Mama Said There'd be Days Like This

So progress reports came out this week, ironically the same week the residents (that's me) received our first cycle scorecard evaluation.  So let me start by saying I understand I am in a new career track which will have all sorts of new areas of growth and concepts to master.  AUSL also does a fairly good job of preparing us for what a first scorecard will look/read like.  We are scored in the four domain areas of the Danielson model which CPS uses as well, also referred to as the Teaching for Learning Framework.  I was familiar with this framework from my previous work in OSI so there wasn't much of a surprise.  For those of you not familiar with Charlotte Danielson here is her website where you can read about the framework and the 4 Domains: Danielson Framework

So you may be rated as unsatisfactory, basic, proficient or distinguished, and with that, either plus or minus each of the ratings as well.  Given that we have been in the classroom 5 weeks, it is irrational to believe we would rate a proficient or distinguished, especially those of us that have never taught.  So, when I received my score card of mostly basic, basic - and basic +  I was not surprised.  My mentor and mentor resident coach had suggested I do a scorecard on myself and I was fairly closely aligned to what my scorecard from my mentor was.  I did, however, receive one unsatisfactory.  Now given my understanding that unsatisfactory doesn't mean failure and it sheds light on room for growth, I would normally be ok, but my unsatisfactory came in the category for Professionalism.  Ok, I know, not a huge surprise.  And given some conversations my mentor and I have had, I suppose I should have expected it.  I have always spoken my mind with a sort of disregard for the repercussions...be them good or bad.

 I don't believe anyone would say I am nasty or ruthless, to say the least, I like to think I fight for what is right.  But what is right in my mind, is not always right in the minds and missions of others.  I may or may not have had some issues with "grey areas" and said how I felt about it in the past couple weeks. This is not to say I am unhappy in the least.  I love my school and believe administration has a very clear mission and objective that is not difficult to understand at all.  But schools are naturally inefficient machines, forcibly by the nature of competing standards, agendas, missions, and passions.  While the CTU is not extremely present in an AUSL school, you still have your fair share of teachers who come to work for a paycheck.  It's unavoidable.  And you still have your fair share of teachers who LOVE their content area and fight the machine that is assessment-based teaching.   Also, you have silos of workers - teachers, ESP (ie paraprofessionals, security), administrators, custodial/engineering, SEL (social emotional) ie counselors.  Each is there for an important reason, each a cog in the machine that is a school.  Without one, you would feel the heaviness that would be put upon you now with their absence.  But at times, missions in the moment do not align and the result is small conflicts.  How you deal with the small conflicts is what makes the difference.

I am learning I do not have to fight for my mission every moment.  At times, another cog's mission, in that moment is more important, and I need to keep my mouth shut and "carry on".  It doesn't mean I am defeated, nor does it mean I have lost my opportunity to make my point.  It just means that may not be the time and place.  This valuable lesson may have help alleviate some heartache in my previous profession, although the level of ruthlessness when dealing with money is antied so high, people lose the ability to behave rationally, so maybe I was meant to learn this lesson now.  As my friend and outside-AUSL mentor said this week, "God is teaching you patience Carrie Ann".  To that I say,
A. she is one of only 3 people I allow to call me Carrie Ann, and;
B. she is right.  Every moment I stop to reflect and learn from mistakes I have made, the past week, month or even year will make me a better educator and advocate for my students.  So, for this week, I am "basic and unsatisfactory" and look forward to applying what I have learned from these moments to move on.

One of my co-residents posted this quote on FB this week and being that is was also from Kelly Cutrone whom I LOVE I have to re-post here.  It is the mantra for my week and month:

"sometimes the hardest lessons to learn are the ones your soul needs most. I believe you can't feel real joy unless you've felt heartache. You can't have a sense of victory unless you know what it means to fail. You can't know what it's like to feel holy until you know what it's like to feel really fucking evil. And you can't be birthed again until you've died.” 
-Kelly Cutrone

It's on.....

So, we are in the thick of it now.  In the classroom full-time, teaching, observing, lesson planning and full time grad school.  It's on.

Lesson plans are due to my mentor teacher by Saturday at 11am.  Then, her feedback is due back to me by 2pm on Sunday so I can submit them by 8pm on Sunday night.  Class meets on Friday and homework from those classes is usually due the following Friday.  I am at work generally from 7am - 6pm (usually later) so by the time I get home, time for homework is minimal.  So getting it done on the weekends is a good plan...for me.

