tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28999772722342959222024-03-04T21:45:44.805-08:00To Infinity And BeyondTyler Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05882161242696356424noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899977272234295922.post-90282121563347749542011-02-18T21:19:00.000-08:002011-02-18T21:20:43.232-08:00Washington DC<style>@font-face { font-family: "Calibri"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-size: 11pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }</style> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Well it has been about a week since I last updated my blog and a ton has happened.<span style=""> </span>Last weekend I was in Washington DC for the Teach For America 20<sup>th</sup> Anniversary Summit.<span style=""> </span>At the summit there were speakers such Arne Duncan, Michelle Rhee, Joel Klien, Geoffrey Canada, Randi Weingarten, and Malcolm Gladwell.<span style=""> </span>There were a ton more whose names I just don’t remember off the top of my head.<span style=""> </span>The weekend overall was amazing.<span style=""> </span>Most of the sessions that I went to were looking at the future of education and education reform.<span style=""> </span>I feel even more riled up about everything that is going on in our nation right now in education and the major hurdles that we have to face.<span style=""> </span>(I’ll come back to this whole education reform topic in a minute).</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span>The summit also gave me the chance to meet up with a number of friends who I haven’t seen in quite a while.<span style=""> </span>Beth Lewis (TFA Mississippi Delta) and I spent most of the weekend together.<span style=""> </span>We laughed quite a bit about our experiences so far as teachers and were able to commiserate about some of the more painful moments.<span style=""> </span>Beth and I have stayed in contact largely because of Teach For America.<span style=""> </span>It was really great to also hear perspectives from her friends working in the delta about education in America.<span style=""> </span>I also ran into Joy Bacon (TFA Baltimore) and had the opportunity to catch up with her as well.<span style=""> </span>The school she is currently working in will be shut down at the end of the school year.<span style=""> </span>My final Whitworth buddy in DC who actually isn’t a part of TFA is Sarah Tunall.<span style=""> </span>She and I shared some great Chinese food.<span style=""> </span>Sarah was my Whitworth small group leader four years ago when I was a freshman.<span style=""> </span>It is amazing to see what God has done with us both throughout these years.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span>Well now I will go back to my frustration over the giant screw up that the education system is currently.<span style=""> </span>I left the summit with a bit of momentum.<span style=""> </span>I wanted to be a little bit more open in my opinions about the education system and specifically tenure.<span style=""> </span>I practically had my head bitten off this afternoon by a number a teachers at my school for saying that I was opposed to tenure.<span style=""> </span>One of the teachers actually said, “I don’t believe that there is such a thing as a bad teacher.”<span style=""> </span>Well I beg to differ, but I most certainly think that there is such a thing as a great teacher, a satisfactory teacher, and an awful teacher.<span style=""> </span>Just because we don’t have a perfect system of measuring teacher success doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t ry.<span style=""> </span>I know that if I sit in two different teachers’ classes who are teaching the same subject that I could determine which teacher I would rather have my kids learn from.<span style=""> </span>In my mind that shows, while subjectivity can play a role, that we do have the ability to tell if one teacher is better than another.<span style=""> </span>I know that I want my kids to have teacher who will prepare them for the future.<span style=""> </span>While there are many things that teachers may do that cannot be tangibly assessed, I know that in the ways a teacher can be assessed they should be, Student outcomes have to play a role in teacher evaluation.<span style=""> </span>Note that I said a role; I do not mean that they should be the only factor.<span style=""> </span>Students, fellow teachers, and principals should all be able to play a role in teacher evaluation as well.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span>In the national news Wisconsin seems to have taken center stage this week over education reform.<span style=""> </span>While the focus of the problem in Wisconsin is budget cuts, teachers across the country are aware of what is going on.<span style=""> </span>The government is trying to take a significant amount of power away from the unions.<span style=""> </span>While I do believe that the unions play an important role in protecting teachers rights, they have taken things to such an extreme that I don’t think we will be able to make forward progress until the unions power is broken.<span style=""> </span>For too long they have dictated the terms of education and maintained a system of failure.<span style=""> </span>While every teacher should be protected, students should be protected above teachers.<span style=""> </span>I would rather see a few good teachers thrown under the bus in a faulty system than see any student forced to deal with a truly horrible teacher.<span style=""> </span>There needs to be an easier and more effective way of removing teachers.<span style=""> </span>Teaching children is a privilege, not a right.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span>This morning I was told that three of the students in my long term class, kids who I am supposed to have for six or more months, were sent upstate due to staffing shortages in their housing set up.<span style=""> </span>I am extremely concerned about these students because they struggled with their transition to our school and have been making significant progress.<span style=""> </span>I don’t want that progress halted by a system that failed them.<span style=""> </span>I am praying that they have been moved into a good situation, but unfortunately chances are they have been sent to a place that will be extremely detrimental to their learning.<span style=""> </span>We have winter break this week and I am hoping that we have them back by the end of the break.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span>On the topic of break, I am on a plane right now flying to Austin, TX.<span style=""> </span>Our in flight film is the documentary “Waiting for Superman.”<span style=""> </span>I was thrilled to see how many people on the plane were watching the film.<span style=""> </span>Towards the end I got up to go to the bathroom and saw a number of people crying.<span style=""> </span>While I don’t agree with everything that the film portrays, I think that it is far more accurate than the propaganda that the teachers unions spew.<span style=""> </span>I am going to add a post soon that has copies of the emails that I have received from my union rep so far.<span style=""> </span>At this point any time that I get and email from him I know that it is going to be something that I strongly disagree with.