Amy Noel Lee's Teaching Portfolio - Recently Updated Pages

Student Examples

amynoellee — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 10:56:23 CDT

This student was a fairly good writer. However, through writing assessment feedback for the state writing test, I discovered she was lacking in using grade level vocabulary. She was not alone. In this assignment, students used the word wall and wrote a story using at least 7 vocabulary words. I used this assignment many times and many students starting using previously studied vocabulary words in other journal entries as well!

The following student never spoke in class. This was one of the only ways I could learn about her as a student. Although she wrote entries that were more private, I felt that this exerpt represents a great conversation starter for me to help the student share with other classmates and myself. She really seemed to like journaling and did not mind talking with me about writing-- I am still trying to get this student to participate in class!

The last sample I have included was a response to a story called, "A Mason-Dixon Memory." After reading the story students engaged in a "dialogue" with the author and the issue of race. They were asked to write if a color-blind society is possible. This student (although kind of hard to read) uses the text to respond to the question and formed an interesting response.

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amynoellee — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 21:41:41 CDT

Welcome!

The following website is my teaching portfolio from the Mississippi Teacher Corps. On the left you will find the table of contents organized alphabetically. You can also access each page from the links below. In addition you can find a next/previous/home option at the bottom of each page. Please feel free to leave comments and/or suggestions for my site.

Thanks for visiting!

Amy Noel Lee
MTC Class of 2007

Table of Contents

I. Introduction

II. Resume

III. Philosophy Statement

IV. Action Research Project

V. Coursework Selections

VI. Lesson Plan Examples

VII. Successful Teaching Strategies

VIII. Classroom Management Techniques

IX. Using Technology in the Classroom

X. Community & Parental Involvement

XI. Self Evaluation

""Look at yourselves. Some of you teenagers, students. How do you think I feel and I belong to a generation ahead of you - how do you think I feel to have to tell you, 'We, my generation, sat around like a knot on a wall while the whole world was fighting for its human rights - and you've got to be born into a society where you still have that same fight.' What did we do, who preceded you ? I'll tell you what we did. Nothing. And don't you make the same mistake we made...."
-Malcolm X

	Teacher Corps Family Class of 2007 Be the change... Click here to join MTC: http://www.olemiss.edu/programs/mtc/

Self-Evaluation: Reflections on MTC Experience

amynoellee — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 21:39:51 CDT

In thinking of all the ways that I have changed since arriving in Mississippi, I feel that the most profound change is realizing how hard you have to fight to stick to your beliefs and convictions. Working in two schools that treat students with such horrible disrespect was hard to bear witness to and it was even harder to offer those students a voice without losing my job or angering another teacher. I have seen some despicable actions towards students, and I have had to practically swallow my tongue and figure out a creative way to address the disrespect another way. Although I do not have a perfect classroom, I think that my students feel respected and valued. This was more important to me than having a perfectly quiet classroom. My students show their excitement when we are playing a game or they are trying to figure out an academic challenge. Most teachers who do not understand my style look at my class as if my students and I are not accomplishing anything. However, I do not stoop to yelling and bullying students into behaving. I have had to constantly tell myself that despite what other teachers will say about my students that I am not going to give up on my students. I believe they are the smartest students in America, and I know that they do not hear that enough. I have realized throughout this experience that in order to be successful, you have to measure success for yourself. You cannot listen to how others measure their success, and you have to provide the definitions and examples of success for yourself.

Another area that I have grown in professionally deals with decision making. I have never been one to make quick decisions, but as a teacher I was forced to make fast and professional decisions everyday. Even for academic assignments, I would sit in front of the computer screen trying to decide what topic would be the best. It was not so much an issue of time management, but of delaying decisions until I had thought of the “perfect” idea. I would start projects and lesson plans early, yet I would not finish them early because of the emphasis I put on coming up with the very best idea possible. As a teacher, I often would have a long time delay coming up with lesson plan ideas and unit plans. I think I have improved in this area as well. I have been able to make countless decisions (hopefully good ones!) without my usual painfully and agonizingly long time frame. Especially after my first year, I stopped altogether with my bad habit of long decision-making. Before each quarter ended—I had a syllabus planned out for the next term. Sometimes, I think of better units and lesson plans later, but now, I am able to let those ideas go for the next year or next semester and not feel badly. After all, being organized and on time is far better than always having the “best” idea. This was a very crucial step for me and I am slowly letting this attitude into other parts of my life. I will take this lesson with me wherever I go next. I know that there will always be time to make use of ideas later, and they will probably be even better if they are well-planned. In teaching there is always next year, next week, and the next day to become a more effective teacher.

The last area of professional growth I want to discuss involves separating my school-work life with my personal life. Any new teacher will tell you how dramatically their lives change after starting teaching. The same was true for me, and for the first eight months of school, I had absolutely no life outside of school. I would even dream of school in my sleep. I am surprised that I didn’t quit, but somewhere inside of me I wanted to be successful. In my second year, I have gotten better at dealing with the demanding nature of teaching while trying to balance my personal life. I have learned how to say “no” to people. Before the Teacher Corps I was so eager to help that I would often help others before finishing my own work. For example, during my planning period numerous teachers would ask me to watch their classes or make copies for them. I enjoy helping people, however I began to notice that when I used my planning period for myself I could actually achieve somewhat of a balance between my personal life (time with my husband for instance) and my work-life. Other teachers would often tell me to be tougher with teachers who asked for an unreasonable tasks as well as administrators who would ask for last minute volunteers to scan district tests or sell candy at the basketball game. I have not lost my compassion and eagerness to aid others, instead I have gained a triage mentality. I am able to say “no” to unreasonable demands and offer help when it is truly needed. This was a very hard lesson for me. It is something that I have always struggled with and now I feel confident about setting boundaries with other co-workers.

It is very difficult to write of all the ways in which I have changed since entering the Mississippi Teacher Corps. Despite all of the disappointments I have experienced, I know that I made the right decision to come to Mississippi. I know that I have made a difference in both schools I have had taught in and that I am walking away with far more than I ever imagined. I have so many memories of little moments in the classroom that all the suffering and all the failures seem to melt away. As I stated in the beginning of this evaluation, I measure my own success. My students are amazing people. I love them even when they at their worst and I adore them when they at their best. I am proud that they call me their teacher. They forced me to grow and become an effective teacher. They defined my success and I will not let their lessons become forgotten memories.

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Resume/Curriculum Vitae

amynoellee — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 16:53:51 CDT

*Contact Information has been deleted to protect my identity.* *

Amy Noel Lee

XXXX Ridgeway St. (601)- 71X-XXXX
Jackson, MS 39206 XXXX@olemiss.edu

Education

Masters in Curriculum and Instruction (English Concentration) at the University of Mississippi in conjunction with the Mississippi Teacher Corps, June 2005-present. Graduation date May 12, 2007.

