Pokemon: TFA style- Pokemon2
Substitution: A Math Song- Substitution

“I want to be the very best like no one ever was.”
Words of inspiration…
Words capturing the heart of the TFA institute…
Words of the hit TV series and trading card game Pokemon.

On the last night of institute, Ryan Driscoll, a Teach for American corps member who goes by the name Frodo, and myself stayed up until 1am capturing the memories of institute on a CD to give as a gift to our advisor.  Two of the songs on the CD can be found above.  (One is a TFA rendition of the Pokemon Theme Song.  The other is a song Ryan created for his Algebra class.)  As I sat in the dorms of DSU, I was overwhelmed by the vast number of defining moments that made up my inauguration into the field of education. To give everyone a broad representation of Garrett’s TFA institute, I will share a few, overarching sample tracks of the institute.

Track 1: Beautiful, Intelligent People

This topic is inevitable, personal, and undeniable—institute love.  Let me make this simple, I have never seen so many beautiful, intelligent people in my life.

However, it’s a sad departure.  Many people that I connected with so well, so quickly, I may never see again.  It’s weird to think that if I had grown up with some of these people, I guarantee we would have been life long friends.  But with teaching at the forefront of our minds and friendships second, many relationships that could have been wonderful will be left for fate to reunite us.

Track 2: Management

Teach for America instructs teachers to use Lee Cantor’s method of classroom management.  The three main takeaways to his method that I picked up are setting expectations, using behavioral narration (this involves repeating expectations by narrating the behavior of students that are following your expectations; e.g., “I see Janice is reading her book quietly”), and issuing consequences.  Having that my class dwindled from eight students to two by the end of the year, I did not really get to practice these methods, so a group of teachers role-played a disruptive class for me to practice on.

I entered the class stating my expectations.

“Alright class, feet on the floor eyes tracking me.  This will let me know that you want to learn.  That you’ve got a fire for chemistry.”

At this point the “disruptive ones” started their antics.  One girl was falling asleep, another was texting, a third was fixing her hair, a fourth was complaining about the material that I was teaching, and while I tried to use the three methods and remain my positive and optimistic self, I cracked.

As I was explaining a review of oxidation numbers,
“I don’t get it.”
“Okay, let’s look at the periodic table.  Hmm, there’s not one here.  Let’s just imagine you have a periodic table.”
“I still don’t get it.”
“We’ll work on this later.”
Failure.

“Kris, can you please stop fixing your hair, so I can know you’re paying attention.”
“I’m paying attention.”
“Maybe, but no one fixes their hair for five minutes!”
Failure.

“Give me the phone.”
“No.”
“This is your first consequence.  Give me the phone.”
“No.”
“Okay, you can give me the phone or leave.”
“I’ll leave.”
Then the student exited the class.
Failure.

If there’s one weakness I have, it’s management.  If there is one thing a class needs to be successful, it may very well be management.  Lee Cantor, I need some help.

Track 3: The End

At 5pm on the last day of institute, myself and 50 some TFA teachers of Ruleville summer school entered the Bologna Arts Center at DSU for the closing ceremonies.  We marched together with pride.

The leader, “Hey Ruleville where you at?”
The response, “Right here.”
“Then let me hear you clap!”
(clap, clap)
Together, “At Ruleville we believe (clap, clap).  Our students will achieve (clap, clap).  At Ruleville we believe (clap, clap).  Our students will achieve.  Ruleville! (clap)”

Heads turned to see our school pride as we entered the complex.  Yet, as we entered the auditorium we were just another voice drowned in the sound of school pride from all the corps members.

Here we were, beautiful, intelligent people from all over the country cheering about education.  Some would say that it stemmed from too much Kool-Aid.  Others would say its genuine excitement.  I don’t know the answer, but I do know I’m leaving proud to be a teacher.

The institute experience, overall? Transformative. The memories? Vivid.  Am I ready to teach…