For my networking project for our trip, I was determined to meet with a teacher in the NYC area. I had tried contacting a teacher that worked for Teach for America, but was unable to reach her. After then exhausting the remainder of my contacts in that area, I finally asked one of our teachers, Dr. Rieck for assistance. He then gave me the contact information for Dani Raymond, a math teacher who works for the Achievement First Charter Schools in Brooklyn. Through email I was able to coordinate our schedules for the week that we were in the NYC area.
Our meeting was very casual. Dani and her husband John met with us at our hotel and while we waited for a table availability at a local restaurant, we started our informal interview. To begin, Dani and John began by telling me how they came about coming to New York City. They first came because John had wanted to come here to pursue his trumpet playing. When Dani first got to NYC, she was not able to apply to any public schools because the school system was not accepting applications from out of state. This led her to applying to charter schools. The school that she works for is Achievement First in Brooklyn. At her school, 99% of the school is comprised of minority students. And all of the students were selected for enrollment by a lottery system. The purpose of the school is to focus on reading, writing, and math as well as instilling good morals in their students.
I was very interested in what Dani had to say about the charter school she worked at because the only experience I had had with charter schools in my area were charter schools that were for students with discipline problems. I particularly liked speaking with her and John, who teaches music lessons at the United Nation International Schools, because they were from the midwest and actually alumni of UWEC. I was really fortunate for this because one of my major concerns about wanting to teach in an urban environment was being able to tough it out in a more culturally diverse area than I had previously been exposed to.
It was very comforting to know that both John and Dani had also had similar concerns with teaching in NYC. I also really enjoyed discussing their opinions of programs like Teach for America with them, as many of Dani's co-workers at her charter school had once been in that program. Overall, the interview gave me a lot more security and reassurance that I was not too idealistic about what an experience working in an urban environment will be like.
In addition to my initial interview with Dani and John, Dani was also kind enough to invite me to her school in Brooklyn. The experience was absolutely amazing! Although when I observed, I was watching Dani's math classroom the majority of the time, I still learned classroom management techniques and motivational tools to use in any classroom. Dani also got me into contact with her school's music teacher, John Yao, who I was also able to observe and speak with. This was a different music experience for me because this was Mr. Yao's first job and experience being in a school as a teacher. He had gone to Indiana for performance and received his experience teaching students through private lessons and after school programs. I still learned a lot from watching the class and it was really interesting to see how he addressed the individual needs of the students.
Spending the day at Achievement First was fantastic! I learned so much and really appreciated the experience. Dani and her husband were so kind to me and welcomed for me to contact them with any additional questions regarding teaching. I was also impressed by how humble both she and her husband were. Upon my exit, Dani had asked me if I had any suggestions for her teaching based on my observations.
Although I am bias, I simply have so much respect for those who teach and I am very proud to soon be able to count myself amongst their ranks. I cannot wait to start teaching in my own classroom and hopefully begin to foster a lifelong love of music in my students.
Cory Bristol
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