Bachelor of Arts in Literature and Communication at Antioch College. June 2004.
Thesis: “Hyphenations, Hybrids, & Metaphors of Home: Baldwin, Kureishi, & D’Aguiar on Cultural Ambiguity”

Teaching Experience

English Teacher. Jackson Public Schools at Whitten Middle School. Jackson, MS. August 2006-present.
• Provided instruction for 5 sections of reading and language arts and one section of study skills.
• Planned interventions for at-risk students including computer-aided and community-based
assistance.
• Modified instruction and assessment for students with special learning needs.
• Created multiple activities and lessons to promote student achievement.
English Teacher. Clarksdale Public Schools at Higgins Junior High School. Clarksdale, MS. August 2005- May 2006.
• Provided instruction for 3 sections of reading and three sections of language arts.
• Created and taught diverse lesson plans and learning experiences.
• Implemented an after-school tutoring program in reading and discipline.
• Directed academic events to prepare for Mississippi Curriculum Tests.
Counselor. Namaqua Center. Loveland, CO. June 2004-June 2005
• Monitored and provided care to emotionally disturbed children ages 3-19.
• Led small group learning activities.
• Worked with therapists, special education teachers, and community service organizations to
devise and implement behavior and academic plans.
Teacher’s Assistant. Antioch College Communications Department. Yellow Springs, OH. September 2003-May 2004.
• Assisted professor with general preparation for several classes.
• Taught small groups video and editing skills.
• Tutored students.
Reading and Writing Tutor. Antioch Academic Support Center. Yellow Springs, OH. September 2001-2003.
• Modified individualized instructional materials for students with special needs.
• Tutored students of all ages to promote and achieve college-level reading and writing skills.
• Assisted in the training of new tutors.
• Created and edited self-help student writing web pages.

Professional Experience

Mississippi Teacher Corps Member. University of Mississippi 2005-2007. Taught and served in low-income schools and critical shortage areas and participated in the training of new teachers.

International Study. Mali Arts & Culture Program at L’Ena, Fall 2004. Observed, created, and researched multi-media projects in Mali, West Africa.

Teaching Credentials

Licensure to teach Language Arts, French, and Communications by the state of Mississippi.

Language Skills

Fluent in both speaking and writing French

Honors

Member of Sigma Tau Delta International English Honor Society
Editor The Blaze Magazine
Antioch Avid Reader Award

Professional and Community Associations

BAMN Students of Color Alliance, Antioch College
Sigma Tau Delta International Honor Society
Teacher Support Team, Jackson Public Schools
Curriculum & Assessment Planning Committee, Jackson Public Schools
Parents for Public Schools

Skills

Website Design
Flash Animation
Video Editing
Video and Digital Photography
Fluent French
Windows and Mac Applications

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Community & Parental Involvements

amynoellee — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 16:44:34 CDT

"Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
-Margaret Mead

In my first year of teaching, my relationship with parents was good, but it was limited to the telephone. In my second year, I really wanted parents to become involved with the school and actually come inside the school doors. I was not alone and the particular team of teachers I worked with-- also shared the same goal. We started calling all parents of students who were failing. We worked as a team and called together. This helped tremendously because parents were able to hear from each teacher and often hear about the same types of behavior. When we were unable to see results from students after speaking on the phone, we called and arranged a conference. At least three times a week we spoke with different parents at the school and with the student. Although this was not always productive, I noticed a change in parents. Parents also started stopping by to check in the windows of their child’s classes to see if they were on-task with class work. During district testing time, we need a great deal of proctors to administer the exam. Our team of teachers spent less than thirty minutes calling parents to get 10 parents to come in and help. This was a testament to the relationships we had formed with the parents of our students and how comfortable they felt coming to the school. In addition, we also had the highest number of parents come to parent-teacher conferences (in comparison to the other grade levels and teams). I know almost all of my students parents by name and the I know that by working together with my team of teachers and meeting the parents face-to-face made the difference.

Another activity that was successful was my class website on school notes. You can view my site by clicking here. Even though not all of my student’s parents have access to a computer the ones that are on the internet we able to visit and send me e-mails asking about the progress of their child. I also posted a class syllabus that outlined important test dates and assignments and parents used this information to help keep their children on track. I had parents thank me for putting so many details on the website. The parents have said that this way they did not fall for the famous homework line, “We don’t have any [no] homework.”

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Classroom Management Strategies

amynoellee — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 16:42:31 CDT

Classroom
Management Strategies for the Reluctant Disciplinarian

Strategy #1
I have tried so many different classroom management strategies; I do not even know where to begin. I have chosen to write about the most effective techniques. My reward system has worked well. My students are always singing that song, "Betcha can't do it like me"-- so I decided to make a game out of it. I made a chart for each class and they earn a “betcha” each time they complete an activity quietly or go a whole class period without any name-calling. For every 12 betchas they successively get a different reward. The culmination of the reward will be watching a movie and doing the “betcha” dance as a class. I used this strategy in both years. This strategy has helped me be able to award good behavior instead of simply disciplining bad behavior. By using this technique students begin to understand what behavior is acceptable and unacceptable. They also have to work together to earn the points and I have found that instilling a need for students to work together benefits both my students and myself. This strategy also adds an element of fun into the classroom.

Strategy #2
Another strategy I have used successfully is playing a review game at the end of each class. I throw a small beanie frog to any student who can answer review questions to lesson. This helps students stay focused at the end of the class period when they are usually itching to leave. In addition, since I have started using this strategy I have never forgotten to do a closure. Students feel very comfortable at the end of class and know that there will be an opportunity to ask questions and see how much they remember from the day's lesson. On days when the bells do not seem to ring on time or I have had to hold classes, I have used this strategy to review vocabulary (on my wonderful word wall) or prepare for an upcoming test. Usually I have a very orderly dismissal because I have established this as a routine.

Strategy #3
Furthermore, I have found that using Team ISS is an invaluable tool for removing disruptive students from the classroom without sending them to the principal’s office. The teacher who is in the classroom next door and I have worked out an arrangement. When a student is becoming disruptive and all lower level interventions (proximity, phone call to parent, etc.) have not been effective, I send the student to the other teacher’s classroom. They write a disciplinarian plan for themselves. I have found that students will not cause a disruption in another teacher’s classroom (unfamiliar audience) and it calms them down enough to have a quick conference afterwards and discontinue the disruption. Students sometimes just need a break from the regular environment, and not every classroom has a space for students to sit alone. This allows for the student to take a breather as well as for me to collect my thoughts and think of a creative solution to keep the student on track.

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Using Technology in the Classroom!

amynoellee — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 16:39:04 CDT

Although it has been difficult to incorporate technology into the classroom with the given resources at a low-income school, I have found several ways to use technology in my classes. This year I taught 7th grade Language Arts. Since the students would be taking a state writing assessment in March, I decided to take an idea I learned from the Integrating the Internet into Education class we took over the summer. I decided to keep track of my student’s writing progress using charts and graphs produced with excel and Microsoft word. After each writing assessment, students received their essays with written comments as well as a chart comparing their previous scores. Students loved seeing whether the bars or lines were going up and having a visual of their progress really helped students stayed motivated. I also made graphs using items on holistic rubric from the state. In the beginning of this activity, I made graphs to show if students had mastered items on the rubric from the state (clearly stated thesis, delineated paragraphs, or proper grammar and usage). As students progressed and had a clear understanding of all of the components they needed to gain a perfect score of four on the state exam, they used their written comments to identify (for themselves) items they were missing. This use of technology had a tremendous impact on student learning. Students gained an understanding of charts and graphs (which is a MS curriculum framework), and they also became excited about getting their charts and they strove to improve their scores from essay to essay. Students actively pursued the reasons why their scores may have increased or decreased. For the first time, I saw students analyzing their own writing.

