I know I say "wow" a lot, but WOW!! First of all, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to Fund for Teachers, the Public Education Foundation, and everyone who supports these organizations! I would have NEVER been able to
do the things I have done this past week and a half without your support.
I learned SO MANY things, and I am eager to take all of the information I gathered back to share with my students. For
example, I knew tenements were small, but only 325 sq. ft??!! WOW! That the ghettos created by the Nazis sometimes housed over 10,000 Jews in only 180 apartments... WOW! That Wall Street is named after a literal wall built by
the Dutch to protect the street where they traded goods...The city's high school graduation rate is only 61% with some schools barely hitting 28%? Wow! I mean, I could go on and on and on about how much stuff I learned these past 10 days. There is no way that I could pick my "favorite" thing in NYC! I enjoyed it all and learned so much at each place I visited.
My only regret is that I limited my time in the city. I wish I had planned for a couple of extra days. My itinerary was so jammed pack that when other opportunities arose, I could not partake in them. For example, I met up with the
Center Director at the Children's Aid Society in the Bronx. After speaking with her for a little over an hour, she offered to put me in touch with some other places that I could visit, but I did not have time to visit. I also met up with another fellow who teaches in Harlem. She spoke to her principal, and they invited me in to tour their school, but I did not have
time. Another fellow contacted me to meet up, but I did not have time. ADVICE FOR FUTURE FELLOWS: Allow yourself a little extra time for other opportunities that may arise! I was trying to make the trip as economically efficient as possible, so I crammed everyday with activities from dusk until dawn! I didn't anticipate other opportunities being offered to me. And, by the time I got home each night, I was so tired that I got behind on my blog. I really, really wish I had given myself an extra day or two so that I could meet all of these wonderful people. I'm not suggesting that you waste the donors' money by asking for a month long trip, but do give yourself a little time to keep up with your blog and participate in unforeseen activities!
It's so funny because I try to teach my kids to be open minded and to get out and experience things themselves. I have to admit, I had some misconceptions about NYC. I imagined it to be just like what I saw on TV. I imagined that every street was jammed pack with people walking shoulder-to-shoulder, bumping into each other while spouting out obscenities at tourists who walk too slow, but this was not at all true. It's actually a very laid back city. People had warned me not to talk to the locals... that they don't like to be bothered by tourist... NOT TRUE! Everyone was so friendly to me. And, aside from a little incident in the Bronx, I never felt unsafe.
Everyday was filled with new adventures. I am so excited to take back all of the information, artifacts, books, and pictures to share with my students. I am also very eager to share the strategies I learned from NYC educators and social workers so that we may incorporate some of them into our own school and district. Again, thank you FFT, PEF, and all of the generous donors who contribute to make educators' dreams come true!
do the things I have done this past week and a half without your support.
I learned SO MANY things, and I am eager to take all of the information I gathered back to share with my students. For
example, I knew tenements were small, but only 325 sq. ft??!! WOW! That the ghettos created by the Nazis sometimes housed over 10,000 Jews in only 180 apartments... WOW! That Wall Street is named after a literal wall built by
the Dutch to protect the street where they traded goods...The city's high school graduation rate is only 61% with some schools barely hitting 28%? Wow! I mean, I could go on and on and on about how much stuff I learned these past 10 days. There is no way that I could pick my "favorite" thing in NYC! I enjoyed it all and learned so much at each place I visited.
My only regret is that I limited my time in the city. I wish I had planned for a couple of extra days. My itinerary was so jammed pack that when other opportunities arose, I could not partake in them. For example, I met up with the
Center Director at the Children's Aid Society in the Bronx. After speaking with her for a little over an hour, she offered to put me in touch with some other places that I could visit, but I did not have time to visit. I also met up with another fellow who teaches in Harlem. She spoke to her principal, and they invited me in to tour their school, but I did not have
time. Another fellow contacted me to meet up, but I did not have time. ADVICE FOR FUTURE FELLOWS: Allow yourself a little extra time for other opportunities that may arise! I was trying to make the trip as economically efficient as possible, so I crammed everyday with activities from dusk until dawn! I didn't anticipate other opportunities being offered to me. And, by the time I got home each night, I was so tired that I got behind on my blog. I really, really wish I had given myself an extra day or two so that I could meet all of these wonderful people. I'm not suggesting that you waste the donors' money by asking for a month long trip, but do give yourself a little time to keep up with your blog and participate in unforeseen activities!
It's so funny because I try to teach my kids to be open minded and to get out and experience things themselves. I have to admit, I had some misconceptions about NYC. I imagined it to be just like what I saw on TV. I imagined that every street was jammed pack with people walking shoulder-to-shoulder, bumping into each other while spouting out obscenities at tourists who walk too slow, but this was not at all true. It's actually a very laid back city. People had warned me not to talk to the locals... that they don't like to be bothered by tourist... NOT TRUE! Everyone was so friendly to me. And, aside from a little incident in the Bronx, I never felt unsafe.
Everyday was filled with new adventures. I am so excited to take back all of the information, artifacts, books, and pictures to share with my students. I am also very eager to share the strategies I learned from NYC educators and social workers so that we may incorporate some of them into our own school and district. Again, thank you FFT, PEF, and all of the generous donors who contribute to make educators' dreams come true!