Opening Ceremonies and Day 1

Day one felt so slow yet so fast. Yesterday was forever ago. We were in sessions all day, learning how Institute will run, learning who we are going to be working with and examining the logistics of specific things we are doing. We also took a look at the general outlines of the lesson planning that we will be discussing more tomorrow.

Tonight was opening ceremonies. We made our own Milwaukee corps chant to do at the ceremony:

Mil-wau-kee,

Brew town,

We're goin' to flip those scores upside down.

Mil-wau-kee,

Brew-town,

We're goin' to turn this trend around.

There was a call and response part too:

Milwaukee, you been there before?

No, fool, we're a charter corps!

It was fun, and I think we made a great impression on the other Institute attendees.

The speakers were inspiring, two shared their corps experience about why they teach for America. It was dramatic lighting, like this:

Wendy Kopp, founder and CEO of Teach For America also came. She gave us some advice and talked about our impact on education and what will happen in the future as all 4,100 2009 corps members continue to work toward ending educational inequity.

And, to give a little fun, this is what meals look like, 610 people, eating at the same time in a rush:

Chicago Institute, Day 0

Chicago Institute is about to begin. Tomorrow I leave for school at 6 something in the morning and return to the ITT dorms at 4 something. I am excited. I will be teaching a different curriculum I haven't heard of before, "Chelsea Bank". It is a curriculum that has all lessons themed around banking and other financial matters. I think a feature like this is important because a lot of people lack money handling skills.

It is another adventure being in the dorms again. Noise and all that is prevalent and nasty, but that is O.K. in a way, a nice transition out of the world of college to the world of work.

The apartment search is going, and going O.K. I found a couple places today and I have some showings lined up for Saturday. Library Hill is my #1 at the moment. Check it out here. They have good rent prices I think and good features. A little expensive, but everything is expensive.

I am hopeful about apartments whereas in the past I have been frightened and scared and worried.

I think it will work out, not only will it work out but it will also be really great.

Proof that I am here doin' this!

TFA Milwaukee made the news! The Journal Sentinel just did an article about us today! They came and saw us when we talked to Wisconsin First Lady, Jessica Doyle who welcomed us to Milwaukee. This is a picture of the session in Cramer hall on Marquette's campus in Milwaukee.

Here is the link to the story: http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/48643492.html

P.S. I am in the picture (front row)

Mid-Induction

These days at Teach For America Induction are very informative, jam packed, and actually, a lot of fun. The group is relatively small, there are only 38 TFA corps members in Milwaukee, which makes us the smallest of the 35 regions spread out across the country.

The city itself and its leaders seep to be welcoming us with open arms. Wednesday we visited the Kern family estate. The Kern foundation made a large donation to TFA so they would come to Milwaukee and are committed toward providing high quality education to all children.

When we ask about what the city thinks of us we get the answer that they either don't know anything about Teach For America or they are positive about it and supportive, like one school principal who visited us for lunch Wednesday and offered one of us an opportunity unique to his school because he specifically wants to have a TFA corps member in his school. At least, that's how I understood it.

Mixed with the getting to know TFA as an organization and meeting a lot of people, Indiction has provided the opportunity to get to know Milwaukee a little bit in our free time and get to know some people. We had the great opportunity to meet TFA alumni on Thursday and enjoy a local Milwaukee restaurant.

My group went to Comet Cafe, a really neat place. The benches look like they're made of church pews and the menu bins of hymnal holders. They make good, unique, American, vegetarian, vegan (or neither) food.

Later that night we discovered the severity of thunderstorms. A police officer came through the dorm and sent us to the basement at 1:20 a.m. because of a tornado warning. A good way to start our last day is on little sleep!

Milwaukee corps 2009 is off to a good start. I am glad, and proud.

Emery

Just before it begins

Welcome to my new blog! Here I am going to write about my experiences as a Teach For America corps member, moving to a new city, and starting a new career. The main goal of this blog is to keep my friends and family members informed of what I am up to as well as to provide some insight into what Teach For America is like for anyone who cares to read. I will try to keep this blog interesting and regular.

I am in a hotel room on my way up to start the Teach For America experience. Tomorrow I meet the Milwaukee team and begin to find out what this is all really about. 

Maybe you don't know what it is all about either, I'll start with the basics. Teach For America is an organization committed to ending the achievement gap in the United States. The gap is the fact that many children in the U.S. do not receive quality education simply because of where they live, their economic condition, their ethnicity, or some other reason. The facts are appalling, please read more.

Teach for America is also, selfishly, a pretty awesome way to start a professional life. I have to say it is especially awesome for someone with a BA in the humanities graduating in this economic downturn. Read more here. Basically, I have a good job with good pay and benefits, I have a great organization and network backing me, I am making a difference with my efforts in a very real way for very real people who need it.

As for now I am getting ready to be trained into an effective teacher. Tomorrow I start meeting people and getting to know everything, Monday I begin training.

Thanks for reading! Stay in touch,

Emery