Growing & Thriving in a Changing DC - Center for Inspired Teaching

January 26, 2017

This piece by Jane Ehrenfeld, Inspired Teaching’s Executive Director, appeared in Inspired Teaching’s January 2017 newsletter.

Washington, DC, which has been Center for Inspired Teaching’s home since our founding in 1996, has witnessed, experienced, and instigated changes – good, bad, insignificant, wide-reaching, complex – over its long history as our nation’s capital, and as a city in its own right. The children who grow up here contribute to a vibrant present. They hope for a bright future. Our wish for the children in DC, and indeed for children everywhere, has always been the same: a powerful, joyful school experience that enables every child to thrive.

For twenty-one years, we have worked to make this vision a reality. We have weathered the changes along with the rest of our DC community. We have lived through the economic and demographic shifts that have shaped and reshaped our city, our schools, and the broader region. We have worked with 9 leaders of the DC Public Schools, and we look forward to working with our newest public school leader. We have seen the growth of the public charter school sector. We have chosen to work wherever students need Inspired Teaching and wherever teachers are ready to engage in the challenging, rewarding efforts to shift their mindsets and improve their practice.

Over our history, we have worked with teachers in 95% of DC Public Schools, along with many public charter schools. Inspired Teachers continue to work in all eight Wards of the District, and the Inspired Teaching Demonstration School is proud of a student population that represents every Ward. We are committed to demonstrating, through our work with a diverse range of students and teachers, that Inspired Teaching is possible for everyone. And not only does every child deserve an education that engages and builds the 4 I’s: Intellect, Inquiry, Imagination, and Integrity — but our hope for a better world also depends on young people growing up in a way that activates their full potential.

Our commitment to DC is unwavering. The lines that mark the border of our city from the surrounding counties have blurred, and we are eager to serve the students and teachers in our broader region. We are currently working to bring together a diverse cohort of teachers from the DMV region to learn and play together in our upcoming 2017-18 Inspired Teaching Institute. Meanwhile, we will continue to expand our influence and impact nationwide, until engagement-based education is the norm for every child.

Our past at Inspired Teaching informs our present in many ways. It connects us to this city, and it connects us to people. Everyone who partners with us to build a better school experience leaves a lasting influence. Founder and President Aleta Margolis recently wrote an appreciation of Oran Sandel, a luminary who brought his joyful creativity and theater expertise to Inspired Teaching’s foundational years. Tess Gann, a Teaching and Learning Intern, described how our teacher training resonated deeply with her because of her personal experience as a high school student. Our first residency partner site for the Inspired Teacher Certification Program, Capital City Public Charter School, remains a close partner. We followed the journey of Jessie Curry, a 2012 Inspired Teaching Fellow who started at Capital City as a resident, became a teacher of record, and is now training a resident of her own.

As many in our close community know, Aleta lost her beloved father, Judge Lawrence S. Margolis, on January 18th. Her father was with her every step of the way through the founding and building of Center for Inspired Teaching and the Inspired Teaching Demonstration School. We look forward to sharing a tribute to Judge Margolis in an upcoming newsletter.

We are proud of our past, committed to our present, and motivated to bring about a bright future. Thank you for supporting us, with your gifts during our #InspiredFamily campaign, with your time and energy and passion dedicated to the well-being of students and teachers, and with your connections to potential teachers, current teachers, and school leaders, in DC, in the broader region, and across the United States and the world. We’re looking forward to another great year of Inspired Teaching.

Micaiah Anderson

Community Outreach Specialist

As a Community Outreach Specialist, Micaiah is responsible for program promotion and outreach support for Inspired Teaching events and workshops. Micaiah has a passion for collaborating with community members to build-power and connect. She is an educator with a heart for youth and has experience supporting students fight injustices within their schools and communities. She has a BA in Political Science from, the real HU, Hampton University & anticipates graduating in May 2024 with a Masters of Arts degree in Educational Policy Transformation from Georgetown University.

