year 1 of teach for america

how is it possible that we have completed year one of teach for america?

{if you don't know what i'm talking about, i did a post on it here last fall, so you can see what it's all about.} i don't write about it a lot on the blog, because a) i want to protect our students and keep their lives private, and b) we have been so consumed by teaching and doing our best for these students of ours that i needed this blog to be a space where i could get a break and write about hobbies and interests, instead of the incredibly difficult but incredibly rewarding job we have been doing for the past year. now that year one is over, i wanted to do a little recap of our experiences! what a year it has been.

here is a video that chase made that highlights our students & our year teaching..

chase taught 7th grade, and i taught high school. it has been amazing to have the chance to be part of this movement together. next year i will finish out my 2nd year of teach for america while completing my master's degree. because of budget cuts in the district chase was teaching in, he will not be returning to the classroom and has accepted a job offer from google (!!!) but more on that later. i am so happy that we have had this life-changing experience. it has been so out of my comfort zone and so different than anything i've ever done, but those types of things are the best things for you! some of the experiences we had were crazy, some were hard, some were frustrating and upsetting, and many were rewarding.

it has been fun to watch chase just get to know his students so well, and he is 

really close with them. they have his number and are always texting him. 

i was lucky to get to coach tennis at the high school, and i will miss my students too! this movement is truly so important, and i hope that in a small way, we have helped bridge part of the massive educational achievement gap this year. here is a slide from one of my students' final presentations at the end of the year: it is an example of their amazing desire, but the lack of skills they have been taught. this is an 11th grader, and although he clearly has the great desire for college and success, you can see how behind he is in english.

we have loved our first year, and can't believe we survived it!

*anyone can email us for more info on teach for america, how to apply, etc.

you can also visit the website at www.teachforamerica.org

XO