In addition, I have created a website, on the novel The Watson Go To Birmingham, which students will complete as a group after the MCT. You can see the site if you click here. I am predicting that this will be my very best project with technology yet! Students will take ownership over the site and produce their own media. I cannot wait to start this project. Through this exercise they will have a stronger understanding of the novel as well as the historical setting of the novel.

Another use of technology that has been helpful in staying in contact with parents is my website on schoolnotes. You can view the site by clicking here. I wrote about this website in my section on Community and Parental Involvement. I have had numerous parents e-mail me and ask questions about projects, grading, and tests.

Furthermore, I have always used gradekeeper (a computer application) to keep track of grades. Students receive a printout of all assignments and grades at both mid-term as well as throughout the course of a semester. Since students can see exactly where their grade is coming from, I have a much higher rate of students’ making-up tests and assignments than teachers who use a regular grade book. I can even post a class list without names and students can see how they are doing in comparison to others. This has also had a tremendous impact on student learning, as my students understand how each and every assignment “counts.” Their assignments and tests not only “count” towards bettering their grade, but it also helps students see how it helps them understand and learn more from my class. When they see that they received a zero on participation and then on the same day received a zero on a quiz, students begin to make the connection between effort and grades.

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Successful Teaching Strategies

amynoellee — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 16:32:22 CDT

Journaling is one of the most effective methods of teaching writing. Journaling offers a dozen or more benefits to students. The Dutch humanist, Desiderius Erasmus once wrote, “The desire to write grows with writing.” Erasmus was correct. As students progress, writing becomes a habit and a natural reaction. How many academics react in outrage to a disagreeable event with the statement, “I am going to write a letter!” That is a learned behavior and students deserve to be shown that writing is a powerful tool. The desire to write comes with writing. Journaling provides a routine for developing a thirst for writing. Journaling is one avenue to guide students into writing without ecumbering them with a whole lot of pressure because there isn’t a right or wrong answer. Journaling also offers a chance for students to experience the joy of writing. Since journaling is not graded but simply completed, all students, no matter what level, can write and express themselves. For me, writing is about communication. Within the first three days of school, I was pleased to see that all my students have a very active desire to communicate. Journaling gives students an active venue for sharing their thoughts and ideas, in other words, to communicate. My students write almost everyday and they are becoming better writers. Practice makes perfect, and even during the first three weeks of school, I saw remarkable improvement in their writing. If students were only exposed to writing for term papers, essays, and other limited assignments, they would not be able to develop their own voice. Or worse, if students were only taught grammatical concepts, they would never learn that writing is, above all, fun! When the students are sinking down into their chairs, really relaxing with the rhythm of their thoughts and pencils, I know the process is at work. I cannot imagine teaching writing without having journaling on the curriculum.

This teaching strategy fits nicely into my teaching philosophy. Students are able to participate in a dialogue on responses to readings and current events. Students actively talk to themselves (through writing) and share their written ideas with other students. By providing thought-provoking journal topics students are very engaged with journaling. By reading through their journals I find this a great way to learn about my students and continue my mission of forming meaningful personal relationships with my students.

See Student Examples

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Philosophy of Teaching Statement

amynoellee — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 14:26:46 CDT

As a student and teacher of literature, I believe that education is a continuous dialogue with past, present, and future knowledge. This grand “dialogue” with authors, from every subject area and genre, students, teachers, theorists, and philosophers, is what helps people understand the world in a larger sense and ultimately, hopefully, helps shape the world differently. Armed with not only active knowledge, but also a true voice in a worldly dialogue, students will not only achieve personal success-- they will also be agents and leaders of changing the world. My role as teacher is to help facilitate, animate, and ensure that all students participate is this dialogue. Teaching is not actually about instilling “knowledge” into students, but rather, is a complex process of advancing students’ ability to become active and in control of the learning process.

My philosophy of teaching and learning includes this emphasis on engaging students and helping them develop their own individual voice. By providing real world examples and problems and connecting literature and literary concepts with the real world, students can easily become excited and motivated to learn course objectives. These objectives, then, cease to be a static part of their schooling. It becomes part of their lives. I think that students not only can learn, but that they actually want to learn. Each student learns uniquely, and as a teacher, it is my responsibility to assist students in discovering how they learn. This includes developing meaningful relationships with students and continuously seeking to find ways to engage and make a pathway of success for students. In many ways, I feel that this is my favorite aspect of teaching: I love my students. I have always felt that as a teacher, I am also a student. I can only play both roles if I invest in my students in an emotional way and validate what my students teach me.

My philosophy of teaching and learning is supported and rooted in the learning theories of the revolutionary Brazilian educator and social theorist, Paulo Freire. For example Freire speaks of the importance of knowing and understanding your students, “Educators need to know what happens in the world of the children with whom they work. They need to know the universe of their dreams, the language with which they skillfully defend themselves from the aggressiveness of their world, what they know independently of the school, and how they know it.” He also speaks of undoing “the banking concept of education,” where an all-knowing teacher deposits knowledge into students’ minds. Instead, he argues for a mutual learning paradigm where the teacher and the student participate in a dialogue. As he writes, “Knowledge emerges only through invention and reinvention, through the restless, impatient, continuing, hopeful inquiry human being pursue in the world, and with each other.” Perhaps most importantly he insists that, “Dialogue cannot exist…in the absence of a profound love for the world and for people.” I could not agree more wholeheartedly with Freire, and love is what I take with me to every class I teach and every student that I encounter.

Bibliography

Freire, Paulo; Pedagogy of the Opressed, Translated by Myra Bergman Ramos, The Continuum Publishing Corporation, New York, NY, 1987.

Freire, Paulo; The Politics of Education - Culture, Power, and Liberation, Translated by Donoldo Macedo, Bergin & Garvey, New York, NY, 1985.

Freire, Paulo; Teachers as Cultural Workers - Letters to Those Who Dare Teach, Translated by Donoldo Macedo, Dale Koike, and Alexandre Oliveira, Westview Press, Boulder, CO, 1998.

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Lesson Plan Examples

amynoellee — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 14:19:00 CDT

Lesson Plan Example #1
I selected this lesson plan for three reasons. The first reason involves using research-based teaching methods. Another reason entails developing critical thinking skills in students. Lastly, I chose this lesson plan because I feel that it reflects the adaptive nature of my teaching in Language Arts.

