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Khapria Wynn, 5th Grade ELA Teacher

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Can you talk a little bit about your journey to your current position?
I first started teaching in 2007, after graduating from the University of Maryland. I taught at a small private school for about three years, where I learned from some amazing teachers. That’s where I built my teaching foundation. After that, I moved to a Level 5 school for about six years. All of my students were labelled as emotionally dysfunctional. It was there where I realized that every child can learn. I was introduced to Friendship in 2016 and came on board as a 4th grade ELA teacher. This was also the first year we adopted our Wit & Wisdom curriculum, and I really liked it. I looped [continued to the next grade level] with my scholars to 5th grade, the grade I am currently teaching.

I had the opportunity to loop with my students when I was at the Level 5 school and I witnessed firsthand how beneficial it was. Teaching requires relationship building; it’s fundamental. You need a relationship in order for a child to trust you. When you loop with your scholars, they know what to expect on day 1. They know that Ms. Wynn is going to come in and require this, this, and this. They’re well prepared to meet expectations. 

Is there anything that I haven’t asked you yet that you want to be sure to include in your spotlight?
I would say every child can learn. If we provide an opportunity for children to learn, they’re going to – regardless of socio-economic status, regardless of disability. Children want to learn and they want to be in a structured environment. We have to make sure that we show up every day with that in mind.

Can you talk more about creating a structured environment?
As an ELA teacher, I have rotation charts where the students are assigned to be each day. They start with a “do now” activity, which takes about 5-7 minutes. They then rotate around the classroom and sit in a small group with me. They do a learning center with Words Their Way. The rotation doesn’t change. They know what they’re doing in those centers, and they know which day of the week they’re doing it. If I give them a writing assignment, they already know the first step they have to do. I make sure to teach them the system so that they can do it whether I’m here or not. I want to teach them how to be proactive learners.

Is there a fun fact that your colleagues don’t know about you that you’d like to share?
I love to travel. If I could do it for the rest of my life, I would-exploring, learning about different cultures and meeting interesting people… it’s just what I love!

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Adia Harris, Atelierista

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Could you talk about your journey to your current position?
I worked at a bookstore for many years and ran the children’s book section. I would do storytime for little kids and give recommendations to the parents of kids who were struggling readers. Families would come back time and time again saying, “You should try teaching.”
 
Someone recommended Community Academy PCS (CAPCS), which had a campus inspired by the principles of Reggio Emilia. It was one of the coolest interviews I ever experienced; I got to play with clay and build things and explain my work, in the interview! I thought, “I don’t know what this Reggio work is all about, but whatever it is, I love it.” Ever since, I have only taught under the Reggio Emilia philosophy. 
 
When CAPCS shut down, our principal recommended that I apply to Friendship PCS. She said, “I think you’re great as a classroom teacher, but I think you’d be phenomenal as an atelierista.” 
 
So I pursued an opportunity to be an atelierista at Friendship and this is now my fifth year at Friendship building, creating, and discovering the world with our youngest scholars. It’s amazing.
 
Can you talk about the role of the Atelierista?
In Reggio, we believe that children are the leaders of their own education. Teachers are guides. What I do is to facilitate their understanding of the world through the creative processes and by building critical thinking skills through conversation and thinking routines. 
 
Everything we use is real. We use real clay, real tools, authentic art supplies. It communicates to our students that we value them, we believe they are capable.  Loris Malaguzzi, the creator of this philosophy, believes that children have 100 languages. And in the atelier, hopefully they have a chance to try all those languages and more. They get to talk, build, and create using an abundance of materials, helping them enhance their understanding of the world. We do a lot of exploration of what we understand, believe, and how to express our beliefs.
 
I also collaborate with my team, we gather as a group bringing conversations, photographs, videos, and we support each other in planning experiences and provocations for student understanding.

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Have you been surprised by anything your students have created in the art studio?
What surprises me the most is not so much their completed artwork, but how they speak about their work and their thoughts. Their processes are powerful, and in the atelier I always try to value the process over the product.  In life, we tend to get so caught up in the finished product but we forget that it’s in the journey where the true beauty lies. I’m surprised by the things they say, the innovative way their wield materials.  By placing a premium on the process and observing that process I am able to gain new insights into the students we work with and what matters to them. Their works have powerful meanings for them. One of our teachers just had a baby and so we made a book of advice for her baby. One of the students painted beautiful vibrant colors on one side of the page and the other side was plain. Her advice for the baby was, “Remember, you are beautiful even when you don’t feel like it.” She said the side of the page without colors is when you don’t feel beautiful. She said that the side of the page with the colors represents the colors that live inside you.
 
I think that is something powerful for anyone to say, but this came from a three-year-old. Adults generally don’t think that young kids process the world deeply, but they do. 
 
It’s those moments when they really surprise me; the art, sure, but to me it’s all about the powerful meaning and thinking they put behind it.
 
