[Riot!]

Well, it's already November and somehow my days have never felt longer, and the months have never shot by so quickly. I've also come to the realization that blogging is definitely not my future calling. Keeping this thing current has never felt like such a chore, and I can't decide if it's because I'm incredibly busy, or just really, really lazy. Either way, there was a semi-riot at Edison High School last week, and I thought it would be worthwhile to share the event with my massive following.

As I was walking to Algebra II, I noticed an abnormally large crowd of hooligans gathering outside of the library. Not really thinking (or even attempting to connect similar events from from my own high school years), I thought this large mob to simply be the result of a narrow hallway during passing periods (as opposed to an audience congregating to bear witness to the insanity that was actually about about to ensue). I entered my classroom--which just so happens to also be right across from the library--to a find all of the desks empty. Something was about to go down.

Before I knew it, approximately 300 students had flooded the halls. The swarm began undulating in all directions and the sound of knuckles to face and screaming could be heard through the walls. A trash can flew through the air as I flung my door open and began pulling in my students in one by one. Through the crowd I could see my assistant principal, her eyes wide as she grabbed her walkietalkie, "Call 9-1-1." (The she was showered by some grape juice.)

Within minutes, police officers armed with batons and tasers stormed the mob. It took nearly 15 minutes of pure chaos for the students to disperse, the culprits to walk away in handcuffs, and the remnants of garbage, juice and some stray backpacks to be swiped up . Needless to say, I didn't get through my lesson that day. Instead, the school instituted a lock-down until administrators were certain is was safe to change classes. 26 students were suspended, and later in the afternoon, 3 teens were shot at a McDonald's several blocks west in an "unrelated" incident at a neighboring high school.

Simply unreal.

Back to class, but still in the pursuit,

SM

[A Portrait]

Yesterday, after completing our corrective reading lesson, I gave the three students in my group the option of drawing on the chalkboard--yes, there's only a chalkboard in my room circa 1983--for the last 10 minutes of class. A comical portrait of Mr. Miller and his laptop was produced by one of my more advanced students:

If only my beard were that full...

Luckily, tomorrow is Hump Day of the third week of school. I'm slowly getting to know my students, their academic levels, and will soon begin working on my IEP (Individualized Education Plan) caseload. As a special education teacher, it is my responsibility to ensure that every student in my class and caseload is granted a "free and appropriate public education" based on his or her specific needs and disabilities. The process of reviewing each IEP to make sure it's updated and accurately reflecting both rigorous and measurable academic and behavioral goals, is extremely tedious but one of immense importance. I only hope that my learning curve is quick and that I can uphold my responsibility to these kids to the best of my ability. I guess we'll see...

In the pursuit,

SM

[Mi Bicicleta]

As I slowly blossom into a full blown Philadelphian, yesterday I'd say  I made some pretty significant strides. How, you ask? I invested in a light blue 1972 Schwinn Suburban 5-speed. Thanks to Jesse for his "graduation/birthday" contribution and keen eye, I made the transaction early last afternoon and decided to break-in my new gem. A solid 7 mile jaunt around Fairmount Park topped off my evening before I retreated to my lesson planning for today's exciting classroom adventures. How this will help me close the achievement gap, I'm unsure. But by golly, at least I've got a pretty steezy ride. 

Now she just needs a name...

In the pursuit,

SM

[A Recap]

Clearly I have failed in my attempt to fully document my experience at Institute and most everything thereafter. Granted, working 20 hour days and sleeping during any free time I came 

across didn't really foster a need or even a desire to document my time in Philadelphia thus far. However, as the beginning of the school year--a real school year with real students--quickly approaches (actually, I start tomorrow), I have made time to conjure up a quick recap of my experience in the City of Brotherly Love to date.

[Induction]

 Induction, a week of preparation prior to Teach for America's rigorous Institute, began at the University of Pennsylvania on June 23rd--which now puts me over 2 months deep...whoa. The entire TFA Mid-Atlantic Corps, including members from Wilmington, Delaware and Camden, NJ gathered in what felt like freshman year of college relived. I was a pretty nervous and somewhat intimidated guy wading through a sea of highly qualified young graduates from universities ranging from Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, and NYU to Berkeley, the University of Washington, UCLA, and Stanford. With little idea of the grueling 5 weeks to follow, Induction was an opportunity to get to know the city a little bit better as well as the 250 fellow corps members who would be making this journey with me. I made a few new friends (mostly from the West Coast, ironically) and began to prepare myself psychologically for the intense 35 days to come as a real teacher. 