I developed this lesson plan using the textbook from EDSE 500. I wrote the plan in the spring of my first year of teaching. I had been experimenting with using multiple teaching strategies and concept attainment seemed the strategy would work well with grammatical concepts. I used this lesson to help my students use previous knowledge to describe the grammatical rules involved in making a complete sentence. This lesson helps students develop critical thinking skills as they produce the necessary knowledge and make the rules to information that they would normally read passively in a textbook. I believe students need to be the authors and not just the readers. When they are in charge of their own instruction, students can begin to understand their own potential. They also work collaboratively to defend and explain justifications for their grammatical rules. Although I did not follow the guidelines exactly for concept attainment, I was able to adapt this teaching strategy to fit the needs of my students and my content area.

Lesson Plan #1

Lesson Plan Example #2
I chose this lesson plan because it supports a part of my teaching philosophy. I believe students have a great deal of prior knowledge that remains unlocked. In this lesson on using context clues, students discuss and develop a crucial reading skill. I preach using context clues and I have used this lesson as a good opener to start students thinking about how to use their own knowledge to “guess” the meaning of unknown words. All good readers use context clues and once students realize that they can keep reading without knowing all words—they can start to read material that once looked out of reach. The lesson also serves as a confidence builder. I encourage guessing even if students are wrong (it doesn’t matter)—they gain a sense of ownership over words. The anticipatory set is a memorable one that students have referred back to throughout my two years teaching.

Lesson Plan #2

Lesson Plan Example #3
The last lesson I selected is a lesson on story elements. Again, like the previous two lesson, I used elements of surprise and encouraged students to guess and take control of their own learning. In this lesson, I also employed popular movies and related them with understanding story elements. This lesson like all of the others is not direct instruction. Students provide, form, and explain the needed definitions and information to complete story charts on several popular movies. Students also work collaboratively to complete the problem of the missing story element descriptors.

Lesson Plan #3

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Coursework Selections

amynoellee — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 14:16:30 CDT

"The act of putting pen to paper encourages pause for thought, this in turn makes us think more deeply about life, which helps us regain our equilibrium."

~Norbet Platt

The first coursework selection I chose is from EDSE 642 Advanced Methods of Teaching English. In the final exam for this course, we were asked to reflect on our expectations of teaching in Mississippi as well as the reality of being an educator in the Delta. At the time, this assignment seemed easy to write, but through the process of reflecting on first impressions and my original expectations I learned something I will always carry with me. Expectations need to be examined and studied throughout any experience. Expectations are an invaluable tool for developing current and future goals. Expectations are a reminder of why one continues to work hard despite facing tragic realities. In my reflection I wrote, “I hadn’t imaged that my expectations would become my goals. I had not imagined that my goals would become ideals that I will have to fight to accomplish. There are so many obstacles that I leave school everyday amazed anything has been accomplished. Despite bells that do not ring on time, insane interruptions from janitors, erratic announcements about going to jail for fighting, and routine paddling, learning happens. Why? The students.” The same compassion that I started Teacher Corps with have not left me, but the realities have gotten in the way of my goals. The students’ realities were what kept me going and sustained my compassion. Professionally, I learned how expectations must become a part of one’s goal for improvement. How I imagined starting and teaching my classes will always be my goals that I strive to see come to fruition.

Coursework Selection from EDSE 642

The second coursework selection I have selected is from EDLD The Effective Principal. The following selection also played a key role in my development as a professional teacher. In this course, the capstone project was to research the communities where we were teaching. In the process of researching Jackson, MS, I discovered how little I knew about where I had been living for the past four months. I gained valuable insights to some of the other types of struggles and obstacles my students and their families faced everyday. I do not think I will ever enter a community I will be teaching in without thoroughly researching aspects of daily life, government structures, job opportunities, and countless other factors that play significant (and seemingly insignificant yet important) role in the lives of my students. In my philosophy of teaching I mention Paulo Freire and how he stresses the essentialness of knowing your students. I feel this is an important layer to consider and incorporate into how I interact with students and their families.

Coursework Selection from EDLD The Effective Principal

Although I feel I could expand on all the assignments and projects we engaged in throughout this program, the last crucial piece of coursework I feel has contributed to my professional growth comes from an early class: EDSE 500. In this class we were asked to prepare binders with various resources we have gathered on classroom management, lesson plan ideas, and other pertinent information concerning teaching. Although I have never throw anything away, I did not have an adequate system for keeping important information. This assignment enabled me to think about how I was going to store and keep resources. I have modified the system to keep hanging files in a filing cabinet, but I never realized how important it is to have a system for organizing paper. My principal and other co-workers are always amazed at how neat my desk is at school, and I never would have achieved a level of success in organization had it not been for EDSE 500 (and EDSE 642). I may have actually drowned in paperwork had I not been given fair warning ahead of time. I am pleased that I can find necessary paperwork quickly and easily.

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Action Research Project!

amynoellee — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 14:05:01 CDT

The following is my action research paper aand project on homework and motivation.

Amy Noel Lee
EDRS 605/Dr. Dougherty
December 9, 2006
Action Research Paper

Research Problem and Purpose

The research area that I would like to pursue involves student motivation and achievement. In particular, I want to investigate techniques and strategies to increase the number of students who turn in homework assignments. In correlation, I want to see whether students who turn in assignments score higher on class assessments. I will also compare the data with students’ performance on one norm-based test given by the school district. In many low-income schools, the school-to-home connection is quite low in terms of homework completion and academic content. According to many sources, students who complete homework do better on standardized tests. I want to see if this is true, and I want to uncover methods to extract homework from students.
My objective is to determine what techniques can be used to motivate students to turn in homework assignments and whether or not homework has an effect on test results, performance, and grades. I have read some scholarship on this topic and nothing seems to apply directly to the attitudes, home lives, racial and socio-economic status, age, and culture of the students I teach. To be more specific in my objectives, I am seeking to discover what “works” for low-income, African-American, seventh grade students in Jackson, Mississippi.

Research Question
My research question will be driven by quantitative date. My control data will be the data that I possess right now. On average only 7 percent of my students turn in homework and only four percent turn in homework that is completed correctly. Currently I am using “intrinsic rewards” to motivate students to complete assignments. I will be using three different techniques to help improve homework completion scores. Each will be used for two weeks. The first technique will be to use a “homework sheet” that will be signed by parents and students. Students will write down assignments and grades for those assignments and students will need to have parents sign the form at the end of two weeks. The second technique will be to intentionally make homework assignments as appealing as possible. The third and final technique that I will be using involves a homework star chart in the classroom. Students who turn in all homework will be given a prize for their efforts at the end of the two weeks. My question is explicitly: which of these techniques will most increase the number of students who turn in homework assignments in my classroom.
My hypothesis is that changing the nature of the assignments will most likely improve students’ motivation to complete assignments outside of class. From personal experience, I usually have the highest response rate on assignments that the students genuinely take an interest in completing. I realize that I will probably not have one hundred percent of my students turn in homework, but perhaps one of these systems will work to increase the time they spend “learning” at home.

