies.
My classroom theme is going to be: "NO EXCUSES UNIVERSITY" with an underlying motif of HBCU's and of course, pink and black as my colors. I tried to stay away from gang colors that post near the school or North Lawndale. That in and of itself made me sad. Anyway, everyone had their theme so quickly but I knew it had to be a reflection of me, and my hopes and dreams and expectations for my classroom. So there it is. My grade level partner is a friend from my cohort, Erica Brunson. I am SOOO lucky to have a competent, responsive, awesome partner!! We have already started planning and she is amazing. I love everything she comes up with! I am also blessed to have another middle school teacher from my cohort, Brittany Dellasanta. She's like the little sister I always wanted! She's become like a family member and my nephew says prayers for her at night. Thank God I have some people I can trust around me this year!!
I have kept in touch with my mentor, Keviyona Ray, who is even now still giving me strength and encouragement going into this year! I can't wait to share stories with her about stuff I worked on in my residency and how my kids respond! I have also received encouragement from my mentors and friends, Femi Skanes and Randal Josserand. They both help me believe in myself and furthermore, allow me to believe there are good people, doing good work in our schools and networks.
Sometimes the negative press gets you down. I hope to do right by my kids first and foremost, but these people as well who have invested so much time, energy and love.
I wanted to lead my year with my "NO EXCUSES" mantra because it will be so for me as much as it is for my kids. My NLU advisor, Janet Lorch gave me some awesome advice during my spring lead teach when I was struggling because I had some tech issues and I came across some stumbling blocks. She said, "No one want to hear the negative or the excuse why you CAN'T, they want to see what you CAN do in the face of adversity." Janet was an angel this entire year, but this piece of advice was probably the best I receive throughout the entire residency. I will have plan B's, bounce back when things fail, and show compassion when others struggle around me and pick them up. Together we will kick adversity's ass and make Dvorak School of Excellence the BEST on WEST!
