Temple Teacher Residency

Adaure A.
Science and Language Arts
2015-16 Cohort

Before TTR
I was an administrative/research assistant in a Psychiatry Department in a hospital.

Why TTR
Temple has a good reputation and I thought a program like this would help get me into a classroom as soon as possible. I have also really come to appreciate my cohort. I always knew someone in my classes and had someone I could rely on when I had questions. We are always willing to help each other – we are always texting each other.

Why Teach
I want to be a mentor and teacher for minority children who might not see themselves in their teachers very often. Plus I like science. I like talking about science and sharing it with others. But I didn’t like doing science as a researcher. I see teaching as the next step, where I can share my knowledge and help others.

Why Middle School
I like that they are learning about their personalities. Every day a new person enters the classroom, and you get to help mold who they become. Middle school is the sweet spot where they can become anything.

Life in Philly
I grew up in the area and appreciate the manageable cost of living and ease of getting around – you get the benefits of living in a big city without the costs of living in one. Plus, Philadelphia is home to people from many different cultures. As a teacher, you get to teach children from all of these different cultures.

Best Experience This Year
I worked with a student who was having a hard time connecting with classmates and teachers. She was very reserved and quiet. I helped her feel comfortable in class and let her know that her contributions to class are important. Every time I saw her she smiled. I made her feel comfortable, which I think was important for her to experience.

Three words to describe TTR
Rigorous, Rewarding, Intense

Final thoughts
Teaching is about giving a student tools they can use to solve problems.

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Aashita B.
Science and Mathematics
2015-16 Cohort

Before TTR
I was conducting research on diabetes using gene therapy on fruit flies.

Why TTR
TTR has the unique quality of providing residents with a year worth of teaching experience. Additionally, having a cohort to rely upon for support has been very beneficial. For example, if one of us was struggling with anything, we were able to discuss it with each other either at our host school or in class.

Why Teach
I want to help others achieve their dreams by providing them with the education needed.

Why Middle School
Middle grades students are just starting to explore careers and it is fun to introduce them to a variety of STEM careers. It has been pleasantly surprising to me that I have been able to develop many personal connections with my students.

Life in Philly
Philadelphia has a diverse population. It has been fun learning about cultures (of my students, in particular) that are different from my own.

Best Experience This Year
Not only have I learned a lot from my students about their cultures, but students have been receptive to learning about and respecting my culture. For example, they learned that my culture values books because they contain knowledge. After that, they started treating all of their own books with a lot more respect and not just throwing them into their bags or onto tables!

Three words to describe TTR
Extensive, Valuable, Comprehensive

Final thoughts
TTR provides excellent resources and connections for every resident!

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   Carolyn R.
Science and Language Arts
2015-16 Cohort

Before TTR
Student at Virginia Tech.

Why TTR
Education positively impacted my development because I had teachers who helped guide me in the right direction while challenging me as a student. I wanted the chance to work with youth who may not have had the same opportunity to learn. Teaching is a challenging but very rewarding experience.

Why Teach
Education positively impacted my development because I had teachers who helped guide me in the right direction while challenging me as a student. I wanted the chance to work with youth who may not have had the same opportunity to learn. Teaching is a challenging but very rewarding experience

Why Middle School
Middle grades students are at an age where they are old enough to dive deep into content, but also young enough to give us a chance to watch them grow. They are also a very diverse age group (4th graders are very different from 8th graders!), which gives teachers a unique opportunity to work with a wide range of kids.

Life in Philly
Philadelphia is the perfect city to live in! There are many different places to experience – each neighborhood has its own unique feel, which lets you try new experiences every weekend! Plus we have the Phillies, the Eagles, and the Flyers!

Best Experience This Year
Students love the chance to show you what they know – they are proud of what they are able to learn. I had one student who was not particularly involved in class. But he not only became engaged in our class, he went above and beyond his classmates when he participated in and produced a final product he was extremely proud of.

Three words to describe TTR
Supportive, unique, authentic

Final thoughts
I knew I was going to be sharing knowledge with my students, but I did not realize how much I would learn from my students as well. It is also surprising how much work teachers do behind the scenes to develop positive learning environments.

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John S.
Science and Mathematics
2015-16 Cohort

Before TTR
I was a civil engineer in the private sector, and before that worked as a water engineer and missionary in South Sudan.

Why TTR
My family has many ties to Temple. I knew that going here would provide me a chance to study under great professors, teach and learn beside an accomplished Philadelphia teacher, and be financially solvent (stipend!). Dr. Lee (Program Manager) also spoke about the program with a passion and excitement I could not turn down.

I have really enjoyed being able to spend a year with my students and having my cohort there to support me. Faculty have been knowledgeable and resourceful. Additionally, my mentor has taught me more than possibly anyone in my professional life has ever taught me until now.

Why Teach
I believe in the power of empowering a community through education. While I was working as a civil engineering missionary in South Sudan, in addition to my physical work to improve the local infrastructure, I had the opportunity to work as a community educator. I realized that I really enjoyed teaching and wanted to pursue teaching as a full time commitment.

Why Middle School
I remember not enjoying being a middle school student, but my students have been quite compassionate and kind. As young adolescents, these students are experiencing many new changes, including increasing abilities to learn. They are a little bit “crazy” and there is a lot of variability in how each student learns and develops, but that means I can make class fun and interactive. I have loved developing and implementing learning experiences for them and watching them as they grow. It has been really rewarding to be a small but positive part of this process.

Life in Philly
I grew up here and almost my entire (and large) extended family is here. So I spend a lot of quality time with them. Despite growing up here, my wife and I enjoy spending time to discover new things by exploring this great city!

Best Experience This Year
In the final interactive lessons I had with students, they began to show some really great collaborative/STEM skills that reflected the lessons and discussions we had worked on through the year. I think I would have enjoyed just sitting back and watching them show all that they had learned had it not been for the fact that I needed to be in there teaching and taking formative assessments of them while they worked!

Three words to describe TTR
Exciting, Demanding, Growing (to greatness)

Interesting tidbit about me
I like doing things with my hands, like gardening and building random things.

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Michael S.
Science and Mathematics
2015-16 Cohort

Before TTR
I was a Special Agent with the Federal Government.

Why TTR
I knew I wanted to teach, and TTR provided longer student teaching experiences for more opportunities to develop teaching practice. This, along with being a compressed program that only takes a year to complete, attracted me to TTR. After this year, I also really appreciate having my cohort around to support me through this program.

Why Teach
I want to show students that science and math are fun and interesting. I want to use my talents to engage students in high needs urban schools.

Why Middle School
Middle school students have good senses of humor, like learning, and have a lot of enthusiasm. In fact, getting to know student personalities is the best part of teaching!

Life in Philly
I like enjoying time with my family, which means taking in all that downtown has to offer, especially the good food in Chinatown. I also enjoy participating in outdoor activities, including hiking, biking and kayaking.

Best Experience This Year
Getting to know what my students are made of. I was an assistant coach for the girls’ basketball team. Which allowed me to see them be good sports and really enjoy playing the game. Off the court, working one-on-one with students gave me insight into their real abilities. For example, I called in a student who got a low grade on a test. I gave them an informal oral test and found out they really did know the material, but just confused terms on the test.

Three words to describe TTR
Intensive, reflective, engaging

Final thoughts
Seeing a student appreciate and learn from my help is a great reward! Teaching students is a great thing to do!

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