A City Teaching Alliance Alum reflects on the Residency Year

My biggest change in myself I’ve seen so far is the way in which I ask questions, leaning away from targeted, funneling questions and going towards more open-ended questions.

I feel that [City Teaching Alliance] has exposed me to people who are also social-justice-inclined and beyond the program itself, my cohort and I are constantly engaging in these conversations and questioning our own biases as well as trying to come up with solutions to address social inequities. Through this, I feel like I’m becoming more prepared in serving our students and gaining a better mindset that is conducive to this work.

A City Teaching Alliance Alum reflects on the Residency Year

I love working with kids for many reasons, one being how big they can dream –
their imagination stretches without bounds. And yet, sometimes their reality suppresses their confidence and prohibits them from believing they can achieve.

As an educator, I’ve had to grow in this role of a “realistic dreamer,” where you encourage and empower students to have big dreams and impactful goals, but every day we come to school and break it down into realistic, yet rigorous goals. Students must know they can absolutely do hard things and accomplish big goals, but it’s good to break it down and focus on milestones in between. I’ve been surprised at how much of teaching is building confidence right alongside content.
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I think [City Teaching Alliance] prepares teachers who really want to be constantly improving their craft and are continually self-reflective, both of which are traits that will directly impact students and are contingent on student success. Additionally, [City Teaching Alliance] recognizes that teaching requires practice and teachers generally grow more effective with time. I think [City Teaching Alliance]’s clinical approach has made me hungry to constantly look for new ways to grow as a teacher.

While teaching, there is always a little voice in the back of my head asking me if I could have done that better or if my actions were producing the student outcomes they needed to be successful. I think that comes free with the program.

A City Teaching Alliance Alum reflects on the Residency Year

The biggest change I have seen within myself is the development of my growth mindset. Prior to [City Teaching Alliance], I prided myself on being open to feedback and change. The process of coaching and working with a master teacher truly molds and shifts my understanding and practice as an educator. Both forces pushed and challenged work, allowing me to shape-shift into the educator that my students and community needs.

Because of the injustices that my students face on a near day to day basis, I have never been more motivated to teach. [City Teaching Alliance] has challenged and encouraged me to address the internal conflicts and biases that I have, allowing me to begin to address the social, emotional, and cognitive needs of my students. [City Teaching Alliance] is set up so that I have the support to implement activism in my classroom with the coaches, mentor teachers, mentors, and [City Teaching Alliance] fellows to lean on. All these things, along with ensuring content rich and high engagement lessons, has prepared me to give the education that my students deserve.

A City Teaching Alliance Alum reflects on being a Second Year Teaching Fellow 

In my previous career, I felt like I wasn’t really doing anything helpful. I wanted to be on the front lines of education. The first year of [City Teaching Alliance] was rigorous. It was a heavy course load, but it was information we needed. There were no courses that we don’t apply every day.

My first year in my own classroom as a kindergarten teacher was busy, but it would have been so much harder without the residency year. The experience I had gained in my residency helped a lot.

The whole teaching process includes a lot of reflection and adjustment. We do so much more than teaching kids about letters and numbers. We are literally teaching them how to be human beings, how to interact with other children.

One student last year, whenever he got mad, he would throw a tantrum and hide under the table. But by the end of the school year, he was helping other students deal with their emotions. A girl arrived at the start of the year unable to recognize any letters. She left being able to write sentences. You see growth in every child. And there is never a day when they don’t make me laugh.

A City Teaching Alliance Alum reflects on being a First Year Teaching Fellow 

The residency year was really tough. I’d see about 5 minutes of daylight because there was so much work. But from that, I learned very good time management. There are days you think you can’t do it, but at the end of the day, you don’t want to be doing anything else.

I worked in a classroom last year with a boy named Alejandro. He didn’t know a lot of English and he was pretty discouraged. He grew a liking to working with and really came out of his shell. Now he’s a shining star– very smart, very humble.

I really like where I am right now. I didn’t think it was possible to like teaching this much. This is my purpose and this is what I want to do right now.

A City Teaching Alliance Alum reflects on being a First Year Teaching Fellow 

I was directed towards [City Teaching Alliance] through Americorps. I liked the mission. I appreciated the residency year and the year of coursework– I wanted to have that preparation before I had a class of my own. I like that it recognizes the teaching profession as something of high value.