What do you feel the young scholars get out of working with you as a side-by-side partner?
They get to experience an adult in a different kind of way. We are used to the idea that you go to school and know you need to listen to your teacher, and sure, there’s a level of that in Reggio. We cannot get to wonderful freedom without norms and expectations. But the students also know they have a lot of autonomy. When we start the school year, they look at me like, “Are you sure you want to let us do that?” I reply back, “You’re 100% allowed to do that,” and then I watch them take risks and grow. They begin to discover the materials and their properties so that they can later push the materials to new limits. By valuing their process and not the products they produce, they become more comfortable to try new things and push themselves. It makes our spaces more inspiring, collaborative, and vibrant. Together we are creating a community where everyone feels empowered and every voice has equal value. There is no hierarchy. My students know that I’m also here to learn from them, just as much as they are here to learn from me.
 
Are there any Reggio concepts that would be useful for other teachers to incorporate in their classrooms?
Allow students to express concepts in different ways, which may not always be traditional. Teachers have a lot to cover and there isn’t always time to allow for more freedom of expression in the classroom.  However, I think it is crucial to actively listen to what kids are saying, in all of the “100 languages” that they share. When we broaden our scope, we realize that students often understand more than we think they do. They may just not demonstrate their understanding in the way that we prefer or anticipate. 
Can you talk a little bit more about the “100 languages”?
Reggio Emilia inspired educators to believe that children express themselves and make meaning of the world through several different languages. It’s similar to how we view emotions. When someone is angry, their body language says it, their face says it, but they may not come out and say, “I’m angry.” 
 
The same is true for learning. Maybe they won’t speak it or write it, but maybe they’ll dance it or paint it or sing it or build it. I run an after-school photography club, and one of my quietest students takes the most powerful photographs. He gets very close to objects and takes special care about the photos he takes. Many of the other students simply do a lot of “click, click, click” with their cameras, but his approach is very intentional. He offers a different perspective, one that is uniquely his voice. 
 
As one of his daytime teachers, it was compelling for me because I always knew he had something to communicate. It wasn’t until I put a camera in his hand that I was able to watch him light up. Photography is certainly one of his “languages.” When we see his artwork, it elucidates what is in his head that he doesn’t say to us. It has also given him more confidence and strengthened his voice because he wants to talk about and share his photographs.
 
That is what the “100 languages” are all about. They’re about finding ways to help scholars thrive. We have to be both an interpreter and translator, which means we have to be carefully listening to what they’re saying (and not saying) through their art, body language, and movements. We synthesize these observations to create experiences that allow children to explore the world more deeply. 
 
It’s pretty amazing stuff when you support a student in making the connection with a “language” that allows the child the freedom to more fully express their thoughts. 
 
What do you hope your students will carry with them after they graduate from Pre-K and move forward on their academic journey?
I want them to know they are powerful. Sometimes they do things differently from others, and it’s okay to be different. I want them to truly value their community. It’s a beautiful thing to exist in a world where everyone has a unique way of looking at things. I hope they grow to understand each other and navigate their differences. I want them to blossom because of their differences and thrive in spaces where every person is different. I’m trying to give them a powerful voice that will one day change the world. 
 
What do you like about Friendship?
I love that I share a community with my talented, intelligent, and thoughtful Reggio-inspired crew. But I’m also an active member of so many other groups in the building. I have some truly awe-inspiring coworkers who go above and beyond for their students every day.  It is so wonderful to be able to work for an administration that sees and celebrates the Reggio Emilia philosophy. We’ve been given the space to engage in this work with fidelity and its truly empowering. I love that Friendship has accepted us and I love that everyone here is really supportive of not just Reggio but of each other. This really is a great community. 
 
Are there any fun facts you’d like to share?
I spent six months in India and I am obsessed with Bollywood movies, my favorite of which is Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. And whenever write my name, I never capitalize the first letter because I’ve always loved the symmetry of my name in lower case.  
 
There’s a quote that I use with the kids, “And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”
 
This perfectly describes the work we Reggio-inspired educators do. We explore magic and wonder everywhere.

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Taylor Dow, 3rd Grade Math & Science Teacher

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What has it been like teaching at an International Baccalaureate School?
It’s been interesting. I have been learning to think more from the perspective of a student.  Instead of just handing them information, I encourage them to take ownership of their learning. We’ll engage in activities and they’ll figure out what the objective is based on what we’re doing. It’s inquiry-based learning. Not every skill can be taught with the inquiry-based approach, but I try to use it as much as possible.
 
Can you share a successful inquiry-based lesson?
Absolutely! For example, during a geometry lesson, students had to classify different types of polygons, but I didn’t explicitly tell them that was what we were doing. I just said, “Let’s describe these different polygons.” They learned through hands-on activity.
 
You have to think outside of the box and make things more hands-on. Previously, I did a lot of talking and explicit teaching, but now I am finding it to be far more effective when I step back and allow them to take the wheel of their learning; I act as a facilitator.
 
How long have you been teaching?
I have been teaching since January of 2011, so almost 8 years.
 
Can you talk about how your strategies have changed from when you just started teaching?
Being a first-year teacher is difficult. I have definitely learned different methods and models as time passed. A lot of the feedback I received was about how much talking I did, and that I should be more reflective. I even told my students, “Okay, guys, you have to ‘mute’ me because sometimes I talk too much.” Sometimes they would ‘mute’ me, but not in a disrespectful way. They know that they’re in control of their learning, and like I said, I have to take a step back and allow them to struggle through a problem. You want to jump in there and help them, but it is so much more satisfying when they push through and solve the problem on their own.
 