AUTONOMY

"I want to have a say in what happens to me."

Autonomy is the need for independence; the ability to make choices, to create, to explore, and to express oneself freely; to have sufficient space, to move around, and to feel unrestricted with opportunities to exercise free will.

Brady Maiden

Outreach Coordinator

As the Outreach Coordinator, Brady helps maintain Inspired Teaching’s social media presence and supports the organization’s mission to connect with DC community leaders, educators, and parents. Brady has her Master’s in Public Policy from George Mason University and her BS in Political Science from Northern Arizona University. She is passionate about community, equity, and coalition building recognizing that learning and growing with the community at large is how we continue to be impactful.

What brings you joy in life?

I find joy in spending time with my friends and family and meeting new people. I like going to concerts and festivals, and finding new books to read.

The Learner’s Cycle, Wonder-Experiment-Learn, and the Teacher’s Cycle, Observe-Plan-Instigate, comprise Inspired Teaching’s approach to engaging students in inquiry-based learning.

When they are engaged in the Wonder-Experiment-Learn Cycle, students are immersed in learning. They take the lead in designing authentic learning experiences around their own interests and their school’s standards of learning. Each discovery leads to a new question which in turn leads to more wondering and more learning. In the Wonder-Experiment-Learn Cycle, Learn is not a destination or an endpoint; it is a deeper understanding, leading to a deeper wondering and new possibilities that create new entry points to further exploration. The cycle continues because what students have learned generates more wonderings that require more experiments that foster more learning – and on and on.

The Observe-Plan-Instigate Cycle is the work of an Inspired Teacher. While a student is expected to follow the Wonder-Experiment-Learn Cycle, the teacher joins them on the learning journey while following their own cycle of Observe-Plan-Instigate. This cycle ultimately serves to ensure an inquiry-based atmosphere is at play in the classroom.

Jaqueta Abbey

Teaching and Learning Specialist

Jaqueta is the Teaching and Learning Specialist for Inspired Teaching. In addition to her current role with Inspired Teaching, Jaqueta is a first-grade teaching assistant. Her background features a variety of traditional and non-traditional experiences in the field of education, including working as an adjunct professor, teaching summer reading programs to children and adults, and tutoring children in the foster care system. Jaqueta earned a B.A. in Communication Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and an M.A. in Interactive Media from Elon University.

What brings you joy in life?

Creative self-expression! In addition to my passion for storytelling, I love dancing of all kinds. I've studied belly dance, bachata, and Brazilian Zouk among other styles. I also enjoy glass fusing, crocheting, photography, and cross stitching. These art forms allow me to express myself and build connections with other people at the same time. I think life would be a lot less vibrant without artists and storytellers!

Michelle Welk

Communication & Marketing Specialist

As Communications and Marketing Specialist, Michelle is responsible for finding and creating new ways to highlight Inspired Teaching and promote its programs in order to expand and deepen the organization's impact. Michelle has worked in communications in an array of settings, from creative agencies to state politics to national nonprofits. She has a BA in Journalism from Temple University in Philadelphia and is passionate about education, access, and equity.

What brings you joy in life?

My son, the beach, making a persuasive argument and good food!

Max Peterson

Real World History Assistant Teacher

Max received his Bachelor’s degree in History and African American Studies from Boston University in May 2016. He has worked in museum curation at the Museum of the White Mountains in New Hampshire and the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Max has worked with young people of varying ages from young children to young adults transitioning to college.

Feedback and Accountability

We grow through feedback and an understanding that the quality of our work is a reflection of what we are learning, but the shift to remote learning this spring disrupted a lot of the tools teachers were used to using to evaluate student growth. How might we do things differently this fall? Participants in this workshop will explore ways to bring meaningful assessment into the virtual and/or socially-distanced classroom and approaches to student feedback that strengthen motivation, and build relationships and achievement.