Method
My method of collecting data was rather simple. I simply counted the number of homework assignments turned in correctly. All of this data was paired with my findings from earlier this year, when I discovered that on average 6 percent of my 130 students turned in homework assignments. In Jackson, students are given a district exam at the end of every 9 weeks. On the first nine week’s district test (standardized tests) only 10 of my students passed the exam. Correspondingly the students who consistently turned in homework were the students who passed the district exams. This test is modeled after the MCT test they will complete in the spring. I had three strategies to improve homework completion that I used to gather data for two weeks at a time. The first strategy was to hand students a homework chart that students filled out during class and had their parents sign at home. This was mainly to see if parental involvement would help increase the home connection. The second strategy was to change the nature of the homework assignments. Instead of traditional assignments I assigned more creative assessments. The first assignment was a biography to be put into a class book. The second was a book cover or art work for a recently discussed story. Lastly I assigned students to write a poem about “anything.” The last method was a star chart that used student competition to enhance homework completion. Three assignments were given during each three weeks.

Data Analysis

Percentages of Homework Completion

Strategy 1 Strategy 2 Strategy 3
Assignment # 1 35% 87% 37%

Assignment #2 39% 47% 40%

Assignment #3 32% 60% 31%

Strategy 1: Homework chart and parental signatures
Assignment # 1: Write vocabulary sentences
Assignment #2: Summary of “Song of the Trees”
Assignment #3: Figurative Language Worksheet

Strategy 2: Creative Assignments
Assignment # 1: Write a bibliography to be compiled in a class book
Assignment #2: Book Cover Art Work
Assignment #3: Write a poem

Strategy 3: Star Chart and Rewards
Assignment # 1: Edit and Rewrite Persuasive Letter

Assignment #2: Finish Final Draft Persuasive Letter

Assignment #3: Test Study Guide

Students made all around progress with each strategy used. The highest number of homework was turned in with a class project. Each student was responsible for writing a biography and the next day students made an Anthology of African American Writers in class. Peer pressure prevailed as students encouraged one another to bring their biographies. Eighty-seven percent of students turned in their biographies the next class day. The star chart and the homework chart that required a parent signature showed some results but with an average total increase of 46 percent between the two strategies. This was a 41percent increase from the start of the school year.

Implications
There are many ways in which this study will influence my current teaching methods. I have learned that any (of the three methods) increase in attention to homework results in an increase in homework participation. I was surprised by these results. Often times, I would assign homework and spend little time correcting, collecting, or discussing the work in class. I believe that this attention to school work helped students to remember to turn assignments in and that the work would “count” for something. My question was easily answered: more creative (or more fun) assignments drew the largest participation: there was an average of 65 percent of my students who turned in their “fun” assignments. I think that in the future I will make more of an effort to come up with assignments that seem more appealing to students.

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Lesson Plan #3

amynoellee — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 12:51:21 CDT

Lesson Plan Example #3
Amy Noel Lee
7th grade English
Approximate time: 50 minutes

Objective: The student will define story elements.
The student will apply knowledge of story elements.

Benchmark: #2D: The student will analyze, interpret, compare, or respond to increasingly complex literary text, literary nonfiction, and informational text citing text- based evidence. 1) Story Elements (e.g., setting, characters, character traits, plot, resolution, point of view).

Set: Yesterday you completed your pre-test. Now it is time to start practicing those skills. Today our objective is, “The student will define story elements. And the student will apply knowledge of story elements” “Story elements are essential to understanding movies, novels, short stories, poems and even stories your friends and family tell you. I am going to prove it to you. I am going to show you story charts that only have the story elements—not the titles or even the names of the story elements—you will fill those in a little later. Your task is to tell me the title of the movie, based on those essential story elements. “Here is the first one (post a story chart for ‘Harry Potter”).” Ask students to take a minute to think about the answer. Show two more story charts. “You guys just told me the name of movies only based on the essential, or important elements of a story. It will be your task today to find out what those blanks mean in the story chart. And then when you talk to friends about movies and books—you can impress them with your fancy terminology.” Tomorrow we will work on story elements and vocabulary words from our first story, “The Most Dangerous Game.”
Procedures:
A. Bell work (5 min) Journal—What is your favorite movie and why?/Share
B. Set (5 min)
C. Explain task. “Since you all were so quick with guessing the movies. I bet you can use your prior knowledge of story elements to fill in the blanks in the story chart.” Ask students to get into groups. Assign roles to groups and go over group procedures. Read directions and ask students to fill in chart using word bank. Go over answers and discuss answers? (10 min)
D. Ask students to turn sheet over and as a group write in the definitions. (10 min)
E. Guide students as they formulate definitions to story elements./Write on them on board (5 min)
F. Closure (5 min)
G. Hand out and explain assignment—fill in chart for a movie they have seen using their knowledge. Ask for questions. (3 min)
H. Ask students to begin on their assignments. (15 min)
I. Ask students to share charts. (if time)
Closure: Today we learned to define and use story elements. Let’s recap--quiz students on definitions. Go back to story charts from set and have students fill in the blanks. Tell students that tomorrow we will start on story elements and vocabulary words from our first story, “The Most Dangerous Game.” Explain assignment.

Assessment: The teacher will collect and grade story element chart the next day (M) to determine whether the student can define and use story elements (C) and record score in grade book. (D)

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***If you like this lesson plan, you can use the link below and get copies of all accompanying charts and worksheets.***

Lesson Plan #2

amynoellee — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 12:47:45 CDT

Lesson Plan Example #2
Amy Noel Lee
7th grade English

Approximate time: 50 minutes

Materials: vocabulary words with sentences, overhead, whiteboard, students, teacher, pencils, and paper.

Benchmark: 1) The student will use word recognition and vocabulary (word meaning) skills to communicate. D) The student will use word recognition and vocabulary (word meaning) skills to communicate.

Objective: The student will use context clues to define vocabulary words from “The Most Dangerous Game.”

Set: Last class time, you completed a pre-test. Today we are going to continue to build on your vocabulary skills. Our objective for today is, “The student will use context clues to define vocabulary words from ‘The Most Dangerous Game.’ Tomorrow we will begin reading the story and work on story elements and we when we come across those vocabulary words we will already know what they mean!” First let’s talk about context clues. I would like you all to take out a sheet of scratch paper. Read the short sentence description, “He went to set down his cup and saucer, but he upset the table and splange spilled everywhere.” Ask students to write down their guesses on a sheet of paper. Ask for student responses (a liquid of some kind). Ask students how they arrived at their answers. Elicit—looked at surrounding words. Tell students that that is exactly what context clues are—surrounding words. Admit that splange is not a real word! “Guessing is a powerful tool! You know more than you think! Every time you run into an unfamiliar word—you can use context clues.” (7 min)

Procedures:
A. Bell work (5 min)
B. Set (7 min)
C. Have students take out binder to take notes. Ask students to write down guesses and meaning.
D. Display each sentence and ask for guesses. Use dictionary to check answers. (25 min)
E. After the third examples, ask students to make their own guesses and discuss their answers.
F. Closure. (4 min)
G. Assign homework: Vocabulary worksheet

Closure: Repeat objective, today we learned context clues to define vocabulary words. Quiz students on vocabulary words (charades). Tomorrow we will begin reading “The Most Dangerous Game” and review story elements.