What have you witnessed in students since you’ve intentionally allowed them to take control of their learning?
They are much more independent. Previously, when I didn’t allow them to struggle through a particular concept, they became more dependent and needy. Now, they do things on their own and I tell them, “I’m here to help you, but I want you to try it on your own first.”

Can you talk a little about your journey?
I have been working with children for more than half my life.  For my first job, I worked at a summer enrichment program with children. I knew I always had a knack for working with children. I knew from high school that I wanted to become a teacher. In college, I majored in elementary education with the intention to be a 4th or 5th grade teacher. I’ve been teaching 3rd grade for the majority of my career, and it is a great grade. At this age, they’re very responsive and want to please you, but they’re also more independent. I love this age group.
 
What has your experience been like at Friendship Woodridge International?
I love the community here. We are very much like a family, which I enjoy because I spend the majority of my time at school. It’s great to be able to work with like-minded people each and every day. People that I can go to, people that I can grow with. And, of course, our families. I’ve had students and their siblings. I’ve seen these students grow up. It’s a great feeling. I feel respected and I truly feel like I have grown a lot while working here.
 
We have great coaching here. My math coach is awesome. I also have a math consultant who comes in regularly to observe me and we plan together. They push my thinking and I learn all the time. It’s not like, “Oh, I finished college, so I’m done learning.” I learn something new each and every day-whether it’s through professional development, articles we are suggested to read, or by working really closely with my math coach when they come in.
If there is something special that I plan to do with my students, I might ask if my assistant principal can informally observe and offer feedback so that I can continue to learn. I am very responsive to feedback because I’m a learner, too; I don’t know everything. I just want to perfect my craft.
 
For someone new to teaching, what advice might you give them?
You don’t want to overwhelm your students. So, I would definitely say build a relationship with your students and families. This will eliminate behavior issues and students will want to learn because they know and feel that you care about them. I am also big on being organized. I wasn’t when I first started-it’s something I learned over the years. Be organized and intentional with the things you keep, toss, or give away.
 
And relationships are so important. Last year, I had a scholar who exhibited behavior problems at the beginning of the year. I showed the young scholar that I really cared about him and our relationship changed drastically, and I rarely had any behavior problems from him since. It can be tough at times, but continue to push through and be patient, because the outcome is great.
 
What are some ways that you deepen relationships with scholars?
Sometimes I ask scholars to come and see me during lunchtime. They know it is not punishment. I call it “lunch bunch.” They eat with me and I get to know them in a different space and not as their math teacher. I learn about their interests and the games they like to play. It doesn’t have to be something you do every day, but I do it frequently. I’m with my scholars from the time I walk in to the time I walk out. I love them so much. But, like I said, “lunch bunch” isn’t something you have to do every day-it could be whenever you notice that a scholar just needs a little bit of extra attention. If I can, I might pull them after school, where we’ll have a more relaxed atmosphere with just a few other scholars. We’ll sometimes do homework, they’ll play music, and they really enjoy that one-on-one time they get with you.
 
Is there a fun fact that you’d like to share?
I’d like to give a shout out to Samantha Thompson, because if it wasn’t for her pushing me to come out here-I wouldn’t be here. I’m from New Jersey, and we studied Elementary education in college together. When I first graduated, she kept encouraging me to move down here. At first, I wanted to find I job around home, but then, I finally moved down here. If she hadn’t encouraged me, I wouldn’t be talking to you right now. Who knows where I’d be.

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Andrea Williams, Special Education Teacher

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What has your journey been like up to this point?
I graduated from Norfolk State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Initially, I wanted to be a school counselor, but my first job after college was working as a dedicated aide. As a dedicated aide, I served students with mild to severe disabilities. Over time, I transitioned from dedicated aide to teacher assistant, and then to special education teacher. While working in this field, my passion for working with this student population grew, so I pursued a Master’s in Education with a specialization in Special Education. Although I loved my students, I decided to pursue an opportunity to teach typically developing students with accommodations to complete grade-level curriculum. That’s how I ended up here at Friendship Chamberlain.

What do you like most about working as a special education teacher?
Every day is different. Every student’s needs are different. I like trying new things every day. When you work with special education students, you’ll find success through trial and error. To me, that’s the best part.

What strategies have you found to be most effective?
I’ve found that the multiple intelligence approach is best at engaging students and maintaining a high level of interest. Sometimes, as educators, we do not take into consideration the type of learners our students are – whether they are kinesthetic, visual, or auditory learners. Implementing the multiple intelligence approach has been useful to me. For example, when I was teaching prepositions, I realized that students were not engaged by a lecture alone. Also, some students have ADHD and need extra support to stay engaged. While playing music, I asked students to “embody” the prepositions by standing on a chair, getting under a chair, and standing next to a chair.

What do you like about Friendship Chamberlain?

I’m able to teach students who come from my community. I want to provide these students with opportunities for success. As a teacher, I’m inspired to push students to not only achieve high academic standards, but also to believe in themselves.

 

Is there anything I haven’t asked that you want to include in your spotlight?

As a special educator, it’s crucial to focus on students’ abilities, and not just their disabilities. We need to place more of an emphasis on what they can do and reach them in different ways. When we offer customized accommodations, we ensure they achieve success. Every child is a unique learner.