[Institute]

After spending my first week at Penn, the move to Temple University in North Philly came as a bit of a shocker. Apparently, Girard Ave. is the dividing line between the safer parts of the city and the neighborhoods up north that most people tend to avoid. That being said, Temple is about 6 blocks north of Girard and in a neighborhood similar to those that most of my students come from. Most people on campus don't care to walk alone at night, while clusters of flood lights on the rooftops help to make those who choose to do so feel a little bit safer. 

Anyway, for 5 weeks I slept an average of 4 hours a night as I made lesson plans, posters, activities,  and copies for the kids in Room 408 at Fairhill Elementary. Luckily, our school was located about 15 minutes north of campus, which meant our bus left 15 minutes later than the other busses. Oddly, this 15 minutes proved to be invaluable, especially considering the lack of sleep we were all experiencing!

During four of these five weeks, 3 TFA corps members and myself taught sixth grade reading, math, and writing. Although our kids had a reputation as the "troublemakers," let me tell you, they were smart! We met our reading goals and made 138% growth in math! However, this is not to say that these results came easily. There were days when I couldn't even get through part of my lessons because of classroom management and behavior issues. Still, we all persevered, made constant self-evaluations, and absorbed anything we could from mentor teachers and TFA instructors to make a positive impact in the lives of these 12 kids. The last days of Institute were strangely bitter-sweet, and it felt good knowing that I'd made it through the first of many challenges to come.

[Chestnut Hill College]

Welp, I'm a grad student. During the next two years, I'll be taking classes once a week and one weekend a month in the pursuit of a Masters Degree of Special Education from Chestnut Hill College. The school itself is located on a small plot of land in North-West Philadelphia, and despite the nasty commute, the refreshing atmosphere provides a really nice change of scenery. The classes aren't particularly difficult, and the group of SPED teachers is QUALITY!

[Thomas A. Edison High School]

As of now, I've been placed at Edison High School as a Special Education Emotional Support teacher. Although this placement is "extremely rare" according to TFA, come tomorrow, I'll be the leader of my own classroom whether I like it or not. I will be with the same group of kids for the 9 periods in the day teaching Algebra I, Geometry, English 1, and Reading. These kids have been placed in a self-contained setting as they've been diagnosed as having emotional disturbances.  While I'm not entirely sure what that means, I hope my psychology degree comes in handy!

Overall, the faculty and staff have been nothing but supportive. I'm still having a hard time asking for help, though. I think it's because I've been pretty successful thus far by doing my own thing, and I think reaching out when I'm in need is something I really need to work on. Regardless, I'll clearly be doing a quick recap tomorrow on my first day. I'm sure I'll have some pretty entertaining stories.

[Northern Liberties and Capital Flats]

It was my goal to find a neighborhood and apartment that felt comfortable to come home to. Mission accomplished. I'm living in Northern Liberties, an up-and-coming neighborhood filled with young hipsters riding their fixies and sporting multiple tattoos. Bars and cafes litter the streets directly around our apartment and the new Piazza at Schmidts is just one block north. Our apartment was an old meat-packing plant that was renovated LEED certified with exposed brick and cool little touches throughout. I'm living with a good-friend from Pepperdine (Mr. Sean Landis), and a fellow TFA Corps Member who hails from the great city of San Francisco (Mr. Paul Nedeau). It's been great having my own space and I'll be sure to post some more photos as soon as a paycheck comes in and I have a real bed to sleep on. Until then, feel free to peruse www.onionflats.com, click WORK, click BUILT, click CAPITAL FLATS, and use the arrows in the bottom right corner to scroll through some additional pictures. Our pad starts on picture 57! That's our kitchen and living room!

[Now What?]

I know this is a quick and dirty update. Things are about to get crazy and I'll be eager to share my experience. With that, I hope to be more active in my blogging if I have the time to do so. But, until then, thanks for reading. 

In the pursuit,

SM

Pepperdine Produces 18 Teach for America Participants

For those of you who may be unfamiliar with the organization, here is a recent story from the Pepperdine University website on Teach for America and the 18 students selected from the Class of 2009 to participate.

