Key Reflections on My Last Year of Teaching

As an educator who is continuously trying to improve, this question about how I could have improved is one that quite often rises to the surface. The advisory that I took over was undoubtedly the most challenging group of students that I have ever had the pleasure of teaching and I learned so much through this experience. I believe that I could have been more organized that year and really demand more excellence from my students. Other teachers who saw this advisory operate last year would consistently note, that "Wow, your students are really improving since last year." I believe that while they did improve both academically and socially, I could have demanded even greater work from them and learned different ways to motivate each and every student. But looking back this was a tall order as many of my students were both lacking in self-confidence and the skills necessary to achieve personally and academically let alone function as a group. In some ways, I think I began the year placing too much emphasis on developing positive relationships rather than strict academics. It’s a very thin line and I think I felt I had to be careful in my approach. But looking back I think this group would have responded well to not backing down on assignments but I think I could have done a much better job of breaking down larger tasks into smaller more manageable parts, such as the autobiography. I think I could have been more creative with consequences in dealing with this group. There were other resources in the building and in the community that could have reached my students. Although I did have a local advocate come into the classroom to speak with the kids about the importance of school, I think I just barely scratched the surface. I think I could have had more parents come in and speak to the advisory about their performance and what kind of steps they could take to take school more seriously.

Reaching Goals and Student Results

Because of our student-centered approach, students learning plans and ACT scores were based on the goals that they self-selected and varied according to student and skill level. Many of the goals set out in the student learning plans were met and in other instances they simply were not. One requirement that many students were able to complete as part of their learning plans was to complete the first ten (10) pages of their autobiographies. Another requirement of that semester was that students would obtain an internship in their chosen field of interest. Some students acquired internships at local community centers, law offices, and with graphic designers and began to build value-added project proposals and timelines. Eleven (11) out of Seventeen (17) of my students were able to obtain internships and begin their proposals and timelines. Students ACT scores went up an average of 1.5 points over a quarter and the advisory generally learned how to improve their self-confidence and worth through the use of the bi-weekly, coffeehouse opportunities. We built hoop houses in a local garden, participated in a ropes course and attended a Detroit Pistons basketball game all experiences, which built a strong learning community.

Tracking Progress Towards Goals and Using the Information

I tracked progress towards many goals but the one that we would consistently track students learning plans and practice ACT exams. For the ACT, we would conduct error analysis sessions with all of our advisors in the school to measure whether our students were learning certain skills. By sifting through pages of test results, we would begin to identify where our students needed help both collectively and as individual classrooms. Based on those results, we created lessons and unit plans specifically created to improve those areas students consistently scored below the national standard. We administered practice tests to re-evaluate our approach often with mixed results. We often found that students also needed support around test taking skills and learning more about how to answer questions on the exam.

For student learning plans, I would conduct weekly and sometimes bi-weekly "check-ins" with each and every one of my students. We would identify particular skills in each content area in which they would master by a specific date and what evidence they would use to support their claim at their exhibition. So the information that we would collect would become part of the students portfolio and I would keep individual files with each one of my students names on to make photocopies of their work. This information would be shared with parents in the forms of progress reports and narratives. Narratives were written descriptions of the student’s personal and academic growth during the quarter. We would take the narratives and also issue grades that were used for college transcripts.

How and when did you assess your students’ achievement? How did you ensure that your assessments were both rigorous and aligned to your goal and plans

Assessment was a daily practice in my classroom. During lessons, it was daily practice to consistently checking for understanding every few minutes by asking and posing questions, using role play, and using students as peer reviewers whenever possible. Additionally, all of our lessons were aligned with the Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations and also with the ACT standards. Students also kept a portfolio of their work so to demonstrate their growth not only academically but also personally. Their portfolios would be evaluated, along with their presentations, at their exhibitions. Exhibitions were another form of assessment in which students shared the individualized learning plans, which goals were met and not met for the quarter and what projects were completed. Parents, mentors and their peers evaluated the exhibition on the quality of evidence that each student presented. For all of my students, both the exceptional and those with Individualized Educational Plans, the exhibition was a challenging and rigorous experience.

My Most Recent Year of Teaching, Goals, and How I Decided on That Goal

I co-founded an alternative high school in Detroit centered on experiential learning, interest-based internships, and advisory experiences. Our charter application began with a very ambitious goal: each advisor beginning with cohort of seventeen (17) students in their freshman year and graduating over ninety (90) percent of those students four years later and ensuring that all of those graduating students were accepted into some form of post secondary institution. I had already graduated my original cohort exceeding our goals of "ninety-ninety" and was eager to take on another advisory.My final year of teaching or "advising" as it is called in the Big Picture model, involved taking over a former advisory, or rather cohort of students whose previous advisor was fired. When offered no other returning staff volunteered to take over this challenging group of students. This group of students were labeled by other staff as "highly dysfunctional" and I was asked privately by my acting principal at the time if I would be willing to lead this group of 11th grade students. After some soul searching, I confidently accepted this position knowing full well that this was going to be a challenge. Because this was their 11th grade year, many of the benchmarks and goals were established during my first cycle at the high school. As part of our junior year expectations, all students had to complete their first drafts of their 75 page autobiographies, begin their Senior Projects, and meet other pre-established requirements to move onto to the 12th grade. With this group, I knew meeting those particular goals required proper planning and execution but it would not be enough. In addition to taking over this cohort, I was also acting as a mentor, to a student teacher working towards his certification. I met with the principal to get her perspective. It was decided that this group would thrive with proper team building exercises, a focus on core academic skills such as writing and reading, and strong individualized learning plans. I began the year with a pizza-party and get together at my house and followed that experience with a ropes course to build trust at a local campsite. Coming fresh out of the National Writing Project experience over the summer, I was inspired to infuse writing exercises into our time together. We also had ACT practice exam data and we would use this information to create the student learning plans. Additionally, these plans would be