 

Is there a fun fact about yourself you’d like to share?
I like to sing! I sing everything that I do. I sing “Hello”, I sing “Goodbye”, I sing “You’re in trouble!” and I sing “Great job!” I sing all day, every day. My students pretend they hate it, but I think they love it.

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Denise Edmonson, Classroom Grandparent

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Can you talk about what you do at Friendship Blow Pierce?
I’m in a program called Foster Grandparents, connecting grandparents with different schools to help kids. Beforehand, we train for a week and they show us what young children are learning in class like sight words, the alphabet and numbers.


I have been a foster grandmother at Friendship Blow Pierce for five years. There are seven of us here. I come to the school every day from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. I help the kids with their lessons and give them lots of love!


When I first started, I worked with first graders. This year, I am helping in the pre-K3 class. I help them write their name, identify letters, numbers, and colors. I love to talk with them and give out lots of hugs. 

I kept Mr. Neal up-to-date on everything that was going on, updating his calendar, and so forth. In 2014, Dr. Grant came onboard as principal and our previous office manager, Ms. Johnson, moved to Collegiate. She recommended that I be the Office Manager here at Blow Pierce. I shadowed her and learned everything she did—that’s the kind of person I am, I’m interested in what my colleagues’ jobs entail so that whenever they’re out, I can jump right in and assist.

What do you like most about Friendship?
I’ve been here at Blow Pierce the whole time, but I visit other campuses every now and then for professional development. I like the family feel across the whole network. I’ve had some wonderful support here with understanding principals and administrators and wonderful colleagues. I know that our educators really enjoy and love working with kids. We have a good thing here.

Some of our staff even reach out to parents over the weekend. I sometimes stumble upon parent posts where they’re praising a teacher for this or that. Ms. Jones, for instance, goes out of her way to make sure kids have everything they need. The staff here at Friendship have a genuine love for children that goes beyond education.

Is there a fun fact you’d like to share?
I love to cook and bake in my spare time. I’m always looking for different recipes to try out with my family and friends. I’ll try anything.

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Cassandra Crowe, Office Manager

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What do you find most rewarding about what you do? 
Even though I’m not in the classroom, it’s rewarding to work with the kids we serve on a daily basis. Some of our graduating 8 th graders this school year have been with us since enrolling in kindergarten in 2011. It has been amazing to witness their growth over the years.

Another great part is being able to assist the parents that we serve. Parents often come in and share personal information with us. I can relate to them and what they may be going through. We’re all human. We all have similar struggles. I find ways to support them with whatever they may be experiencing – whether it’s with the school, with their children, or something at home.
Could you talk about your experience up to your current role? I believe you mentioned that you’ve been at Friendship for a long time working in various capacities.

Before coming to Friendship, I worked as an assistant at DCPS at their Office of the Superintendent. One of my colleagues informed the previous principal, Ralph Neal, that I was looking for an assistant position at a school, as I had come to know him from his time at DCPS. I came in for an interview and that’s how I got started at Friendship. I have been at Friendship Blow Pierce since 2007.

I kept Mr. Neal up-to-date on everything that was going on, updating his calendar, and so forth. In 2014, Dr. Grant came onboard as principal and our previous office manager, Ms. Johnson, moved to Collegiate. She recommended that I be the Office Manager here at Blow Pierce. I shadowed her and learned everything she did—that’s the kind of person I am, I’m interested in what my colleagues’ jobs entail so that whenever they’re out, I can jump right in and assist.

What do you like most about Friendship?
I’ve been here at Blow Pierce the whole time, but I visit other campuses every now and then for professional development. I like the family feel across the whole network. I’ve had some wonderful support here with understanding principals and administrators and wonderful colleagues. I know that our educators really enjoy and love working with kids. We have a good thing here.

Some of our staff even reach out to parents over the weekend. I sometimes stumble upon parent posts where they’re praising a teacher for this or that. Ms. Jones, for instance, goes out of her way to make sure kids have everything they need. The staff here at Friendship have a genuine love for children that goes beyond education.

Is there a fun fact you’d like to share?
I love to cook and bake in my spare time. I’m always looking for different recipes to try out with my family and friends. I’ll try anything.

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Coy McKinney, Urban Agriculture Teacher

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 How did you arrive at your current role?
I initially came to DC for law school in 2009, and while I was in law school, I had an environmental epiphany when I wondered where my food was coming from. I learned about environmental justice, and previously I hadn’t known what that was. While I was going to law school at UDC, I learned that they have a College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Science. They also have a research farm in Beltsville, Maryland. And so, while I was in law school, I was also doing a work study with them, learning how to grow food. I started a UDC Garden Club, which was an effort to start gardening on the UDC campus. Then during my final year of law school, I wrote a paper on all the fundamental problems I saw with it, essentially, paving my path away from being a lawyer. I chose to instead do the urban agriculture thing.

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I implemented a grant at UDC to create a sensory garden with different trees, plants, with different textures and smells. After that grant, I worked with a nonprofit organization called City Blossoms. They’re all about connecting kids with gardening. And then after that I worked with Compost Cab for a bit, learning how to compost people’s food waste and turning it into soil.
 