I also have decided to set some fitness goals again since without them, I don't allow myself the time I desperately need to workout.  Goals are TBD, I am sure I will let you know.

My mentor teacher is really a great teacher and extremely patient.  With the students and with me.  We have different styles - I am a perfectionist with OCD tendencies, and she is a go with the flow, don't stress the small stuff type.  I know I can learn a lot from her, as teaching is fluid and NEVER goes as planned.  I am hoping she receives some value from working with me as well.  She has shared she wants to move into administration and my anal tendencies can help her in that arena!

I taught my first lessons this week.  As a reminder, AUSL subscribes to  Lemov, "Teach Like a Champion" so before I begin, I command 100%, and Check for Understanding constantly.  I also do a lot of narration while the students are working independently.  Let me say again, I do A LOT OF NARRATION...(LOL anyone in the residency can feel my pain).  All kidding aside, it's awesome practice.  I also get real time coached by my Mentor teacher Ms. Ray.  We discussed what I would prefer - real time, notes, discussion after.  I told her if I am doing something that can be corrected immediately, let me know.  The kids are used to the coaching so it's not shocking to them when she says something.  There's constantly people in and out of  the room, as well as video taping.

We are using a literacy concept called Close Reading,  as well.  It helps the students relate and understand what they are reading instead of just surface reading, which, we are all guilty of doing I am sure.  Finding Aha moments, contradictions and tough questions allows the students to dig into the story.  It's so awesome seeing a kid light up when they get it!

I had to also make my first round of parent calls this week.  All of my calls were surprisingly met with extremely concerned and supportive parents, grandparents and aunts.  One father called me the next day to ask how his daughter's behavior had been.  I know one call can't change all behaviors, but I am excited to be able to make some positive calls this week coming up!

Saturday I went to my student's football game.  AUSL schools play tackle football so the games are awesome.  I think some of the boys were surprised to see me there.  I got lots of sweaty little football player hugs, which is such a beautiful contradiction.  They slaughtered Casals 27-0.  I was so proud of them.  While we were there, we spied a woman walking the track with a Johnson track warm up on.  The number on her hoodie was 30 and on the sweatpants was 16.  It was then shared with us that the track warmups had been stolen out of the storage along with some other stuff.  It was kind of a riot watching her walk around, in a stolen warm up uniform, no clue probably that Johnson was playing on the field next to her and we all worked for Johnson.  Or she could care less!

Friday we started classes again and it was like a family reunion!  It was so awesome to see my cohort!  #43 woohoo!  Hearing everyone's stories, how they are doing, sharing lesson ideas...it was such a great day!

So my big goal this week is patience.  Patience with the process, patience with my students, patience with myself.  I am anxious by nature so this will be a challenge, but no different than all the other challenges put before me!

First week of School!

Week one is in the books!  It was one of the most amazing, scary, fun, awful, hysterical, crazy, confusing, perfect weeks of my life.  Let me explain...

So I am an 8th grade resident teacher.  From day 1, my Mentor, Mrs. Ray, has treated me as just another teacher in the room, her equal.  It helps me a lot so that when I begin to teach the class on my own, which is sooner rather than later, the tone is set.   So when young Monifah shared she didn't want me to answer her question, she wanted the REAL teacher to answer her question, I SWEAR Ms. Ray came flying out of the ceiling and said, "Oh she's a real teacher, and you're going to ask her your question."  This was day 1.

Let's back track to discuss the expectations for week one at Johnson School of Excellence.  Like most schools and teachers, the first week is spent getting to build rapport with your students and lay down the rules and expectations for the year.  It is fair to say, if you do not share them, they really cannot be accountable to them.  So we discuss the "Wildcat Ways" which include being SAFE, READY, RESPONSIBLE,  and RESPECTFUL.  If you can manage to maintain these "ways" as a student, you really should be able to have a productive year.  Seems logical and fair doesn't it?

My mentor teacher is a veteran so we were able to move along quickly and actually, she had some of the students the year before, so there was rapport built already.  I was able to do so as well but know it will take me a couple weeks to gain any trust and I can appreciate that.  She will stop a class dead in it's tracks if she doesn't have 100% attention and refocus.  She's like a machine.  It's awesome.  I love that she reminds the class several times a day that, "we're here on business" but also that she cares about and loves them.  It seems so effortless watching her do it.