Assessment: The teacher will correct worksheet (M) to determine if students have learned the definitions of vocabulary words (C) and record results in grade book. (D)

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Lesson Plan #1

amynoellee — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 12:44:31 CDT

Lesson Example #1
Amy Noel Lee
7th grade English
(Concept attainment)

Approximate time: 50 minutes

Materials: large sentence and sentence fragment strips, desks, paper, pencil, students, teacher, whiteboard, and markers.

Benchmark: The student will apply Standard English to communicate.

Objective: The student will identify and use correct sentence structure.

Set: Yesterday we learned the names of all the members of the class and wrote our very first composition. Today our objective is, “The student will identify and use correct sentence structure.” How many of you play basketball? Who can tell me one rule in basketball? Why are there rules in basketball? Elicit—nothing would get done, it would be pretty chaotic or crazy. Tell students that in writing there are also many rules. “Today your task is to find out one of those rules. When you are writing to someone else you don’t want to foul them do you? We learn to write so we can communicate better with other people. Tomorrow we will learn another rule--the parts of a paragraph.” (5 min)

Procedures:
A. Bell work (10 min)
B. Set (5 min)
C. Explain to students that they need to figure out the rules and label the “yes” and “no” columns. (2 min)
D. Show examples. State whether they are “yes” and “no” and put them in the appropriate “yes” and “no” columns. (3 min)
E. After there are three examples in each column ask students to describe why the examples are in “yes” column. (3 min)
F. Show several more examples and ask students to decide if the examples belong in the yes or no column. (5 min)
G. Ask students to raise their hand if they have figured out the rule. Hand students large strips to write on and ask them to write examples. Instruct them not state the rule out loud, but show that they understand by writing an example. Instruct the other students to continue studying the chart. (7 min)
H. Present student examples and ask the class if they belong in the yes or no column. (3 min)
I. Ask students to write down their guesses to the name of the columns—“Sentence” and “Not a sentence.” (1 min)
J. Review with students the process and look over examples. List their rules on the board. (5 min)
K. Closure (3 min)
L. Assign homework: Write ten correct sentences. (2 min)

Closure: Today we learned the rules to writing correct and incorrect sentences. Who can tell me what a sentence needs to have? Who can tell me some of the ways to make a sentence incorrect? Tomorrow we will learn the parts to a paragraph.

Assessment: The teacher will read sentences (M) to determine whether students understand how to write a correct sentence (C) record grade in grade book. (D)

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Example A: EDSE 642

amynoellee — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 12:33:28 CDT

Amy Noel Lee
EDSE 642/Professor Cook
Part VII
December 3, 2005

Reflections: My First Year of Teaching in the Mississippi Delta

Expectations

My expectations for teaching in the Mississippi Delta were humble: I imagined a peaceful classroom of engaged learners. I have always loved school: the bells, the smells, new notebooks, pencil sharpeners, and books. For me schools are romantic--large brick buildings filled with students and teachers all seeking one of the highest pursuits known to humans—education. Before actually teaching in the Delta, I knew of the problems associated with poor, rural schools. My graduating class had forty-two students, and a teacher’s salary was considered “rich.” I knew what a bad teacher could do to an already bad school. My motivation was simply to be better. I grew-up poor and I know how hard it is to slowly get through educational experiences that others have been practicing with generations of guidance. My goal was to simply “help” foster as much educational and emotional growth as possible in my students. I imagined all kinds of lovely things in my classroom. I wanted students to engage in lots of group work, develop critical thinking skills, and learn about great thinkers, writers, and historical events. I would help them apply for college and motivate those who thought college, wasn’t for them. I imagined staying late at school to correct papers and plan creative lessons. I imagined coming home tired, but happy. I imagined rewarding good behavior and politely showing misbehaving students how to deal with a situation better. I was a class clown, so I would naturally know how to get a troublesome student back in line. I also imagined being involved with after-school activities. Teaching in the Delta would be a lot of hard work and a challenge, but I thought, I am young and I have worked hard before—let’s go teacher corps!

Reality

The challenges of a new teacher are enough, but the challenges of a Mississippi Delta teacher are unfathomable. The lack of resources and chaotic administration alone could drive a teacher to quit before the first bell sounds. Not having paper to make copies, or even having access to a copy machine, drove me nuts in the beginning of the year. I asked my principal if I could make thirty copies and my polite request was denied. How could I teach without books? How could I teach without the ability to make copies? How could I present a professional and trustworthy face when I was informed of important announcements and procedures at the same time as the students? How could I create a peaceful classroom when students received corporal punishment for misbehavior? How could I have tutoring or any after-school activity if my school locked down like a prison at four o’clock? How could I incorporate technology without the presence of technology? How could I teach?
After just three months, I know I can. My goals are still as high as they were when I started, but I have adjusted my timeline slightly. I hadn’t imaged that my expectation would become my goals. I hadn’t imagined that my goals would become ideals that I will have to fight to accomplish. There are so many obstacles that I leave school everyday amazed anything has been accomplished. Despite bells that don’t ring on time, insane interruptions from janitors, erratic announcements about going to jail for fighting, and routine paddling, learning happens. Why? The students.
The students are the best and worst in the world. Their problems are a result of institutional racism and poor educational systems, but they remain brilliant and filled with potential. I wasn’t prepared to start from ground zero. I imagined enhancing existing reading and writing skills, not creating them. To some people my students may seem unruly and un-teachable, but that is far from the truth. They simply lack meaningful educational experiences and reinforcement. They have inspired me to make the journey with them.
The reality of teaching in the Delta is the reality of racism in America. I am very familiar with institutional racism, however the educational system in Mississippi is blatant white supremacy. That may seem harsh, but destroying the lives of countless, brilliant students is even harsher. The reality is that African American students are told everyday they enter the tired halls of Delta schools that they are not worth it. They are not worth good textbooks, qualified teachers and principals, new technology, or even fresh paint and comfortable desks. The racism in the Delta is not invisible. I pass a white academy everyday and I work at an all-black school. I pass shacks on the all black side of town and I pass mansions by the academy. In some ways reality has altered my expectations. In these few months, the one thing that has most changed for me is my resolve. In light of the harsh realities with which my students contend and in light of the obstacles inherent to poverty and specific to racism, my resolve to teach has deepened. Also, in light of the potential I've seen and the resilience and strength my students display everyday, my resolve to resolve is inspired. I may not feel as young as I did three months ago, and I cannot remember ever working harder, yet I now sing, Let's go teacher corps!