My mother had been very lenient with my decision to not become a lawyer, since I had paid for three years of law school. I wanted to show her I was making progress with this new path. I found a list of principals in DC and reached out to them all saying, “Hey, I’m interested in being a school garden coordinator.” At the time, they were just opening up the new Tech Prep building with a greenhouse and they needed someone to run it. It was perfect timing.
 
How has your experience been since then, teaching Urban Agriculture at FPCS Tech Prep?
I never thought I wanted to be or would be a teacher, but this is definitely the right place for me. Not only is my office technically the greenhouse, which is pretty awesome, but there’s also a lot of space at the school to grow, figuratively and literally. Once I got my bearings, I said, “It’d be pretty great to start a school farm.” Each year, I’m trying to add another piece to that puzzle to eventually get us a school farm, so that we are able to expand our offerings and be a food hub for the surrounding community.
 
Can you talk about what students learn in your class?
First, they learn about the food system, how it works, the issues surrounding it, food deserts, food justice, and then they get to grow their own vegetables and plants. They learn how to take care of plants, how to do it sustainably, organically, and how to mitigate any pest issues that come up. We have three worm bins in the greenhouse for composting. So, whenever we have food scraps, we use that. They see how a banana peel can turn into soil. Then, the other component that I think is important is cooking. Students will grow things in the greenhouse, then they’ll come up with recipes for those ingredients and we’ll have cooking demonstrations.
 
We always try to go on at least 2 or 3 field trips per year so they can see how other community gardens or urban farms run, they then bring some new ideas back to Tech Prep.
What have your students’ reactions to your class and lessons been?
The cooking part gets everybody excited. Last year, two graduating seniors wrote a thesis about food justice and related obesity issues, exploring the food sold near the school. They’re perceptive and recognize what’s going on in their community. They see that there are multiple liquor stores and carry outs, but no real place to get fresh vegetables. Now, they have the vocabulary and a broader sense of what’s going on. That’s one thing that they definitely get out of it. Also, hopefully they’ll gain some cooking skills-one or two recipes that they can make. They’ll know the basics of taking care of plants, how to water them, and how to identify diseases and other issues.
 
What kind of careers would they pursue if they were interested in continuing this kind of work professionally?
They can pursue botany if they want to study the science around how plants grow. Culinary arts is another field they may pursue. We took a field trip to the USDA; if they want to work in policy, they can be involved with that. DC is a good place for urban farming; there’s a vibrant scene here. They can start their own community garden, get involved with other community farms, and continue to expand their knowledge.
Can you talk more about food justice?
Food justice is about everyone-regardless of race, sexual orientation, etc.-having access to healthy and affordable produce. In our class we talk about the existence of food deserts, where it is difficult for people to access healthy fresh food at affordable prices. Our school is located in a food desert and many of our kids live in this food desert. It is an issue they understand. One project we’ve worked on was when the students had to work in groups and each group was assigned a ward. Then they were tasked with conducting a demographic study on that ward-race, median income, etc. Then they’ll count the number of grocery stores in each ward. They’ll see that in their ward, there is a clear contrast to other parts of the city. When they compare at the median income, they get a better idea of why this is happening.
 
We are not just growing food for the heck of it, but we want to eventually offer affordable and healthy food to more people. We offer our school garden market during the fall and spring. We started a CSA program with teachers and school staff. It’s a short-term CSA and teachers determine how much produce they want – five or ten pounds-then they pay us a fee to deliver it every week for the season. We’re trying to find a way to broaden our offerings; it’s one of our goals for upcoming years.
Can you talk about the bees and chicken?
We rented the chickens last fall but are trying to bring them back on a permanent basis. The bees, however, are here to stay. We have two beehives. The first year of beekeeping is all about the bees making their own honey for their winter food reserve. After the first year, we can start to collect the honey. We’ve applied for and obtained a grant for an outdoor classroom, which will be an incredible addition to the school campus and will also be another piece in the school farm project. It will come with a rain garden and cooking station to prepare and wash food.
 
What do you like about Friendship Tech Prep?
I like that we’ve started this Academy of Urban Ecology, which is geared around urban agriculture. In my own opinion, part of the reasons that we’re having issues with climate change and climate justice is because we feel separated from the environment. We don’t really understand or appreciate our role within the environment. Having an academy geared towards urban ecology will hopefully play a role in resolving this issue. The kids will go on camping trips, go hiking, and grow plants. This will hopefully draw their attention to and inspire a wonder for our environment. This is an important and good thing for the future.

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Jerell King, 12th Grade Student

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Congrats on winning the DC Google Fair last year! Can you tell us a little bit about that experience?
The whole process was interesting, because previously I had only done local competitions; I competed in citywide STEM fairs and placed really well in those. But I was looking for something that was at the next level. My physics teacher, Ms. Felder, entered me into the Google Science Fair, which was a national competition on a much larger scale than what I’ve experienced before. So I thought, “Hey, why not?” We entered my project, the Instant Laptop 2.0., which is a device that allows your phone to be turned into a fully functional computer. After spending time preparing a video presentation and my device, we were able to enter my project into the fair by December 2018. Then, around April was when there was a surprise for me. One day at Tech Prep, there was a ceremony which I performed in as part of our marching band. I didn’t know what the ceremony was about until later. Fox 5 News was there filming the entire event. Our principal, Ms. Booth, started sharing the multiple achievements at Tech Prep before handing the mic to Ms. Felder. 

