Teacher Feature: Mr. Neugass - Center for Inspired Teaching

Inspired Teaching spoke with Antone Neugass, Inspired Teaching Fellow (‘17) to learn about his experience co-teaching Kindergarten during summer school at Capital City Public Charter School. Antone recently began his first year as a teacher of record at Creative Minds International PCS.

Why did you decide to become a teacher?

Early on in my professional career, I worked as a park ranger, working with high school students on conservation issues. Later on, I worked as a grant writer in the environmental field and in nonprofit management. I felt a strong need to get back to that early experience of working with people, not sitting behind a computer.

Those early jobs were probably some of the most fulfilling and intellectually stimulating ones I’d had. I love the experience of learning and growing with kids. When I worked with high school students, helping them learn to collaborate as a team, and getting to see them grow from that experience, was exciting. Combined with the fact that I have a 6-year-old daughter, this all made me want to head toward the field of education.

I realized I wanted to be in the classroom. I wanted to be a good teacher, not just a teacher and I felt Inspired Teaching would give me those tools.

What attracted you to Inspired Teaching’s Residency model?

The residency aspect of the program was a big selling point because I’m very much an experiential learner. Beyond a couple months of student teaching, I wanted to see the entire duration of a school year. I felt that would really be beneficial in shaping my teaching pedagogy.

I wouldn’t have necessarily chosen early childhood, but it turned out to be a really great fit. One of the things I really love about the 4-7-year-old range is that kids are incredibly curious and excited about everything in the world. Helping them explore their interests has proven to be really exciting.

Looking back at your own experiences in school, what is something you hope to make different for your students?

As a new teacher, one of the hardest things to master is learning how to differentiate lessons for the diversity of learning needs. While I had classes and teachers who did that, I also had more traditional teachers who stood in front of the class and used only direct instruction. I want to learn to incorporate differentiation in my classroom so I really can help kids who have tremendous assets in different areas realize their potential.

What is something that has surprised you about Summer School so far?

One of the things that surprised me most was having to establish strong relationships and build trust with my students in a such a compacted timeframe. I don’t think I appreciated how challenging that would be, but I think we succeeded a fair bit in developing good relationships. You have to establish connections quickly, and identify areas where they are struggling, and identify their strengths.

Every classroom throughout summer school chooses a theme related to STEM to orient the students’ learning. Describe the theme your classroom chose and why it has been a powerful learning experience for your students.

We chose construction and the most powerful thing about that theme is that construction really is a creative process. We have really focused on each step: You envision what you want to build, you research it, then you plan and design it on paper. Afterwards you build it and finally you revise it. Watching the children go through each step, and think carefully as they decide to make adjustments, is rewarding and fascinating.

In your kindergarten classroom, your students are focusing specifically on developing structures that will make DC are more fair and interesting place to live. How has this specific focus pushed their learning and development?

This summer, we invited the summer school principal to challenge the students to create structures that will DC a more interesting and fair place for kids. We came up with a wide variety of things like things that would interest kids — like a volcano, and an ice cream store on every corner. We pushed them to think about things that they have access to that other kids don’t.

I think it’s important because especially in early childhood because the kids are very egocentric. They are very concerned about what is fair. It’s a great way for kids to start to learn that social emotional skill, and collaborate with others, and see other points of view. Fairness is a great window into expanding kids’ thinking.

When you think about the year ahead, what do you hope your students will learn in your classroom?

I want to give my students a strong foundation in language development, basic math and writing skills. That is my focus, but I want to do that in a fun and creative way. I also want my students to understand that people in school care about them and that school is a safe (and dare I say) enjoyable place to be.

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.