Address a Wide Range of Skills and Abilities in Your Classroom

There is no one-way to address a wide range of skills and abilities in your classroom. Often times, what works with one group of students may or may not work with another group of students. So as an educator, just like an experienced worker, one must have a variety of "tools" inside his or her "kit" to make sure that all students are mastering the material in the classroom. Often times, that requires teachers making the necessary preparations in their lesson and unit plans, scaffolding material, using multiple, alternative, holistic assessments, and extending the learning out into the real world.

In some instances, this simply means giving students the ability to stay after school to finish an exam or test, and in others it might mean, pulling your students that are excelling, challenging your students with helping to assist with other students who maybe struggling. The key is to make sure that all your students are being challenged and nutured and that there are multiple forms of assessment. Student presentations and exhibitions of student learning are great places to start because there are many fundamental skills that both supposed high-mid-low level students need to succeed in today’s marketplace. When we begin to focus on the skills that are necessary for the 21st Century, then we can begin to identify specific skills that students have and others do not. As an educator, we should make that transparent and allow each other to understand that we all have skills and abilities that we need to improve on and that the classroom will be a safe place where we can begin to grow and to make progress towards that end.

In this way, students can begin to help each other and see each other as resources rather than as competitors. We all bring certain natural talents and skills into this world and by working together we can create the change that is necessary for a better place for all. As an educator, we would all celebrate our strengths and create spaces where we can ask each other for help and support. When we create a classroom such as this, then WE can address a wide range of skills and abilities, using and leveraging the support services of families, communities, and the school to ensure that all students receive an exemplary educational experience that prepares them for college, career and beyond.

Skills to Serve

I decided early on in my life that I would dedicate my life serving this world to improve living conditions for all. I just was not sure how I was going to achieve this objective. After several unsuccessful attempts in science and politics, I clearly understood that if I were to make an impact in the lives of people, that I would become an educator. I had to fight and scrap to make that dream a reality.

At an early age, I became a father, stepfather, husband, and a full time low-wage worker all while trying to finish college and obtain my teaching certificate. I share this here to simply let others know that my path was filled with trials, tribulations, heartache and perseverance; elements that our students, families, and others in this quest for exemplary education for youth cherish like precious stones. In a way, we all have these personal stories of triumph and success, some still in process and others still wishing to be realized. I wear these personal stories in my heart. I carry my experiences of growing up in low-income neighborhoods as part of my badge and certification on life that we are all interconnected and need each other to excel in this life and beyond.

I have over eight years of experience working as a school leader, reformer and facilitator of the nations most innovative and progressive models in education designed to ensure that all students receive an exemplary high quality education. As a co-founder of an alternative high school in Detroit rooted in experiential learning, interest-based internships, and advisory experiences, I understand both the systems and processes' necessary to ensure that students graduate and are prepared for college. In Detroit, I took on a cohort of 17 students in 9th grade, and four years later graduated 100 percent of those students. When my work concluded at the high school level, I worked as a national coordinator of large school networks, in cooperation with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the National League of Cities, to build capacity in Principal Training, Math and Quantitative Reasoning, Data Analysis, and College and Career Readiness. I co-developed, designed and facilitated our Annual Review Process for schools as well as develop network support plans, which identified specific network wide goals for each organization, leveraged existing resources and trainings, and measured and tracked progress. We published our results in Math and Quantitative Reasoning, and pushed forth the notion that all students can and will achieve academically by Creating and Sustaining a Culture of Numeracy in Our Schools. I coordinated a highly successful community involvement event, which brought together local, national and regional public, and private entities to provide wrap around services to those students often labeled at risk. At the Henry Ford Learning Institute, I worked as a curriculum specialist and ensured that the building and sustaining of our learning community was maximized so that teachers and school leaders could fully implement our model around design and innovation. Working with the Stanford University Design School, we led school leaders and principals with student centered instruction, and authentic experiences rooted in the community to engage urbanized youth. Additionally, I was responsible for designing, facilitating and sustaining our professional learning community by sharing resources through network wide conference calls, on line platforms and social media outlets. We also worked with curriculum writers and designed trainings to ensure that what we authored uniquely matched our student’s interests as well as academic needs.

More recently, I also worked as a Peer Reviewer for the United States Department of Education as part of the Investing in Innovation funds for local education agencies.

I bring a wealth of experiences and skills to this position and wholeheartedly dedicate myself to the work of ensuring that all youth receive a high quality education. I understand and value personal interactions and build on relationships to see that change is initiated, developed and sustained. I have a keen understanding of reporting mechanisms, developing teams and using a desired results framework to meet and exceed goals for educational programs both at a local and national level. Combined with my experience in school start up and development, I am uniquely qualified to exceed the expectations at this organization.