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Example B: EDLD The Effective Principal

amynoellee — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 12:27:38 CDT

Amy Noel Lee
EDLD 501/Dr. Mullins
December 9, 2006
Community Assessment Project

Jackson Community Assessment

Defining the Community
Jackson serves as one of the distribution hubs of the South. Other nearby hubs include Memphis to the north, New Orleans to south, and Dallas to the west. The distribution area also serves international customers, as Foreign Trade Zone #158, since the airport is able to store goods without paying import fees. As the capital of Mississippi, there are four major banks headquartered in Jackson. Agriculture continues to be a primary export of Jackson with the Cattle being the highest commodity. Nearby industries also include grains, poultry, cotton, and lumber. Jackson is also home to a Nissan automobile plant. The community has suffered several industry losses in that last decade (Tyson Food Inc. and WorldCom Inc. for example). There are numerous vacant buildings in the downtown and surrounding area in Jackson that illustrate this fact. However, these properties are abundant and inexpensive. Nonetheless, Jackson does not seem to offer the same number of industrial opportunities as the other capital cities that it borders.
Geography
As mentioned above, Jackson is the largest city in Mississippi and serves as one of the South’s distribution points. Close by capital are Memphis, New Orleans, and Dallas. Jackson rests on the Pearl River and the city has a total land area of 108.6 square miles. Sitting halfway between New Orleans and Memphis, Jackson’s relationship with the effects of Hurricane Katrina have been speculated with a variety of outcomes. In the year 2005, there was a twenty-six percent increase of exporting goods. Top exports are Canada (the Canadian Railway runs through Jackson) and geographically present Mexico. In 2005, Saudi Arabia also became one of the top exporters. Agriculture and agricultural goods are easily accessed because it is the largest city in Mississippi (a rich farmland state).

Basic Demographics
The population of Jackson, MS was 179,599 in 2003. Ranked 4th in the nation for the percentages of African-Americans in major cities, 71 percent of the population of Jackson is African-American. The entire metropolitan area has a population of 522,580. The median income in Jackson is 30, 414. This average is lower than both the state (31,330) and significantly lower than the United States (41,994) median incomes. Also of note the average income per capita for African Americans (most of the population) is only 12,021. The level of education in Jackson varies. While the number people who hold a Bachelor degree and higher is 47 percent, (which is higher than both the national and state averages), 20 percent of the population do not hold a high school diploma. These averages are also based on the population aged 25 and over (108,734) and does not account for much of the young population in Jackson (30%). Close to fifty percent of students are actually graduating from high school in Jackson. The state of Mississippi as a whole has a 61 percent diploma rate. In addition 78 percent of students attending Jackson Public Schools receive free or reduced lunch (an often cited determinant of low-income and impoverished schools). Over 19 percent of the population lives below the poverty line and 33.7 percent of those households include children under 18 and 15.7 percent are aged 65 and older. Many households that are living in poverty are headed by single women (35%). 18 percent of the total population has a disability. In addition most homes are rented (54%). Although many of the statistics of poverty are only slightly higher than national figures, the educational outlooks for Jackson are bleak in comparison to other places in the United States (the dropout rate for example). Perhaps the most statistically damaging is the disparity between white and black salaries within Jackson, other cities in Mississippi (such as Desoto), and the nation.

Economic Elements
There is no single job source that Jackson is over-reliant upon. However, government jobs account for the single largest source of jobs (54,400). These jobs include mainly jobs that are funded by the State of Mississippi (30,000+). This makes sense for the capital city. However, as previously mentioned industries such as Tyson Foods and WorldCom have gone bankrupt or left Jackson. Vigorous efforts to attract new businesses have yielded a Nissan automobile plant that created 3,300 new jobs. There are also efforts made to complete the Capital City Convention Center (61 million) by 2009, the center will offer space for meetings and numerous other gatherings expected to bring in jobs and revenue. The overall unemployment rate is 5.2 percent (as of October, 2006). Workers that are under-employed or unemployed are mostly African-American and lack a high school diploma or other trade skills. This rate is higher than the national unemployment rate of 4.4 percent. In addition to the high amount of government jobs, the second largest industry is trade, transportation, and utilities. The average worker makes 30,414. In looking at the mean wages (per hour) for unskilled labor such as food services (which employs 12,000+ workers) these figures are significantly lower—6.47 dollars per hour. Many businesses are small (besides government jobs) and there are the highest number of retail trade establishments (709) which tend to offer lower wages. Jackson lacks solid manufacturing industries as there are only 183 establishments that offer 8,000 jobs to the Jackson area. However, many summaries of Jackson economics cite that Jackson is growing economically.

Physical Infrastructures
Jackson is serviced by the Jackson-Evers International Airport (name changed in 2004 to honor Medgar Evers who lived in and was killed in Jackson). As mentioned above the airport sees some heavy shipping traffic because of its location. Jackson is also served by the Canadian National Railroad, Amtrak, and the Kansas City Southern Railway. There are three major highways: Interstate 55 that runs north and south to Chicago, Interstate 20 that runs east and west, and Interstate 220 that connects I55 and I20. There are also several U.S highways and State highways. Three U.S highways U.S 49, U.S 51, and U.S 80 connect the interstates and other neighboring towns in Mississippi. The Natchez Trace Parkway goes from Natchez to Nashville, Tennessee. Jackson utilizes several landfills that are at varying capacity levels. The city of Jackson services the water, sewage, recycling, and waste removal for the city. The city offers trash pick-up twice a week and this service is used by more than 60,000 households.

Cultural and Recreational Resources
There are numerous cultural and recreational resources in Jackson, Mississippi. There are a plethora of museums and cultural associations: Municipal Art Gallery, Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, Ballet Mississippi, Mississippi Museum of Art, Russell C. Davis Planetarium, Mississippi Opera, Mississippi Chorus, New Stage Theatre, Mississippi Hispanic Association, Mississippi Heritage Trust, Mississippi Art Center, Smith-Robertson Museum and Cultural Center, Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum, Mynelle Gardens, Jackson Zoo, Jackson State University Botanical Garden, Eudora Welty Museum, Manship Museum, Medgar Evers Home Museum, Mississippi Museum of Art, Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, The Oaks House Museum, and Smith Robertson Museum and Cultural Center. In addition there are a great deal of historical sites in Jackson. Furthermore Jackson does provide a great deal of recreational resources. . Jackson has a total of 54 parks and recreational facilities. Quite a few sports teams (as well as the sports arena) provide entertainment to Jacksonians and Mississippians alike: Jackson Wildcats, Mississippi Braves, Mississippi Brilla, and numerous other college teams. Jackson is also home to the New Orleans Saints training camp from 2006-2010. Jackson is also home to many cultural events: Mississippi State Fair, Crossroads Film Festival, Jubilee Jam, Celtic Fest Mississippi, Festival Latino, OUToberfest, USA International Ballet Competition, and the Mals St. Patty’s Day Parade.
The Power Structure
The mayor holds a great deal of power in the community. Currently Mayor Frank Melton holds quite a bit of political power. He is responsible for city appointments and terminations. In addition he is elected “at large” so his constituency is quite big. The current city council members include: Ben Allen (R), Leslie B. McLemore (D), Kenneth I. Stokes (D), Frank Blunston (VP-D), Charles Tillman (D), Marshand K. Crisler (President, D), and Maraget Barrett-Simon (D). Also church organizations hold a great deal of power. Many city officials and people of power claim a religious affiliation and these connections carry weight and are taken quite seriously. Most speeches (political or otherwise) offer a religious insight of some kind. Because of the high number of banks in Jackson, they also have political leverage in Jackson.

