Commitment is as much a mindset as it is a set of actions. So, this year, I am committing. I am committing to 100%. I commit to 100% of my students being 100% engaged, 100% of the time. This means that if I or another student am talking, all eyes are on the speaker, all…
Category: Personal Reflections
Why Blog?
Thank you to all my readers and friends who have contributed comments and thoughts to this blog. I love the community and the way you’ve helped me grow as a teacher, and I hope that I’ve helped you as well! Now that my blog posts are coming more frequently, I just wanted to brainstorm a…
Diverting the Waters
Never have I ever had a week as tough as my first week on the job as a middle school science teacher.
Why Teach For America?
My students come on Monday. I am terrified. There is nothing like it, the first day of being a teacher in my own classroom, MY classroom. I have so much to do. My long term plan (LTP) is in shambles, because I may be completely changing the order I’ll be teaching units. My unit plan…
The End of Institute
A single day at institute can fee incredibly long, but the entire five weeks goes by like the high speed train that whips through a busy platform, leaving only the shuddering of people and buildings in its wake. I said good-bye to my fifth grade students last Friday. They have one glorious month of summer…
The First Three Weeks
This is the first and last of a very long post on my experience thus far as a Teach for America teacher. The first because it’s been a long time coming, the last because I hope that I will update with greater regularity in the coming weeks and years so that posts stay manageable and…
Deborah Chang 