The times I had full control of the class they didn't completely lose it.  I did need to refocus a couple times (meaning bring them back to "scholar position" which is books closed, hands folded, and eyes tracking the speaker.)  Each time I did, I was able to get 100% and continue with the lesson or transition.  I know the kids are still testing me, and it's so hard to not be able to smile much and have to stare them down, but I sneak a smile here and there and I haven't hesitated to pull a student aside and explain that I here to help them realize their goals and dreams...get to the best high school they can get to and be college-ready.   I got a couple hugs to balance the couple glares so all in all I felt it was a good week.

Last but not least, parents, if you ever want to get your child's teacher, or a teacher in your family an AWESOME gift, get them a gift certificate to a shoe store!  Trust.  It will be appreciated.

(Here is the link to my presentation from my Social Justice class on the comparative discussion of suburban vs urban teachers: 
 http://prezi.com/rf7_bdw8zlk1/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy)

Countdown to kids....

I love my Mentor Teacher.  Seriously.  She's awesome.  I know, we are in the "Honeymoon" phase, but I am old enough to know when I am going to click with someone or if I am not.  Her name is Keviyona Ray.  She's a 10 year veteran and a second year Mentor teacher.   Her get it done no bull$hit attitude is just what I need and what I respect.  She shoots straight and doesn't sugar coat anything.  In addition to being my mentor teacher, she is the middle school team lead and with 3 out of 5 teachers being new, she has her hands full.  On top of everything going on this week, she was moving this weekend.  God bless her.

We met the rest of the teachers and school staff this week as well.  Everyone seems great.  The school Clerk, (Ms. Crook) is fabulous.  And from past experience I know, every great school has a great school clerk! Mrs. Martin is the Assistant Principal and she is the make stuff happen administrator.  She's calm under pressure and appears extremely kind.  Then there is Mrs. Henry, the school Principal. She's fabulous.  Motivating, yet no nonsense, knowledgeable, yet listens intensely, and extremely well put together.  I am so excited to be working at her school.  She definitely seems fair, but has the kids best interest at heart.  I mean, that's why we are here, right?


We had a lot of meetings with people from Central office and outside vendors as we are a "welcoming school" for one of the schools that closed at the end of the school year, Pope Elementary.  I was amazing by all the work that went into the transition plan for the students who will be joining our family.  Events as early as last May were taking place, student pen pals, a middle school dance, and then Friday a community and school barbecue and carnival.  There were bouncy houses and games, a dj and good food.  It was so nice to meet some of the kids and some of MY kids too!  Nervous and excited, I seemed to find my "teacher voice" when talking with the students.

We had a lot to do for our classroom, it was basically a pile of desks and dust before we got to it.  AUSL has a very specific classroom environment checklist that includes a standard beautification of each class as well as very visible rules, regulations, school vision and mission.  Each class must have a rug, curtains, a plant with flowers, a classroom library space and a lamp and adhere to the AUSL classroom environment checklist.  You may be thinking this is a bit militant, but there is plenty of room for creativity- believe me.  What there wasn't room for is cold classroom that is unkept and not inviting. As a teacher, I am OK with that.  As I walked around to other classrooms I loved the welcoming feeling each room had.  While you are correct, I have drank the kool-aid and am passing it out to others, there are some things AUSL does you cannot debate.  This is one of them.  Even the hallways are civilized.  If you have not worked in or stepped foot in a CPS/city school then you might not understand the importance of that word.  Historically, through no single person's fault, our schools have begun to look like prisons.  They are cold (or Hot as hell in late August/early september), dirty, and unkept.  Schools like Juarez, Tilden and Al Raby have made strides against this stigma, adding color and structure to the school where they can.  Part of the problem is the constant struggle and political problems a school in CPS faces.  AUSL is able to remove some of that by making expectations VERY clear before anyone begins to work for one of their schools.  So, more often than not, you won't hear an engineer talking back to a Principal because he doesn't like taking directions from a female and his cousin's husband got him the job so go ahead and try to fire me because I know someone conversation. Yes.  This happens in CPS.

Moving on...Friday we had lots of media at the school.  Principal Henry said we should expect the same on the first day.  In addition to being a welcoming school, we received a health clinic staffed by Erie Family Health Center.  I am really excited for this as it will help our parents and students out a lot! It will also be available to the community during the week.  Parts of the Safe Passage route was painted by students and community members last week and looks really cool.  It's lines of red, blue and yellow and other designs in a zig zag pattern.


