Teacher Feature - Ms. Sandra Ponce - Center for Inspired Teaching

August 2, 2017

Inspired Teaching spoke with 2016 Fellow Sandra this July to learn about her experience co-teaching Pre-k students in summer school before beginning her first year as teacher of record.

What is your favorite thing about working with children?

I love how creative children are. They don’t need prior knowledge to be creative—they just are. It’s invigorating and a new adventure every day. They give the best hugs. I love how they are always genuinely happy to see you every morning. Even if the previous day wasn’t the best day for them, when they come to school the next morning they scream, run down the hall, and hug you. That makes it all worth it.

Now that you’ve completed a full year with the program, how would you describe your experience with the Inspired Teacher Certification Program this far?

It was very challenging in a way that pushed me to be a better teacher, a better planner, and willing to be excited for the unknown. And that something I never thought I’d be ready for. This year helped me prepare for the unexpected, and my lead teacher helped me learn that if I listen to my kids, they will help guide my lessons in a way that is best for them to learn. This entire experience has felt like a scary roller coaster that I would 100% get back in line for.

In what ways have you grown this summer?

This summer has taught me lots of patience – I thought I was organized before, but this summer taught me to be even more organized. Throughout the summer I’ve learned to how to plan and get ahead of my work, which allows me to have the freedom to enjoy being in the moment my students without worrying about lesson planning for the next day or thinking about what comes next. Also, this summer gave me the great opportunity to speak with kids without the pressure of the academic year, and that’s been really refreshing. I don’t have to push an agenda; for some moments I can just sit with my students and together we can chat, play, and make believe.

You are co-teaching with a cohort member. How has collaborating with your colleague influenced your growth this summer?

Co-teaching is new for me and establishing equal collaboration has been challenging, but it has given me the insight into my collaboration style. Teaching alongside a cohort member has allowed me to understand the balance between what I need from a partner and what I can give them. I’ve learned more about honest and open communication. I’ve especially learned the importance of being upfront from the beginning and being able to see the other person’s point of view and see where I may be able to give more, and where I need to get more from the relationship.

The overarching theme of summer school is STEM, and each classroom picks a more specific, unique theme. How have you used the theme in your classroom to excite students about STEM?

We came up with the idea of Engineering Through Fairytales because students could learn about engineering by building structures from fairytales in a way that brings these concepts to life. In our classroom, the students are free to decide to build whatever structure they want—we don’t want to limit their imaginations. They are only required to write their ideas so they can see the their progress from the start. All building is encouraged. The fairytales helped get the students hooked into the concept that all children have idea and with perseverance, they can bring their ideas to life from paper to object. Even when it is hard and frustrating, we encourage our students to work with their hands and innovate. Our class mantra is a call and response: I say, “If it doesn’t work this time, what do we do?” The students answer: “We try, try, try.”

What role does integrity play in your classroom?

I’ve seen a lot of integrity in that even at this young of an age, our students acknowledge that when one of their friends is building a really great structure, they are able to collaborate. If our students are stumped, they’re encouraged to as a friend for help first, then ask a teacher. This helps allow them to feel autonomous for their learning ad feel that all ideas are important. Through teaching STEM this summer, I’ve seen that as students build, they acknowledge that their idea has come to fruition, but a friend helped it come to life as well.

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.