The residency year? Wow, it was challenging, but I grew a lot from it. Now that I’m in my first year in the classroom, what I’m able to do wouldn’t have been possible without the residency year. And I still feel very supported. There’s a real sense of community among everyone in my cohort. Even though we meet once a week, it’s a big support system. I also like the coaching aspect. That keeps us on our toes and always improving.

There are moments in the classroom where I just get to be myself, to connect with students. One student was having a tough time the first couple weeks of school– not cooperating, arguing a lot. Two weeks ago, we had a moment where I pulled him aside and asked what was up. He looked me in the eyes, started tearing up and disclosed some family things that had been going on the past few months. Now I’m trying to provide him extra support and he’s stepped up. He’s become one of our class leaders.

A City Teaching Alliance Alum reflects on being a First Year Teaching Fellow 

I knew I wanted to teach, but I wasn’t sure how to get into teaching. After spending a year doing City Year in Boston, I started researching teacher certification programs. I chose [City Teaching Alliance] because I had seen what happened to students when teachers weren’t ready and I didn’t want to do my students a disservice. I wanted to be ready when I stepped into the classroom.

The first year was really intense, but my host teacher was a big support. She was a top tier teacher, and she really wanted to help young teachers develop. We were really able to partner, and she was able to give me this huge space to try teaching.

This year, in my own classroom, I’m teaching Algebra 1. It’s hectic and stressful but fun, and I know it would be 100 percent harder if I hadn’t been an[City Teaching Alliance] resident last year. I know my students from last year. I know my administrators. I all these structures within the school and how things work. I’m able to focus on my class and what I am teaching.

A City Teaching Alliance Alum reflects on being a First Year Teaching Fellow 

What attracted me to [City Teaching Alliance] was the coaching and years of support. I was not only looking to teach, but to get my masters. And I wanted to make sure I was setting myself up for success in the classroom. I researched all the teacher training programs I could find, and [City Teaching Alliance] was one of the longest and most comprehensive. They don’t just put you in the classroom and forget about you.

Honestly, the residency year was one of the hardest years of my life. They set a very high standard. I was working five days a week and taking classes five days a week. I got up at 5:30 a.m. and went to bed at midnight. What helped me get through it was my cohort. We really bonded in a very short period of time. Also, the students are so much fun. Seeing their faces every day really kept me going.

As a first year teacher, I feel so much more prepared than I would have without [City Teaching Alliance]. I’ve learned a lot about lesson planning–how to keep things interesting and engaging for all my scholars. I teacher second graders, so there’s a wide spectrum of reading levels. Today we did modified close reading. I had them do partner work to discuss the main idea. Then we discussed it as a group and they came to the board to write what they thought the main idea was. And that was just the introduction.

Something I learned very quickly is that in second grade there’s a lot of social learning. They’re learning to be themselves and learning to be in a class. I have to be very intentional with morning meetings and transition times to make it clear that we’re a class and we work together. They’re willing to help each other. They hold each other accountable. And I’m so proud of them for being so helpful with one another.

A City Teaching Alliance Alum reflects on being a First Year Teaching Fellow 

I chose [City Teaching Alliance] because I really liked the model of a full year of residency and a lot of support to grow and develop as a professional. But what was most appealing was that it aligned with my values. I wanted to go to the inner city and work with children who need extra support.

Last year, as a resident, I learned a lot of things—how to help children grow academically and socially and emotionally, relating to them as a person and not just as a teacher. The biggest and the most beneficial part of coursework has been looking at what are best practices, how to best serve children with different backgrounds and home lives and socioeconomic statuses.

Now I’m teaching sixth grade English in the same school where I was a resident. One thing that makes [City Teaching Alliance] different is that we get certified in special education. And, because I’m in Dallas-Fort Worth, [City Teaching Alliance] also prepared me to teach English language learners. When I needs my students had this year, I knew I was equipped to meet them.

A lot of the things I learned last year has been immediately applicable to my teaching this year. I don’t think I would have gotten that anywhere else than [City Teaching Alliance].