I am excited and nervous for tomorrow and am prepared to make mistakes and learn by them as well.  I am still as giddy as I was the first day I went down to NLU for class.  I really feel I am right where I am supposed to be.

Please say a prayer or send good thoughts to all the students walking to their new welcoming schools tomorrow.  That may get to and from school safely and feel the love and support by the city and community which surrounds them.

Calm Before the Storm

This was a rough week.  Between getting 11 assignment in (Still working on numbers 10 and 11 but had to take a break!), going on a community walk with two ill-mannered colleagues, and dealing with the anticipation of what the next couple weeks will bring, it was a lot.  Ironically, these last six weeks will pale in comparison to the coming year.  Going forward it's 4-5 classes a semester, plus being at the school 4 days a week, from 7:30-5 or later.  We will come together as a cohort on Fridays for classes and to exchanged stories from our school sites.  I am going to miss seeing everyone in CH043 every day.   I have made what I am certain are, some life-long friends.  I have learned an amazing amount in the short time I have been in classes with these individuals and feel I was blessed with the best cohort this year.  We finally got to have a social moment on Thursday and our Social Justice professor joined us.  He did some freestyle that was fabulous.  I'm going to miss that class the most I think, even though the book (Lipman) make me want to punch a wall sometimes.  It definitely made me think!

So, the reality of the situation is, nothing is a surprise.  AUSL is extremely clear about the demands and expectations for work and professionalism.  However, it seems some people didn't get that memo.  I am sure they will get an extra special memo shortly.

I was able to go on a second community walk with some of my awesome co-residents Friday.  We got to chat with the Assistant Principal and say hello to the Principal.  She was on back to back to back conference calls so we didn't want to interrupt.  Ironically, a year ago I was on those conference calls getting ready to help open a school.  What a difference a year makes!

The school (Johnson School of Excellence) is awesome, pre-k through 1st in a smaller building next door and 2-8 in the main building.  The smaller building is  great, with each classroom a different theme.  One classroom was "Harold and the Purple Crayon" and Another was "Oh the Places You'll Go".  I loved it.  Also there will be a clinic going in the building for student, community and staff use!  Very exciting!  The main building also houses the specials (gym, music, library, art) and in the hall of each floor is a very civilized shared space with couches and tables and chairs that look like they are out of a Pottery Barn catalogue.  Very college-like which is smart and I love!  It is an area for students to do group work, or do work for a pull out with a teacher or tutor.

As I start to gear up and "become a teacher" I am learning as much being outside the classroom as I am in.  This weekend alone I had several situations that made me chuckle, and also made it all click.  Let me preface by saying, the last 5 years or so, I have been increasingly more and more of an advocate for teachers.  In my prior life, I too believed it was a "cushy" job with "easy" hours and no take home work.  Sweet mother of god was I wrong.  So I have posted and defended my teacher friends and family, wondering how they don't get SO angry, I mean, all the ignorant people that share negative sentiments about teachers!  So quickly they forget, they had teachers who got them to where they are today!

First scenario
Cashier at Grocery to me:  How's the weather outside, are you enjoying it?
Me: "it is nice, but I am going back to study inside"
Cashier: "what are you studying?"
Me:  "I am going back to school to be a teacher"
and then, there it was....
Cashier: "Oh that's so great, I would love those hours, and summers off, you're smart girl.."

Second scenario:
Dry cleaner to me:  "make sure you enjoy the weather"
Me: "I'd love to but headed to the library to hit the books"
Dry cleaner: "what are you studying?"
Me: "I'm studying to become an Urban educator"
Dry cleaner: "Oh, a teacher?  That's so sweet..."

Third scenario:
Friend of a friend at dinner:  "oh I was teacher, then I went to law school and now I'm a lawyer"
Me:  That's great.  I am in a program that..(get's cut off)
Friend of friend: "so we were on this big trial and...."

Sweet?  Love those hours?  Summers off?  I thought this would make me so much more angry than it did but then it clicked.  I get it.  My reward is in the commodity which I will harvest which is great young minds!  Teaching a child how to read or develop a love for math is so much more rewarding than getting some dirtbag off in court, or making a huge spread on a trade.  I don't even CARE what people think!  Other people talk about their work, and their travels and the money they make, or the rewards they reap so they can feel good about themselves.  I get it.  I did it.  But getting to see children develop and grow before your eyes, and knowing YOU contributed to that growth, well I will take that any day over a $50,000 bonus.