From that point on, I had an idea of what might be happening since she had entered me into the Google Science Fair. As she started describing the Google Science Fair experience, my Kappa League brothers presented a wrapped box with my initials on it. I opened it and read the letter out loud, saying that I was the winner of the DC Google Science Fair. It was really a surprise because even though they had shared the results with teachers and parents, I only found out about it at this ceremony.

That’s so wonderful. Congratulations again! What a phenomenal achievement. And later that summer, you went to Apple for an engineering camp?
Yes, I attended the Apple Engineering & Technology Camp last summer. This opportunity was around the same time I was entering the Google Science Fair. It was an amazing opportunity. They flew us out to California – Cupertino to be exact – to the Apple headquarters. We got to spend an entire month there and work alongside the Apple engineers, who served as our mentors, to overcome engineering challenges.

It was really cool for multiple reasons, and I had always wanted to go to California; I had never been that far from home for that long. 

 
What did you learn from your mentors? 
We learned a lot. We participated in many workshops, learning about different types of engineering – electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, coding, and app design. It was amazing for me because computer science is the field I plan to pursue in college. It was great to be able to be within the walls of one of the biggest tech companies in the world and see how they develop things from scratch.
 
Is there any information or advice you received that you’ll take with you to college and when you eventually start looking for a job?
One of my mentors told me that when you’re doing anything in the field of engineering, “If it works the first time, nine times out of ten, you’re not doing it right.”

What stood out to me from completing the process of building an actual project was that typically it is not supposed to work the first time. You’re supposed to learn and develop through trial and error. Even though that might not be the most fun part of the job, it’s still a learning experience. When you’re coding, you might make something the wrong size. Going back to learn from each experience on our own taught us that it’s okay to fail. That’s what ends up making you stronger in the long run.
That is really great wisdom. In what ways has Friendship supported you to achieve this great success so early?
I’m a senior now and I’ve been at Friendship since the fifth grade. Throughout the years, Friendship has led me to do these great things. They provide you with great opportunities, but it’s up to you to do the work. They’ll give you that outlet, give you the voice, give you the platform, but it’s up to you to use that platform for yourself in an effective way.

I really embrace that. That’s why we are starting to achieve a lot more and people are starting to see that. It’s really inspiring to see that they really care for the students here and that we are going above and beyond – not just when competing locally, but at a national level. We’re seeing that the world is a lot bigger than Southeast DC. It’s that motivation, push, and support they put behind us that drives me forward. That’s how I’ve been able to accomplish so much.
Is there anything that I haven’t asked that you want to include in your spotlight?
I would like to also share that I’m active in many clubs and activities here as well. As I mentioned before, I’ve been participating in our marching band for three years. I’m also part of the Kappa Leagues and the NSBE Robotics Team, which is organized by Ms. Felder. We competed in Detroit for the national convention, which was fun. I also did FNN reporting and wrote a few stories. Aside from entering the Google Science Fair and going to the Apple Engineering Camp, I do a lot of things around the school that has led to amazing opportunities.
You mentioned being interested in majoring in computer science. Where would you like to go to college?
I have taken a look at Stanford. I toured there while we were in California. I’ve always had it in the back of my mind. I was able to experience student life, see the facilities, the inside of the campus. It’s beautiful and they have a great program for my major. It’s definitely on my radar. I’ve also thought about MIT. If I wanted to be somewhere closer to home, though, maybe North Carolina A&T would be a good fit.

California had great weather and was nice for sightseeing; we weren’t just working throughout the course of the month. We had plenty of opportunities to hang out with each other and bond. What made the camp so special for me was that people were accepted from all over. There were a few from the DMV area – me from DC, someone from Baltimore, Richmond, and others from all over the country – California, Oregon, Boston and someone even flew in from Hong Kong.

No matter where we came from, we all had the same mentality and goal: we’re all trying to succeed together as a group. It was great to just have that sense of togetherness and mesh so well with a diverse group of people. We also enjoyed fun activities like bowling and laser tag. It was great to have those bonding experiences and see that diversity is really key to not just engineering and technology, but every field.
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Eric Blood, A.P. Government & Politics Master Teacher

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Can you tell us about your experience teaching at Collegiate?
Sure! I primarily teach two different AP courses: AP government and politics and AP United States History. More recently, I’ve taken over a lot of our dual-enrollment online classes through Granite State and Arizona State University. I’ve been at Friendship Collegiate for eight years. I was the lead teacher of the Early College Academy for over five years and I’ve served in a few different roles around campus. I’ve really enjoyed working with our students and I especially enjoy getting them ready for college and immersing them in college-level academics, which is the main goal of our AP courses.
 
I continue to evolve the courses to be more like college classes. Even if they don’t pass the AP exam at the end, students will get the benefit of experiencing college-level instruction, so that when they walk onto a college campus for the first time, they can be successful right from day 1.
 