<span style=""> </span>Some of them are really fun to read though.<span style=""> </span>They are filled will all sorts of inflammatory language.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span>This week I will be visiting friends in Texas, California, and Colorado.<span style=""> </span>I’m sure updates from time with friend will follow.</p>Tyler Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05882161242696356424noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899977272234295922.post-13313062395780765572011-02-08T19:25:00.000-08:002011-02-08T20:44:09.709-08:00I love theater<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Well theater has taken a new place in my life. I joined a program that is designed to fill seats in theaters. The basic premise is that for a show to go well there needs to be a decent sized audience for the actors to feed off of. When the theater is concerned about having a large enough crowd they contact seat filler companies and offer them tickets to the show. The reality is I paid $135 to be a part of the program for a year. Now whenever they are offered shows it only costs me $3.50 to go see the show. I think this is a pretty sweet deal. Now in general they aren't Broadway shows, but the off-broadway and off-off-broadway shows are also pretty good. In the past week I have seen six different shows (one was not a part of this program) and so far five out of the six that I have been to have been pretty great. Tomorrow I get to see a show called The Divine Sister which is a musical that incorporates all of the major Hollywood stories about nuns. This should be pretty amazing, but I figure that I may become too much a of theater buff. I don't know if I am going to be able to leave NY because I 'am a sucker for great cheap entertainment. At $3.50 a ticket I might as well just pay the money to sit somewhere warm. <div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Another great thing that has really hit the ground running is after school tutoring. Now, at my school the kids don't actually have a choice as to when they stay after for tutoring. It is actually great to get extra time to spend with them on math because just one period a day is not enough, but I also don't complained about getting paid for staying with them. According to union contract I make $42 an hour. Uncle Sam takes his chunk, but it is still a pretty penny. I now call this my theater fund.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>On the topic of the union yikes. If you haven't yet heard me talk about what a terrible idea tenure is then you are probably lucky. Essentially the union protects teachers rights at all costs. By rights, I mean that they pamper to whims of teachers and 'protect' them from anything that could possibly be seen as a threat. The cost to fire a teacher by the district is about a quarter of a million dollars because of all the legal hoops that they need to jump through. The unions oppose alternative options to for education reform and then claim that since we don't have a proven alternative we should stick with the status quo even though it is failing our students. Well if you don't give something else a try it obviously cannot be proven. The same attitude is how they approach tenure. Since we don't have a proven way of removing ineffective teachers when their are budget cuts we should just stick with the system that we currently have which is to get rid of the newest teachers and keep the older ones. Now maybe I am just naive, but if I was running a company and I had to cut costs and remove people from the payroll I would probably remove the people who were least effective. While I understand concern over people being removed for inappropriate reasons, I in no way think that justifies a system that bases decisions solely on how long a teacher has been in the system. Just because you were tenured doesn't make you a good teacher or even an acceptable teacher. It basically means that you didn't screw up so badly that you were placed in serious jeopardy during your first three years as a teacher. Woohoo. This coming weekend I will be in Washington, D. C. not home :(, for Teach For America's 20th anniversary conference. I'm actually really excited to get to hear some of the speakers and to run into other folks that I know who are in TFA. Well that is all for now.</div>Tyler Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05882161242696356424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899977272234295922.post-48901359431023445502011-01-30T21:42:00.000-08:002011-01-30T21:45:57.334-08:00It has been too long...<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">Well I’m back and we will see how I do at keeping up with this blog, I do know from personal experience that it is frustrating when my friends don’t update their blogs, so I guess I should lead by example.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Maybe that is just the teacher inside of me.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Well the last time that I updated this thing I was in Boston with<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>friend from TFA.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Thanksgiving in Boston was amazing and I also had the opportunity to meet up with Lihn Aven a friend from Whitworth who is working on a PhD in Biology there.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Seeing such a great friend after more than a year was really great.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I feel as though I am learning much more about how to relate to friends from a distance now than I used to be able to.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I guess it is sort of a necessity to do if I really want to maintain friendships.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Thanksgiving was really great break simply because it gave me a chance to recharge before heading back into the classroom for three more weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was very pleased to discover that I reentered the classroom with a vigor that I didn’t have at the beginning of the break.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That isn’t saying that I was stoked to go back into the classroom.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I actually really wanted to stay in Boston or head home, but once classes resumed I felt that being in my classroom was where I belonged.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was really encouraging to feel that I missed seeing my students.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Christmas break was also quite a blessing even if it was a little bit too short.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’m not sure who in the DOE suggested that Christmas break shouldn’t start until December 24<sup>th</sup>, but I strongly disagree with them.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Christmas was the first time that I was home since June.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>After a very long flight, I was met at the airport by my entire family (including my brothers in law) who were all blowing noise makers and holding balloons.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I love my family even if I was a bit grouchy after such a long day.