Some of you may want to call my bluff on that last statement.
But you can't.
Because I already did it.

Good luck to all my teacher friends and family as you head back into the trenches this week.  I know you are as excited as I am!!

I'm a Wildcat!!!!

I got my residency school....Johnson School of Excellence! The Wildcats!!! North Lawndale on the west side of Chicago which I am partial to because it's the BEST side!

I am excited, nervous, happy and scared all at the same time.  My MRC(that's mentor resident coach Marni :)) is this amazing woman named Tamiko.  She is the real deal.  I don't really know any of the other residents at my school site but am getting to know them quickly.  They all seem great.  I get to meet my mentor teacher on the 19th.  Man, talk about pressure for first impressions!  

Anyway, a little history about my school and neighborhood since some of you had asked:

Johnson's formal CPS name is James Weldon Johnson Elementary School.  The school has approximately 440 students and serves students pre-k through 8th grade.  We are a receiving school for Pope Elementary, one of the closed schools. Enrollment has grown since the school was turned around by AUSL in 2009.  

In terms of achievement, 65.7% of the students meet or exceeded the state standard (ISAT Composite).  64% meet or exceed state standards in reading.  This is up more than 20% in the 3 years since the school was turned around.  Per the CPS 2012 School Progress Report, student growth as a whole is above average.  

North Lawndale makes up 3.21 square miles on the Westside of Chicago.  With population averaging around 35,000 and median income approximately $13,000 it’s no surprise for the next set of facts.  North Lawndale has a history of violent, property and  quality of life crimes (drugs, prostitution), with crime rates staying consistent over the last 13 years. 38.6% live below the poverty line, and 18.5% are unemployed.  That’s over 8% above the national average.  Sadly, over 30% have no high school diploma as well.

Once a thriving neighborhood, in the late 1960s and early 1970s a series of economic and social “disasters” decimated the industry and retail along Roosevelt Road.   Leading to the demise of the community were the riots that proceeded Martin Luther King’s assassination.  This destroyed many of the businesses along Roosevelt road and began the accelerating decline of industry.  This led to 75% of the businesses in the community closing or leaving, including International Harvester in 1968, Sears Roebuck & Co. partially in 1974 and then completely in 1987, Zenith and Sunbeam in the 1970s and Western Electric in the 1980s.

North Lawndale was the founding site of the Vice Lords street gang.  In the 1960’s they tried to turn themselves into a positive influence on the neighborhood but it was short lived.  

An interesting architectural fact is North Lawndale is home to over 2000 historic beautiful grey stone dwellings, the most in the city.  

So...in addition to ALL THAT, I have 11 That E-LE-VEN projects/papers/presentations due in the next two weeks. But so does everyone else in my cohort, (43 what's up!) and the camaraderie in the group is fierce. (WWHHHAAAATTTT??) I would take a bullet for these people, they are passionate, getting it done, and LOVE KIDS! Our first true opportunity to commiserate over cocktails will be next Thursday after our last class and one of the presentations. I am sure it will be "colorful".

My Literacy class ended for the semester.  Ironically, it turned out to be one of my favs. It really is the basis for everything education when you think about it, I mean if our kids can't read, what the hell else can they do?

Special ed class is killing me....but the two books we had to read were fabulous.   My Social Justice professor has officially recommended 1000 books to read, all of which sound amazing and applicable to my future life as a teacher.  

Holy crap, I'm a teacher.  I literally get teary eyed every time I think or say that.  I don't know if it's because I am so excited to be here finally, or scared as hell I am going to screw up a kid's life.....eh, let's go with the first one.

SHOUT OUT to my mentor and friend Femi who's getting married this weekend.  Blessed to have such an amazing role model in my life.  I hope I can be half the teacher and educational leader she's is!  

Last, for all you out there who are still asking, "why the hell did she decide to become a teacher?  Watch this.... Boom.   

http://youtu.be/RxsOVK4syxU

Learning about Learning

Week three down.  It feels like 3 months.... Not in a bad way, it's just been REALLY intense!  Sleep has become a novelty and of course, I hurt my back this week.  I thought I was "super strong" girl and moved my bed.  Oh well, here's hoping the pills and heating pad do the trick!  Funny, one of my friend said mid-week, "You have to go to the doctor today!"  To which I replied, "Only if I won't miss class". Seriously, missing one class is like missing a week.  No thanks.