News and Events

FEATURE STORIES

Pepperdine Produces 18 Teach for America Participants

Next fall, a number of Seaver graduates will head back into the classroom — this time as teachers. A record 18 Pepperdine graduates have been selected by Teach for America, the program that trains top students to teach in low-income communities, out of the more than 35,000 graduating seniors who applied (a 42 percent increase over last year). This year's TFA corps consists of 4,100 select graduates, representing the largest incoming corps in its history. Thanks to the 18 chosen from Pepperdine, Teach for America is the University's top employer in 2009.

"Pepperdine has made Teach For America's 'Top Contributors' list for the first time, and stands out as one of the top contributors among faith-affiliated schools of similar size," says Josh Dickson, recruitment director at Pepperdine for Teach For America. 

The goal of Teach For America is to close the academic achievement gap for students in low-income communities. On average, these students are three years behind their peers in more affluent areas by the time they are 9 years old, according to the latest data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (also known as the Nation’s Report Card), released last month. 

“We’re inspired by the record number of outstanding recent graduates who are choosing to channel their talent and energy toward addressing the unacceptable disparities in educational outcomes that persist in our country,” says Wendy Kopp, Teach For America’s founder and chief executive officer. 

The program is both prestigious and selective, accepting only 11 percent of applicants nationwide. "Teach For America recruited and hired more Seaver students this year than any other single employer," says Brad Dudley, executive director of career services and civic engagement. "This brings the total of Seaver alumni who have served in TFA to 66 individuals since its beginning in 1991. This makes a significant impact in the communities they serve and in the future of the students they teach."

Seaver College dean Rick Marrs was also heartened by the number of Seaver students who will participate in the TFA program this fall. "I know these Seaver graduates will impact the students in these schools powerfully," Marrs says. "They humble and inspire us with their willingness to give freely of themselves, even in the most difficult of circumstances.” 

Here is a breakdown of where Pepperdine graduates will be impacting student lives next year:

Jazmin Aguila

Placement Location: Los Angeles
Hometown: Turlock, CA
Placement location: Los Angeles, CA
On service: "I am open to serve wherever I am most needed. After learning about the needs in the Los Angeles area, I firmly believe that the best way that I can serve and make positive change in this community is through education."

Myles Allen

Major: Psychology
Hometown: Corona, California
Placement location: Greater New Orleans, Louisiana
Why he decided to apply: "I spoke to some teachers and they convinced me that I can have a huge impact on the students that I teach and the community that they live in, even if I only end up teaching for two years.  I also learned about the idea of redistributing one's talents and skills in my Urban Ministry class which also inspired me to apply."

Brooke Anderson

Major: Business Administration 
Hometown: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Placement location: Jacksonville, Florida 
On addressing injustice: "Children do not choose their families or their communities, yet this determines the schools they go to and the teachers they have, and this is generally the greatest indicator of their futures. I think the differing levels of educational resources in America, especially at the youngest stages, is one of the greatest injustices a child in this country can face. Every child deserves the opportunity to succeed, and Teach for America's mission to ensure this happens inspires me."

Jessica Biber

Major: Journalism 
Hometown: Gig Harbor, Washington 
Placement location: Denver, Colorado
Future goals: "After this experience, I hope to attend graduate school in journalism. These are the stories I want to write about — human interest and societal issues. But I want to familiarize myself with some of the challenges our society faces, beyond just the statistics and data. Teach for America will give me a firsthand account of what is really going on, and how I can work for change as a journalist having seen it."

Sarah Firman

Major: Sociology, Minor: Social work
Hometown: Amherst, Massachusetts
Placement location: O'ahu, Hawai'i
On her placement: "Hawai'i is continually one of the lowest ranking states across the U.S. — fluctuating between the 47th and 49th in rank — and the achievement gap is extremely real and visible in this region. I have a challenging and exciting road ahead as a seventh and eighth grade special education teacher, and I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to help work for change in our nation's education system."

Kathleen Florita

Major: Spanish and International Studies (emphasis on Political Science) 
Hometown: Sacramento, California
Placement location: East Palo Alto, California
Motivation to teach: "Quite simply — to make a difference. Everyone deserves a quality education; this is my opportunity to help the cause, and it's only the just the beginning."

Rachel Gray

Major: Integrated Marketing and Communications 
Hometown: Pasadena, California
Placement location: Huntington Park, California 
Personal goals: "Always evolving! I hope to come away from Teach for America as a more educated, enlightened, and focused leader."