A City Teaching Alliance Alum reflects on being a First Year Teaching Fellow 

I did City Year after I graduated college and that convinced me that I wanted to become a teacher. I was accepted to a couple teacher training programs, but I chose [City Teaching Alliance] because I wanted to have the ability to learn and grow. I wanted to be able to practice in the classroom. I didn’t want to let kids down.

The residency year was long, but it wasn’t as difficult as I had imagined because of my cohort. We really held each other together. We quickly became huge family. As far as the coursework and classroom balance, it was really well planned. I would learn something in class on Tuesday and be able to implement it on Wednesday.

Now I’m teaching fourth grade. I don’t think anyone’s first year of teaching is easy, but I feel much better equipped than if I hadn’t done my residency year with [City Teaching Alliance]. Some of my colleagues are just learning skills I already have in my tool belt. The coaching is a phenomenal help. I always feel like I leave my coaching sessions with reachable next steps. And since your coach is also your professor, there’s a level of comfort there.

A City Teaching Alliance Alum reflects on being a First Year Teaching Fellow 

My story is a little different–I already had my teaching credential from California, but because I had never actually taught, it wasn’t valid in DC. Although I had spent four years studying education, I had only spent 16 weeks in a classroom as part of my teaching placement.

[City Teaching Alliance] appealed to me because of all of the coaching; that really sets it apart from other teacher training programs. The master’s degree was also a big draw, as well as the certification in special education.

I knew I was interested in special education and I asked to be placed in a special education classroom for my residency year. The residency year is invaluable because you are immersed in a classroom all day. The biggest thing that helped prepare me was the coaching. My coach was so beneficial. She had a special education background, especially working with students with autism and that’s what I’m doing now. There’s so much that can only be learned by watching and being coached by experienced teachers.

I’m so grateful for the coaching that I received through [City Teaching Alliance]. Out of any program, I feel like [City Teaching Alliance] prepares you for every aspect of teaching, from planning to implementing lessons to responding when a child tells you they don’t have enough to eat. Coaching allows you to be more prepared than the average teacher.

I taught second grade the first four years and now I’m teaching fourth grade. I had some doubts. I wondered, “Maybe I’m just a really good teacher for second graders.” But I had a student come to me the other day and say, “I never wanted to learn before, but in your class I’m willing to try.”

There’s a student I worked with intensively last year. He wouldn’t speak when he first came. By the end of the year, he would interact with me and some friends. I got a call from his current teacher the other day. He wanted to read aloud to me over the phone.

[City Teaching Alliance] is a challenge. You have to be willing to give it everything you have. But it will be the best decision you ever made because you will more prepared than anyone else entering the field of teaching.

I came through the very first cohort in DC. One of the things that really stuck out to me was that you receive a certification in general education and special education. There were so many special education kids who are underserved, and I was very inspired to make the switch and become a special education teacher.

I did my residency and my first two years at Center City Capitol Hill. It was a tough environment. In terms of student behavior, it was just a really hard place to be. But the advantage I had coming in from [City Teaching Alliance] was that I had so many strategies. I knew how to make behavior plans. And I was getting coaching. We had very strong supports in place.

In my second year, there was one time that I just called my coach and had a breakdown about all of the behavior problems. She helped me work up a roadmap of what to do next. You hear all of these stories about new teachers who just throw up their hands and quit. Without [City Teaching Alliance], I would have been one too. But the support from [City Teaching Alliance] helped me through it.

Now I’m teaching a fourth grade special education class in Prince George’s County Maryland. I also help train [City Teaching Alliance] residents in special education.

There’s a different mentality that people in [City Teaching Alliance] have. Our professors would always tell us, if your class doesn’t get it, it’s your responsibility to teach them a different way. I sit in meetings all the time where I hear teachers blaming students and now I find myself being the voice saying you need to try something different.

I’m always analyzing students, trying to figure out what is their educational prescription. What do they need to learn? It almost seems as natural now as picking up a pen and notebook.

In my last year of graduate school, I was trying to figure out what to do with my life. I had done an internship at a middle school and another at a juvenile justice center and I knew I loved working with children. I had been planning to go into the corporate world, but then I changed gears and applied to teacher training programs. I heard back very quickly from [City Teaching Alliance] and became part of the first cohort to work in the DC public school system.

