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While at Georgetown I've had great opportunities to make connections between my work in the classroom and the work I'll be doing post-graduation. Participating in the activities listed below have given me hands-on experiences that have changed my perspective on how to be more effective, empathetic, and flexible in the classroom. 

Education Outside the Box 

 

Apprenticeship in Teaching

Organized by the Center for New Designs in Learning & Scholarship, the AT program offers  workshops for graduate students to learn about current best practices in the classroom: from effective classroom interactions  to syllabus design. Of the seven workshop I attended, I particularly enjoyed "Assessment and Grading," which helped me understand the importance of creating assessments aligned with course goals. I also enjoyed a workshop on "Digital Stories" that changed how I thought about the possibilities of new media in the english classroom.

     Another facet of the program requires students to complete four authentic teaching tasks. These include: a reflection on being a teaching assistant,  a syllabus, a teaching philosophy statement, and a videotape of the student teaching. These experiences were crucial in my career preparation.  

To watch my videotaped teaching task,  click here.

 

Writing Tutor at Duke Ellington High School

      As a tutor at Duke Ellington School of the Arts I tutored students one-on-one. Just a few blocks from Georgetown campus the tutoring program allowed me to build my confidence working with student writing and apply the theories I had learned in "Approaches to Teaching Writing." 

    I also co-taught several classes at Duke Ellington with one of their English Faculty. Preparing materials and teaching about the poetry of the Harlem Renaissance was a initially nerve-wracking but ultimately rewarding experience.  Receiving feedback on my teaching and accustoming myself to a classroom setting prepared me for my job as a teaching assistant and for my post-graduation objectives. 

    

Georgetown Veteran Ally Seminar 

This seminar, organized by my colleague Maj. Paul De Leon, provided an excellent opportunity to become more aware of an important student population in community colleges--returning veterans. Listening to students, faculty, and staff discuss the challenges and rewards of helping  veterans in the classroom  gave me the unique opportunity to think about how I can make my own classroom more welcoming for this population. I especially enjoyed listening to Professor Elizabeth Stanley speak about her own experiences returning to the classroom and hearing a panel of student veterans discuss their experiences re-entering civilian life. I hope as I move into my own classroom that I can be more sensitive to the needs of student veterans because of this excellent seminar.  

This picture shows seminar participants examining body armor and other gear. I'm in the bottom right corner, looking attentive. 

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