Joyie Lam

Major: Biological Psychology
Home country: Saipan
Placement location: Los Angeles, California 
What inspired her to apply: "During my first three years at Pepperdine, I was involved in Jumpstart. As each year flew by, I found myself amazed at the progress that all of our children made. I thought to myself, if I could make that difference by being there for just a few hours twice a week, how much more of a difference could I make as a teacher in the classroom? I decided that I want to give these two years of my life giving to the children who are under-served."

Alexandra Magiera

Major: Sociology
Hometown: Lake Forest, Illinois
Placement location: San Jose, California 
Future goals: "My initial goal after TFA is to teach for a few years and then open up a free preschool in a low-income area. My long-term goal is to have multiple preschools that are coupled with day-care centers and job-resource centers for parents."

Britney Maloney

Major: Organizational Communication and Spanish
Hometown: Sequim, Washington
Placement location: Houston, Texas
On shaping her perspective: "From this experience I hope to take away a new perspective. I know that I am still painfully unaware of the inequalities that exist in this country and I hope that this experience will be a fresh wave of those realities."

Micah Martin

Major: Mathematics
Hometown: Edna, Kansan
Placement location: Baltimore, Maryland
On his commitment to the cause: "The crimes of ignorance, low expectations, and fiscal bias are perpetrated against innocent children in low-income communities every day. My role as an advocate for equitable education despite economic status doesn't end when my teaching commitment is finished."

Shea Miller

Major: Sociology and Psychology
Hometown: Bozeman, Montana
Placement location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (special education, math)
On his own teachers: "Each teacher and professor I have had thus far in my career as a pupil has contributed to my desire to be a part of this organization. Observing and appreciating their passion and technique for teaching has been monumental in my pursuit of joining Teach for America."

Allison Moomey

Major: International Business
Hometown: Libertyville, Illinois
Placement location: Colorado
Her motivation to teach: "The opportunity to address a desperate need. Apathy and low expectations for children are pervasive and resulting in a huge loss of opportunities for individuals, their communities, and our nation in its entirety."

Emily Smith

Major: International Studies and Spanish, Minor: Non-Profit Management
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Placement location: Dallas, Texas
On teaching: "To me, teaching is an opportunity to love. To love with actions and in truth."

Chenese Williams

Major: Public Relations
Hometown: Longwood, Florida
Placement location: Las Vegas Valley, Nevada 
On changing the world: "I think the greatest weapon in anyone's life is knowledge. I believe with information and ability one can change the world. I think what motivates me to teach is the thought that I can give disadvantaged children tools to have a fighting chance in life."

Erica Wong

Major: Spanish and International Studies, Minor: Accounting
Hometown: Overland Park, Kansas
Placement location: Houston, Texas (Grade 4-8)
On following her calling: "I have always felt that I have been called to work in the nonprofit sector, particularly focusing on children, equality and education. I have been so blessed in my life to have wonderful teachers that have believed in me and my academic ability. I feel called to serve these under-served kids that deserve every opportunity in the world."

Krystal Zheng

Major: Intercultural Communications, Minor: Studio Art
Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii
Placement location: Hawaii
On her own education: "Coming to Pepperdine, there were certain classes in which I felt thoroughly inadequate in taking because I was never taught that content. It angered me that the quality of education differed in various places, and it frustrated me even more that the division was usually due to one's socioeconomic status and/or race. I believe God does not want us to be complacent, but He purposely places passions within us to motivate us to move in doing His work and work toward justice."

The Preparation Begins

It is no doubt that this entire process has taken me by surprise.  

While making the last leg of my "Decompression Tour" from Los Angeles to Bozeman, it was difficult not to question what I would be doing with myself in this economic depression and thriving job market.  With barely enough money for gas, no job, and no post-graduation plans, I was--needless to say--shocked when I received an email from Teach for America on my phone. After expecting to hear the results of my admissions nearly two months earlier, the news I was waiting for had finally arrived.

I stopped at the nearest Starbucks and logged-in to my account to find that I would be placed in the City of Brotherly Love (Philadelphia) teaching high school special education--specifically math. How ironic.

And so it begins. I've been studying endlessly for certification exams, completing pre-institute training, and doing my best to mentally prepare for the adventurous challenge to come.  I plan to use this space to document the many successes, failures, and surprises I will undoubtedly encounter in the classroom over the next two years, and I hope that you will follow me on this relentless quest to ensure that every child in our nation receives a quality education. 

T-minus 5 days and counting...

SM