Role of Government Agencies
Prior to 1985 Jackson had a three-person mayor-commissioner system. Today seven city part-time wards (one from each ward) serve the city and the mayor heads the body. The mayor is elected at large. The city council also votes to elect one president and vice president. The council confirms mayor appointed positions such as school board members, etc. They also vote on city ordinances along with the mayor. The agenda and budget (along with the Chief Administrative Office) are set by the mayor. There are 2,400 city employees. Virtually every aspect of life is touched in some way by the local government. The major areas of service include: public safety, public works, city attorney office, city clerk, and parks and recreation.

History
The history of race and segregation is and are the essential elements that have shaped and continue to shape Jackson. During the last decade many museums and other cultural events have been held and started to commemorate these events. However, the city has experienced a mass exodus from whites for numerous (including racial) reasons. During the 1950’s and 1960’s Jackson remained segregated in schools and other areas of society. However there were several key events during the Civil Rights Movement. In 1961, freedom riders were arrested for disturbing the peace in Jackson. Medgar Evans was murdered in Jackson in 1963. Even after the Brown decision was enacted, the school did not desegregate until 1970. After this some whites remained in the public school system, but most started paying for private school. Jackson Prep was formed the very year that the Supreme Court forced integration in Jackson. Since 1970 whites have slowly moved into neighboring Rankin and Madison counties. Most of the remaining white school children attend Jackson Prep or Jackson Academy. Jackson Public Schools is approximately 95 percent black in 2005. The city itself is 70-74 percent African American. These implications have a tremendous impact on economics. The public school system has never properly been funded. Most of the buildings are the old segregated school buildings. The property tax base is low (because of white flight). The racial tensions and economic disparities between African Americans continue to be severe and problematic. The high levels of poverty, poor schooling, low tax base, and other racial and economic problems offer bleak outlooks for many African American students and the Jackson economy.
Community Barriers
Many of the barriers have been mentioned in the previous section. Racial and economic barriers inhibit Jackson from making serious progress. Many young, African-American professionals (recent graduates) as well as do not chose to stay in Jackson because of the high levels of crime and poor schooling options. If they do decide to stay in Mississippi, they opt to live in Rankin or Madison and not Jackson.

Values
The official slogan for Jackson is “the city with a soul.” The values include a focus on education (as evident by the many universities). Churches and religion play a major role in everyday life in Jackson. Southern hospitality also plays a part of the everyday values. Despite the high level of crime, people try to look out for one another. People are not afraid to say “hello” to one another. However, the urban-ness of the city does curtail many southern hospitality type values, and there is a visual level of distrust because of the crime levels.

Uniqueness
Jackson offers many cultural and recreational activities. Jackson is unique because it does have an African American mayor, city council members, and other high-level city and educational leaders. There is also more of an international community than in most parts of Mississippi. Museums are plentiful and Jackson offers a variety of activities unavailable to other parts of Mississippi. Jackson is also home to Millsaps college a nationally ranked liberal arts college. Parents for Public Schools was founded in Jackson and although far from fruition, their presence is an enormous step toward bettering Jackson and Jackson Public Schools.

Schools, Colleges, and/or Universities
Jackson Public Schools has 8 high schools, 10 middle schools, 38 elementary schools, and 2 alternative education schools. There are numerous private high schools in Jackson and the surrounding suburbs, the largest in Jackson Academy. Jackson has numerous institutions of higher education: Mississippi College (Clinton), Tougaloo College, Jackson State University, Belhaven College, Millsaps College, Hinds Community College, Mississippi College School of Law, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Holmes Community College (Ridgeland), and Reformed Theological Seminary.

Bibliography

Jackson, Mississippi. Retrieved November 13, 2006 from, http://www.city-data.com/city/Jackson-Mississippi.html

Jackson, Mississippi. Retrieved November 14, 2006 from, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackson%2C_Mississippi

International Business Development Survey Summary (February 2006). Mississippi World Trade Center. Retrieved November 1, 2006 from, http://www.mswtc.org/resources/Survey%20Summary.PDF

Jackson, Mississippi retrieved December 2, 2006 from http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=19895

2000 Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates. Retrieved December 6, 2006 http://www.bls.gov/oes/2000/oes_3560.htm

Mathew, D. & Harris W.M. (2001) Urban-Spatial Segregation in Jackson, MS:
Planning for Equity Lincoln Institute of Land Policy Conference Paper Retrieved October 18, 2006 http://www.lincolninst.edu/pubs/dl/598_dalbey_harris.pdf

Summary of Mississippi Landfills (2004) Retrieved December 2, 2006 from, http://www.epa.gov/lmop/proj/xls/lmopdatams.xls.

City of Jackson Website. Retrieved October 30, 2006 from, http://www.city.jackson.ms.us/

Jackson Public Schools Website. Retrieved December 4, 2006 from, http://www.jackson.k12.ms.us/

Burns M. & Williams C. (2003) Capitals and Capitols:  The Places and Spaces of Mississippi’s Seat of Government. Mississippi History Now. Retrieved December 2, 2006 from, http://mshistory.k12.ms.us/features/feature44/capitals_capitols.html

Mississippi QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau. Retrieved October 31, 2006 from, http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/28000.html

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A Brief Introduction to My Journey into the MTC

amynoellee — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 11:36:26 CDT

In my original admissions essay for the Mississippi Teacher Corps, I wrote about the emptiness of my college graduation ceremony at Antioch College. Even after two years, I can still remember the loneliness of the festivities. My apathy stemmed from a feeling of guilt that I could easily pinpoint. To put it simply, I had made it and others, with economic and racial backgrounds similar to mine, had not. Instead of being a moment of triumph, I saw faces that were missing. Being a first-generation college graduate comes with a lot of pressure, however nothing could have prepared me to face the failures of America’s biggest myth: educational equity in public schooling. My decision to join MTC seemed to come from a culmination of my educational and personal experiences.

I love learning. It is something I cherish, and even as a child I would play “teacher” to an audience of various stuffed animals. I would pretend that my mother’s book were desks and to this day they still have the names of my pretend students written rather un-neatly in them. Later at Antioch College, I studied everything I was interested in: peace studies, video communications, and literature. I spent an extra year getting a double degree because I could not help myself! I simply loved learning. I also loved helping others appreciate the learning process, and I worked as a tutor and teacher’s assistant every semester I attended. In addition, my studies included an emphasis on social justice that is not found at every institution. After graduation, I became a counselor at a treatme nt center for students who were victims of abuse. The center also provided a private school for the students. I had the opportunity to help students achieve academic success. Most of the students had not attended school on a regular basis and were behind, and they also had complex emotional problems or learning abilities that interfered with their past educational experiences. Despite these odds, our students were achieving success at a very rapid pace. Watching and being a part of their success was quite a feeling-- a feeling I sought to repeat over and over again.

My decision to join the teacher corps did not happen overnight, I feel as if the amalgam of my life’s experiences put this path in front of me. My philosophies on social justice and educational equity made the MTC seem like a perfect option. I applied to many teaching programs and MTC was my first choice. I wanted to teach in Mississippi. I wanted to attempt to make a difference. I wanted to join the Mississippi Teacher Corps.

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