So much has happened in the past few days, it's hard to even begin to explain. On Sunday we, along with the Baltimore and DC regions, moved to Temple University in one giant dorm that is housing all 500ish (give or take) of us here for the next 5 weeks. This week began Institute. If Induction (last week) was more like orientation, Institute is the twin of training. It has been crazy. So far the schedule runs something like this:
5:10am - Wake up, shower, get ready (I learned how to tie a tie! It was such a great day! But now I've learned how hot and oppressive ties are)
5:40am - Leave dorms to go eat breakfast
6:30 - Grab lunch box (which has not been bad actually. While everyone else waits in line, I get to beeline to the vegetarian station which is infinitely smaller--woo!) and board bus. The bus leaves promptly at 6:45. We make the 15 minute or so drive through West Philly, and I can't help but take it all in. I suppose the sociologist in me is crying out with many, many questions. I wish now that I could have taken an urban sociology class! The most noteworthy observation I have made is seen in the dozens of murals that are painted across buildings, tunnels, bridges and more. They are really incredible and speak to social inequality in the city, relaying various messages of hope. They help me feel a lot better about being awake so early
7:00 - Arrive at Thomas Edison High School in West Philly. Go upstairs and check our mailboxes and sign in, and then our day begins.
For the rest of the day, as it stands now, we are in various sessions learning about lesson planning, how to plan a day a week a month and year of education, working with the test but not teaching to the test, pedagogical theory, classroom management, and much more. It is an inundation of information which they have neatly tucked into an enormous book and then go over with us in various sessions. While they are very intense, long and it takes every effort not to fall asleep, I find all of the sessions to be very helpful and interesting and I am very thankful for our staff at Edison--they are very passionate individuals who are deeply invested in helping us access everything we need, emotionally and tangibly, to be ready to teach on MONDAY (!!!)
I will be teaching 10th grade English this summer along with my collaborative group members Ben, Linda and Kim. Ben and I will be teaching a lesson on distinguishing the differences between fact and opinion, in addition to understanding how belief and attitudes affect our perceptions of fact and opinion. While it may seem easy, after Ben and I spent about an hour trying to create a solid definition of the operative words, we realized we were in for a treat! Lesson planning will be fun...
There's so much more I want to talk about...
- We got to hear Wendy Kopp (Founder of TFA) speak
- I've gotten to explore more of Philly
- I am getting really excited to teach
- Philadelphia is very hot and our school is very un-airconditioned
- I am exhausted a lot of the time
- The people here are truly incredible and amazing
- I miss all of you!
OK, so that is my update for now. Love and hugs to all of you!
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