1. What made you want to join the Mississippi Teacher Corps?
I joined MTC to make a small impact on a few students' lives. I had tutored students from Mississippi in college who struggled with skills that were deemed "entry" college level. I felt that if I could help these students before they got to college, they may find their transition an easier one and not be at a disadvantage compared to their peers.
2. It's been been eight months since summer training ended. What do you remember about that experience?
I remember summer school was difficult. It was exhausting on every level. From late night lesson planning to greeting students in the early morning, it felt like working on and completing a never ending pile of work. However, I am so blessed to have been so exhausted. It prepared me for on the fly changes in my classroom. There, I learned to improvise and have a repertoire of activities under my belt for unforeseen circumstances, and I learned how to properly plan for the entirety of my lesson.
3. How do you feel like you've changed since first arriving in Mississippi?
I think I've become more resilient and more patient. I look back at summer school and the beginning of the school year, and think about all the things that bothered me then that just roll off my back now. I learned I'm stronger than I think, more capable than I realized, but also I am humbled by the concept that teaching is a "practicing" profession. I won't be perfect my first, second, or third year; but knowing that I'll get better, makes all the difference.
4. What is one thing you want to do differently on next year's first day of school?
There is a large laundry list of things I would like to do differently, but a big one is to be so very clear about my expectations for my students. I think that a majority of my issues stemmed from a lack of clear expectations and consistency, and those are two things I hope to hammer down and employ to great effect right from the start next year.
