Empower Inspired Teaching Youth this Giving Tuesday

Three months ago, I enrolled in a class that is unlike anything I’ve experienced so far in my education. My name is Leah and I’m a junior at a DCPS high school in Washington, DC. This year, in addition to my regular coursework, I’m taking a class called Real World History offered by Inspired Teaching to students from all over the District. I’m writing to share my experience and ask for your support.

My classmates and I have already gone on field trips that enrich our minds with knowledge necessary for our future colleges and careers, and help us better understand our respective histories in the District. This spring, Real World History will provide my classmates and me with internships at places like Ford’s Theatre and Smithsonian museums. As a high school student, I find this extremely exciting. I have had very little work experience, and the possibility of an internship at the Smithsonian is something that, like many, I have never before fathomed.

I’m also in Inspired Teaching’s Speak Truth program–student-led discussions on current events that matter to us. This has allowed me to connect with other students by way of opinion–whether I agree with them on the topic or not. Connecting with others regardless of seeing eye to eye on a variety of topics is an extremely important skill to develop–and getting this experience as a teenager means we will be equipped to do this as adults. These programs set students up for success in every way possible, and I am appreciative to everyone at Inspired Teaching for making them available to students like me!

Inspired Teaching believes that education should be rich with these kinds of experiences–this year, we’ll provide them directly to more than 500 students. And through our teacher training programs, we’ll help hundreds of local educators design inspiring and engaging learning experiences for thousands of students in their classrooms.

These programs affirm for young people that they are valued contributors to a community that has a shared past and a shared future. Our programs introduce students to people with experiences and ideas that are different from their own–and demonstrate that it’s possible for us to honor each other’s perspectives, respectfully disagree, and find common ground.

Now more than ever, this is what our community and our nation need. Inspired Teaching is proud to play a part in building the next generation of leaders who will act with imagination, intellect, and integrity.

We rely on support from individuals like you who believe that every young person deserves an inspired, engaging, and life-changing education. Your gift will ensure that Inspired Teaching can continue to deliver the services that expand the horizons and enrich the lives of young people in DC.

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.