What has been your journey to your current position?

I went straight to teaching right after graduating from Morgan State University, where I taught third grade for three years. Then I moved to Prince George’s County to be close to home and I taught in Prince George’s for four years. I was the science coordinator at the school I was at, and because I grew up here I wanted to come back and give to my community. I wanted to take all of the things I learned and bring them here.

What do you like most about working in STEM?

STEM offers them a chance to engage in hands-on activities. We also went on some great field trips that were very tactile and interactive.

Also, the world is moving in that direction. Any job they have is going to have a STEM component or be STEM-related. It’s important that they learn these skills as early as possible - coding, creating websites – as these skills will benefit them greatly in the future.

One project we completed was a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), where the students created interactive websites, embedded their own videos, and took things to a whole new level of creativity. Their generation has always had the internet, so it’s great to see what they’re able to quickly achieve while having fun.
Are there any strategies that you’ve found to be particularly useful for new STEM teachers?

One strategy I would recommend is letting kids play around with and explore technology before you give your explicit instructions, because they’re going to play around with it anyway. You might not need to model certain things, such as how to add text boxes to a website. 

However, modeling is important. Give students a chance to see finished projects and the overall process. You have to find that balance of modeling and letting them figure things out on their own.

Also, be sure to actively stay current with information, because things change every year in STEM. In the past, cell phones were a no-no in the classroom, but now we can use them to do surveys and comprehension checks. 

There’s one cool website called Plickers, where students can use their cell phones to answer questions. 

One of our favorite field trips was with the Potomac Boat program, and it took us from around the Wharf to near the National Harbor, we did water testing, and they even let students drive the boat. I also took my fifth graders to Anacostia Park. It’s awesome to see their eyes light up and see the wildlife in our very own backyard. Anacostia River is very close to Chamberlain. They learned that we have a whole ecosystem here of fish and birds, predators, and prey...different species and all right in our backyard.

Can you talk about your experience at Friendship Chamberlain?

The thing I love about Chamberlain is the family vibe. I’ve worked at two other schools before I came here. The camaraderie I have with my colleagues - the sharing, the looking out for each other - it’s second to none. We don’t only work together, but we actually like each other. We help each other. We give each other gifts. It makes the job easier, and it doesn’t feel like work. The students pick up on this positivity as well.

To intentionally create this positivity, we had a “Sunshine Committee.” We get to know each other as actual people after school. I think that understanding each other helps us work together better.
How have you seen staff overcome obstacles during this pandemic?

The initial shock of it all wore off quickly. The task was daunting and overwhelming, but our will to ensure that our scholars were still receiving a world-class education took precedence. There's been a lot of trial and error and we are remembering to be patient with ourselves. This situation is unprecedented, and I believe we have done a great job in the face of this pandemic. Now that we’ve had a moment to breathe and assess what worked and what didn't, the fall semester will look even better! 

Teachers and staff have been training vigorously this summer to sharpen their skills as distance educators. There's a lot we are focusing on: how to help students deal with depression as well as the trauma caused by the current pandemic. We also learned how to address special needs services more effectively. To see the resilience, malleability, intelligence, endurance, and love exuding from our teachers and staff has been a bright beacon of hope during these trying times. 

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

If I could add one thing, I would speak to my fellow educators at this particular time when things are stressful - it’s important to remember why we do what we do. It’s important to remember our passion. It’s important to remember that we were once 12 or 13 years old too. We must keep these things in mind so that we may remain grounded in our work, as this is very important work. In my opinion, this is the most important work that anybody can do.
Friendship Public
Charter School
 1400 1st Street NW,
Washington, D.C. 20001
202-281-1700