Because I was coming from another master’s program, I wasn’t intimidated by the workload. I found myself very immersed in the lives of my students, helping out with after school programs. I really connected with my host teacher and I had some amazing coaches who really shaped my values.

I remember not being able to sleep the night before I got my own classroom. What would my class be like? Was I prepared enough? I wound up having a great class that first year. There were some really great thinkers and they gave me a lot of support as a new teacher. I still talk with three of the students. They’re sophomores now.

Now I’m teaching at a middle school, a reading intervention class for grades 6 to 8. Every day I feel like I made the right choice, to take part in [City Teaching Alliance] and become a teacher. I can tell by the way the students respond to me, the way they interact with me, that I’m doing a good job. Every year that I push through, I learn something new about myself and that makes me even more excited to do the work.

Although, it’s been years since I finished the [City Teaching Alliance] program, I’m still part of this rich community. We support each other and we learn from each other.

I went to George Washington and majored in international affairs. During my senior year, I worked in a kindergarten classroom three times a week with D.C. Reads and I realized I loved teaching. I wanted to stay in DC to teach. I knew that the schools were some of the worst in the country, and part of the problem is that teachers are so transient there. I wanted to stay and teach.

I was thrilled when I found [City Teaching Alliance]. I knew a summer of teaching prep wouldn’t be enough. I didn’t want to just be thrown into a classroom with children and not be able to do right by them. I wanted to find out how to be an effective teacher, not a babysitter or a sage on a stage.

My residency year I spent at Center City Brightwood in a third grade classroom. I had an amazing host teacher. After my residency, they hired me as the first grade lead teacher. I was at Brightwood for six years. It was nice to be at the same school for my entire tenure. I was a family engagement lead and took part in several fellowships. [City Teaching Alliance] prepared me for that. You learn how to manage a workload for sure, but it also sets you up with the right mindset and tools.

There was always a really strong [City Teaching Alliance] presence at Brightwood; it really made an impact on our school community. You can really spot those who come with [City Teaching Alliance] training and experience. There’s that culture of being data-driven and focused on continual improvement.

Last year was my first year as a curriculum manager at our central office for the charter system. It’s been really interesting. I’ve been able to go to different conferences around the country and see what the issues are. Being growth-oriented, improvement oriented has really set me up to try new things. But I miss students every day. I miss the coziness of a classroom. It’s a world. It’s home. I try to go back there a couple times a month and I always make a point to stop in and see my former students.

I’m still at the school where I did my residency for [City Teaching Alliance]. I’m teaching second and third grade English/ Language Arts. It’s also my third year being an [City Teaching Alliance] host teacher.

The style of the [City Teaching Alliance] program is different because it gives you a year of trial and error. I was able to find the grade levels I was most comfortable with. It was also really helpful to focus on particular aspects of what makes a good teacher. But the largest piece is the network– to know we all started together and we’re all growing together.

When I started, I came in with two other [City Teaching Alliance] residents. It was a huge positive knowing we’ve all been through the same process and knowing we’re all able to depend on each other.

One of the great benefits of [City Teaching Alliance] is the residency year, the year to work with someone who is well-versed in education. It gives you the space and time to practice all the things that it takes to be a great teacher.

Once I had my own classroom, I knew how to handle classroom management, so I was able to set myself up for success, to establish relationships with students and families and create a culture of collaboration in my classroom. Hearing all the ideas the other members of my cohort were coming up with helped too.

In those fellowship years, I was getting coaching from my [City Teaching Alliance] coach and my school coach, so I was getting twice as much coaching as other teachers on my team.

The experience I got from [City Teaching Alliance] helped my school leaders see I was an asset. I was a grade level lead in my first year as a teacher. In my second year, I was a host teacher. And in my third year, I was able to participate in another fellowship that enabled me to travel the country and see innovative programs that I could try in my own classroom. I’ve also been a mentor to other [City Teaching Alliance] fellows and a supervisor of the mentorship program.

Once I finished my four years, I had originally planning to go on to something else. But now I’ve spent two more years in the classroom. When I’m with my students and I see them push through discomfort and try something new, seeing them become intellectuals and upstanding people, that makes me feel like the job is fulfilling. This job has become everything for me. It’s become a wonderful experience that I wouldn’t trade for the world.