Can you talk a little bit about how you specifically offer students a college-level learning experience?
I really want students to be able to experience what a college class is like. We do a lot of seminar-style classes, which is like your typical college class. They get reading assignments that they have to do on their own, and they’re expected to take strong notes on it. They’re given a series of discussion questions, so they know what to expect ahead of time. Then they come into class, and I facilitate a 60-minute discussion on the topic. We then work to make connections between the topic and what’s relevant to them.
 
I use accountable talk to make sure that my classroom has the same level of rigor and conversation that you would expect to find in a college classroom. Students are expected to support everything they say with actual evidence from either history or from the text they just read. They’ll tell you that if they don’t have a fact to back it up, I will say the same thing every time: “Prove it. I don’t believe you.”
 
I work hard to ensure that my students are able to handle a large reading workload. I give them at least a four-week calendar that outlines all of their reading and upcoming assignments so that they can prepare and know what is expected of them, just like a college syllabus. It helps them gain independence and become more responsible.
 
I find that students come back after they graduated and say it helped their transition into college, because they’ve experienced what college-level rigor is like, rather than heading into college and thinking that they’re going to hand out worksheets. Too many students still have the false belief that college is just an extension of high school.
 
They have to be able to read something for a purpose and take strong notes. In previous classes, they may have learned two-column or Cornell notes. When they come to me, I very much encourage them to take the notes that work for them. I tell them that it’s okay if I can’t read your notes, so long as you can. One day, you’re going to sit down in front of a college professor who is going to talk for 60 minutes, and you need to be able to get down as much as you can, and be able to go back and review your notes. Many of these skills our students don’t learn until college, and it’s a bit of a struggle. It’s no surprise that for many of our students, their lowest semester in college is the first one. Unless you’ve experienced it before, having siblings, or parents who walk you through what college is going to be like, it’s simply different when you step onto a college campus. I try very hard to give them as much of the college experience as I can.
 
I’ve had US history students come to me and say they’re taking a college US history class and “Your class is five times harder than those classes. This is a breeze now. Thank you!” That always makes me feel good, because that means that what I did was more than just instill a bunch of random dates and facts into their brain. As history teachers, we can get kind of hung up on this sometimes. The reality is, what you should be doing is giving students the capacity to think critically and question things-especially in today’s world. Understand and read the news, be media literate, and know the difference between the junk that is out there and real journalism. These are incredibly important skills in this day and age. To me, it’s much more important for students to be able to back up a claim with facts and evidence then to remember who James Madison was.
 
What do you like about Friendship Collegiate?
I really enjoyed that during the first handful of years that I was here, they gave me an opportunity to explore different positions-whether it be leadership or mentoring teachers-like what I do currently.
I find myself to be someone who gets bored easily. When I first started teaching, one of the things I forced myself to do was, every year, try something different-whether it be a new class, a new course, or some kind of leadership role. And Friendship really allowed me to do that while I was deciding where I wanted to settle. More than anything, I have worked with some really phenomenal people who have made my life here much easier, especially Dr. Shairzay. He’s been a mentor to me; I’ve worked hand in hand with him since the day I started here. He’s the most intelligent man I’ve ever worked with and he has nothing but your best intentions at heart. I trust his feedback; I know that if he’s telling me to implement something, he’s doing it not because he read a study about it last week. He knows it works with our scholars. That ability to have a level of trust with someone that I can work hand-in-hand with for as long as I have keeps me coming back. I know that he has our students’ education and my career here at heart.
 
Is there anything that I haven’t asked that you want to be sure to include in your spotlight?
I enjoy mentoring some of the new teachers. It’s a different role, it’s a different challenge, but I feel like it’s one of the ways that I can have a bigger impact on our school outside of my own classroom. About three or four years back, I got a push from our last administrator, encouraging me to become an academy director. And I really questioned whether or not I would enjoy it.
 
I looked into it for a while and determined that the part of the day that I like best is when I’m surrounded by these four walls, working with the kids. If I gave that part up, it sounded like something I wouldn’t want to do. I did want to make a bigger impact, though, so I became a master teacher, which allows me the opportunity to offer professional development three or four times a year with the staff here. That along with the mentoring allows me to have a larger impact, while maintaining myself as a teacher, which is my ultimate goal – to stay in the classroom.
 
What strategies have you found that your students really benefit from?
I am really big on routine and procedure. I like the concept of creating a classroom environment that can almost run itself. Students learn and know every little detail, from how to pass the paper, to how to enter the classroom, to where to pick up materials. Students need to be taught routines the same way they’re taught content. And then everything will go so much smoother.
 
If you can do that, then you’re going to reduce downtime in the classroom because each moment is so important. And it’s going to help with classroom management because if they know what to do, they know what the expectations are. The likelihood of any misbehavior goes down drastically. I’ve been doing professional development sessions on routines and procedures based on Harry Wong’s book “The First Day of School” for a long time.
 
I’ve also been offering professional development on effective questioning techniques for awhile now. I’m very big on checking for comprehension, cold-call techniques, and strategies that engage students no matter what content is being taught. I can’t help somebody set up a lab or physics class. But I can help teachers structure their daily schedule  and maximize time in that class.
 
