I love being called, "that white girl"

I am going to give you the boring information first because I think everyone is dying to know. Ok, if you're not dying to know you've all asked me these questions a million times. I did not have the answers before but now I do. Hooray!!

So I found out my placement for teaching in DC! I am teaching at Columbia Heights Educational Campus in the city. The campus combines middle school and high school. It's a fairly new school, only 3 years old. Although the school is public, students still have to apply. Most students are accepted when they apply. The aim of the school is to motivate students who don't usually succeed in school. So they don't accept students based on academics; the application process is more to motivate students who are dedicated to learning. The students wear uniforms too. The school is made up of about 50% Hispanics, 30% black, and 20% other minorities. About 96% of the students are on free/reduced lunch. And about 50% of the student body are English Language Learners. Go ESL! The ESL teacher is so excited that we're here! There are about 2 white students in the whole school. The teachers are of a diverse makeup as well. There is an equal balance of black, white, Hispanic, Arab, Asian and Pacific Islander teachers. Staff meetings (the one that I've been to) is not dull. We did skits in staff meeting! Who performs skits unless you're 15 and in mutual! Freak!

As for my teaching assignment I am with Ms. Brooke Buerkle who teaches World History in the 9th grade. She graduated from George Washington University and received her masters at Harvard. She is feisty, small, and ambitious. What a fireball! She is only in her 2nd year of teaching but she is the department chair of social studies. Last year as her first year she won the DC Teacher of the Year Award for 1st year teachers. She is well prepared and calm. I am team teaching with one of my fellow BYU students teachers, Colleen Johnson. She is a Social Studies major so with her knowledge of geography and economics I think we'll make a great team. She's really nice and easy-going. I think it will work out well.

The whole school is focused on the same teaching strategies. They teach their students across all content areas the same metacognitive skills that enhance their abilities to acquire content knowledge. It seriously blows my mind how united this faculty is. Sure, it's an imperfect school but each department strives to teach the same methods so students are prepared to meet the expectations required of them. This will be a challenge but I am excited for it. I think I will learn so much from this experience.

...And now for a light-hearted story...or two

Today I observed a U.S. history class. The students did presentations on the Civil Rights Movement. Wow, it's so interesting hearing Civil Rights presentations from black students and not whites. Anyway, at the end of class the African American teacher, Mr. Crosby, had us introduce ourselves and we told the students some things about us. He replied, "Well, this way kids, when you see these white ladies you don't wonder who that white girl is. Now you know that they're bonafide teachers so you better learn their names. I don't want you to be calling them, 'that white girl.'" I was flattered that not only was he so insistent that the kids learned our names but that I was referred to as "that white girl."

Okay, story number 2.

I talked to a senior boy, Jaren, in the World History 2 class (he's black). The subject of Barrack Obama came up. He says, "Shoot, my friends voted for Obama because he's black, I voted Obama because of what he believes in. I like his policies." We continued to talk about Obama in more depth. Jaren is smart, ambitious, and down-to-earth. I love these inner-city kids already.

I will be happy to be called "that white girl" anytime.

I WILL POST PICTURES SOON! PLEASE BE PATIENT!