I started my week by breezing into class at 8:30 like I normally do and set down my stuff to run upstairs and get my shoes ( I have a locker, isn't that fun!)  All of the sudden, one of my classmates, Chasity, come running after me.."did you know the zipper on your dress is undone all the way down your back".  No.  No I did not know that.  (This woman has the most amazing knack for style by the way)  So she follows me into the bathroom and of course, my cheap little zipper had broke!  I took it in stride, I mean, what can I do?  So after trying to fuss with it, she stapled me into my dress (I carry a little stapler with me...laugh at me now!)  and then at lunch some of the girls got me a bunch of safety pins and we converted the staples to pins.  Team work!  I'm lucky to have great classmates/coworkers.  On the way home I had to stop at friends house to unpin me so I could get out of  my dress when I got home.  If you know me, you are not surprised by this day's events I am sure!

We have gotten into the meat of all our classes.  Social Justice class is interesting and our professor is brilliant.  One of the texts we are reading is Pauline Lipman"s "The New Political Economy of Urban Education".  She REALLY does not like AUSL or turnaround.  Interesting that we are reading her work.  The contra view is always an interesting way to look at things.  I was however, taken back by some of her "untruths" she states in the book.  She shares a lot of information about Ren2010 and Turnaround, including Fenger and then mentions Derrion Albert.   If you live in or around Chicago, and unless you live under a rock, you recall this horrific story about the young boy who was beat to death during a dispute gone violent gone bad on his walk home.  It was awful.  But as I read Lipman state, "The story [of Derrion Albert] epitomizes the nexus of African American dispossession in which this policy is complicit.".  She basically blames turnaround for his murder.  She further states, " ...[Fenger] opened in 2009 with a Principal and Staff who...lacked the moral authority to defuse conflicts and mentor students". I REALLY struggle with this.  I find this statement insanely ignorant and biased.  So I went back, and talked with friends and mentors who worked at Fenger and some who had Albert as a student.  The FACT of the matter was, the "Ville" and Altgeld Garden students had feuded for a long time.  Furthermore, due to restorative justice practices that were now being implemented in the school, student were learning how to deal with conflict.  I reached out to Dr. Fraynd who was the Executive Director of the Office of School Improvement back when this all went down and asked for his perspective.  He promptly responded, and shared the fact that, although folks such as Lipman would like to blame turnaround for many negative things, in study, it has been proven to not be the case.  Fact, the CCSR (The Consortium on Chicago School Research) did a study and found there is no negative impact on students when they are displaced or a school get turned around.  You can read the study for youself if you interested:  http://ccsr.uchicago.edu/sites/default/files/publications/CCSRSchoolClosings-Final.pdf.

Anyway, in Tech in education class this week our professor was on vacation, so we had "online" assignments.  You know, like it was planned and good for us.  Honestly, while I did learn how to make a Prezi, and a voice thread, and learned all about Copyright and fair use and TPACK (technological, pedagogical and content knowledge) I basically taught myself this week.  Considering the amount we pay per class, I found this to be weak at best for an excuse for teaching.  You can say what you like, but when you peace out for a week and throw some hard assignments up on the website and say "good luck" I have to question your teaching method.  The time it took to figure out how to do things could have been modeled in class in 15 minutes and helped alleviate all the time it took us to figure it out on our own.  I mean, this is the same class we learned Gagne's 9 steps of instruction.  Where's the guided learning in this week's tasks?

Educational Psychology continues to be a beast.  It is interesting but so much info at one time.  This weekend I am tasked with creating a lesson plan for adults on Metacognition.  You know, thinking about thinking.   We are supposed to work a a group but that's not happening....

In literacy we are tasked with picking  out a multicultural children's book and then sharing out our finding in a report style for the prof.  I chose, "Heart and Soul" by Kadir Nelson.  Absolutely brilliant.  If you have kids I strongly recommend using this book as an at home supplement to their history education.  Geared towards kids aged 9-12.

My field study is going well.  My topic is the difference in roles, responsibilities and perceptions of Urban vs Suburban teachers.  I am in the research stage but so far the feedback from interviews and surveys is fascinating.  Happy to share when I am done!

This week I will find out my Residency school, where I will spend the next year of my residency teaching and who my mentor resident coach will be.  It's very exciting.  I am nervous, excited and scared all at the same time.

Thanks for all the feedback so far.  I appreciate the support during this journey!