Are there any fun facts that you would like to share that your colleagues might not know about you?
I have five animals at home! Three German Shepherds and two Siamese cats. My wife and I are really, really big German Shepherd people. We even volunteer at the German Shepherd rescue every weekend. Needless to say, my household is pretty wild with the number of animals running around

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Glendora Franklin, Instructional Specialist

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Can you talk about your experience at Friendship?
I was at FPCS Collegiate for 12 years and I’m now entering my fourth year at Tech Prep. I’ve taught algebra 1, algebra 2, geometry, and pre-calculus. This is my second year as an instructional specialist.
 
What do you like most about being in STEM?
I like that I can teach our scholars about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. I foster a deep appreciation for mathematics. I teach my students about the history of math that was previously unknown to them, and they get excited about it. The world is changing now and they see people that look like them in promising STEM careers. Our black girls see movies like Hidden Figures, in which they are represented in those careers.
 
Friendship Tech Prep is a premier STEM school. Scholars participate in STEM every single day, in all of their classes-from physics to engineering, and everything else. Students attend NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers) conferences around the country, and they participate in our robotics team. They build electric cars, gliders, and model homes. We have students like Jerrel King, who won the DC Google Science fair with his instant laptop 2.0. Every single day, they’re doing amazing things in STEM. They’re zealously moving into the 21st century; they see the trajectory of this world and want to be a part of it.

Can you talk about your journey to becoming a teacher and instructional specialist at Friendship?
I am a product of D.C. Public Schools and a first-generation college student. Throughout my college years, I always wanted to be a teacher. I entered Johnson C. Smith University with the intention to leave as a teacher. I wanted to save a child’s life. If I could save one child, then my job would be done, right? Eighteen years later, I’m still saving lives via STEM education. I teach problem solving. I teach students that great things come from Southeast Washington, D.C. and, of course, Friendship Public Charter School.
Are there any strategies offered to you that stand out as you transitioned from being a biology major to a Pre-K classroom teacher?
Build solid relationships with students and parents. When I first started, the first thing my coach said was, “Get to know your students.” Yes, you have teaching standards to follow, but the way you teach and all of your activities will be based on how your students learn best. Their families will reinforce what you’re teaching at home.
    
Recently, I pursued a certification with the Gurian Institute. They study the brain and learn how boys and girls develop differently. I learned different approaches to ensure I keep my boys engaged-more than I had in previous years.
 
What are some ways to get boys to engage in learning?
Movement is critical. I make it my mission to add movement to most of our activities. We’re getting up and doing some sort of moving activity every 10-15 minutes. Even when we’re reading books, I will sometimes ask them to mirror me when I stand up and sit back down as I’m reading. To the observer, it might look really weird. At the end of one story, my principal said, “They actually sat down, got up, sat down, got up, and sat down again. If you did some other type of movement, they copied that too. By the end of the story, everyone was focused, everyone understood, and everyone answered questions.”
 
I also make sure I have books that interest both girls and boys. I make sure we have plenty of boy-friendly books about motorcycles, rocks, and other things typically based on their interests.
 
I also lead many lessons about empathy and understanding feelings. Boys learn to recognize how they feel, as well as the people around them.
What is the best way to inspire a passion for STEM in students?
It is helpful for them to see black teachers who are passionate about math. Also, success is not always about being smart-it’s about perseverance. I teach students how to stick with difficult challenges and struggle through their problems. I offer differentiated instruction, engaging lessons, and real-world applicability. Students may enter with apathy toward math, but they all leave my classroom as mathematicians.
 
What advice would you offer new teachers?
There’s a quote I really like by John C. Maxwell: “Students don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” The first thing you need to do is develop a relationship with your students. Once you do that, they’ll pretty much do anything you tell them to.

 

Also, some good advice for new teachers is to connect your content to the real world. The biggest question that our students have is: “Why are you teaching this to us?” They have to see the relevance of what you’re teaching. Anytime we are dissecting a math problem, I always bring it back to their lives and what they already know. I can talk all day long about parabolic equations, but it won’t sink in until I show how it’s related to the rollercoasters at Kings Dominion. If the lesson is not culturally relevant, there can be no student investment.
 
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
I’d like to share a Malcolm X quote that I’ve lived by during my 20 years in education: “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”
I encourage all my students to be life-long learners. We’ve built a strong college-going culture at Tech Prep and across the Friendship network. So many of our graduates are first-generation college students, who didn’t initially believe they would ever make it to college. We help them believe in themselves and offer them the guidance they need. We teach them, “Hey, you can and WILL do this.”
 
I’m still in contact with so many of my former students from over the years. I have even attended their college graduations. I’m proud to say that I’m still a part of their lives. We don’t drop students off and say “goodbye” when they graduate from Friendship. Their commencement is where it really begins, and our relationship deepens. Students reach out to me from college to let me know how they’re doing. Sometimes they say, “Hey Frankie, can you help me with this math problem?” Friendship spans beyond the four walls of our schools.
 
We are not only teachers, but mentors, mothers, Uber drivers… everything students need us to be. I attend baby showers and birthday parties. We are a part of our students’ lives and they know they can count on us. That’s what makes the difference.
 
Fun fact?
Fact #1: I never miss a Monday to work out!!! To be honest, I hardly miss any day to lift weights.
Fact #2: The harder my day is, the harder I take it out on the dance floor. There is always a song and dance in my head.