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Being home reminded me of all of the important relationships that I left behind and how much I miss them.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I don’t think that I have has as productive of a break ever.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I had the opportunity to meet up with friends and family and had a minimal of downtime without being completely overwhelmed.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>After a wonderful Christmas eve service I was able to visit with friends and then go hot tubbing.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Christmas day consisted of family celebrations with both my mother’s and my father’s sides of the family as well as meeting up with Scott Meek that night.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The next morning I was able to visit with Amanda Shagren and Hillary Haddow.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I don’t even know when the last time that I saw Hillary was.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>More time with family and a great overall day.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Josh Westeren, my childhood best friend and I were also able to catch up a couple of times over my days back home.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We realized that it had been more than a year and a half since we had actually been in the same place at the same time.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Other friends who I was able to visit with included Kimmy Stokesbary, Jen Beck, and Beth Lewis.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>On the 27<sup>th</sup> I began a road trip up to Sylvan Lake Canada with my brother, sister, and brother in law.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We got off to a pretty interesting start in a ditch due<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>to snowfall and trying to pass the snow plow.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Normally I dislike driving long distances, but I found this trip to be great, I think that was partly because I slept through most of it, but also because I was thrilled to be able to spend so much time with my family.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I like my new brother in law significantly better because of the time I was able to spend with him.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Something that I learned in Canada, was that for me home is where my family is.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I really don’t feel as strong of a connection with my home as I used to.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>All through college I would have considered home Fircrest, but I no longer really care about where I am as much as I care about who I am with.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I see this change in mindset also coming around in<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>part because of how much I see Stacia making Canada a home.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She has friends and family there and I realize that the important thing is the relationships, not the location.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>While in Canada I also had the opportunity to go ice fishing.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>What an experience, driving a truck out on the ice, spinning out on an atv, and setting up a campfire in the middle of the lake aren’t really things that I have ever done or even thought about doing before.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It all came to an end sooner than I would have liked, but I guess we have to get back to real life sooner or later.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Coming back to NYC was bitter sweet.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Overall I was prepared to come back and I am doing well in the classroom.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I received a number of comments from friends who appreciate all of the quotes I have put on facebook.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I have compiled a list of those quotes here.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’m sure my students will provide me with significantly more.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>-<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;color:black">"Mr. Hamilton, I don't know how to do this." Me- "I don't believe you." Student- "You know me too well Mr. Hamilton."</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;color:black"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>-"Mr. Hamilton, there are too many steps to this problem. You should make some of them disappear?"</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;color:black"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>-"Mr. Hamilton, why are you so prepared today? When you have everything set up in advance it is almost like you expect us to do work."</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;color:black"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>-"Mr. Hamilton, you must be a real party animal when you aren't in school." "What makes you think that?" "Cuz you love math too much."</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;color:black"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>-"Mr. Hamilton, I refuse to do this work because it is too easy. I will not do any work until you give me something that I can't do."</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;color:black"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>-"Mr. Hamilton I see what you are doing...that is real sneaky of you trying to convince me to finish my quiz when I already did more than I was planning on doing."</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;color:black"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>-"I be walking in and all my shorties get up on me." 4'10" 6th grader.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;color:black"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>-</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma; color:black"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;color:black">"Yo, it was the cop's fault I'm back here. He chased me instead of everyone else."</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;color:black"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>-</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;color:black"></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;color:black">3 new students today. "I am Mr. Hamilton. Welcome to class." Response..."you can call me Mrs. Hamilton." Yikes!</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;color:black">-"I don't have a crush on you no more Mr. Hamilton. You give out too much homework." Apparently two days in a row of homework is overwhelming.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;color:black">-"Mr. Hamilton...why to do we always have to do work in your class?" I responded, "Well we need to learn and it is my job to teach you, plus teaching can be fun. When you get a job you need to show up and do your work everyday even when you don't feel like it." He then said, "I wouldn't ever hire some like you for a job. You too perfect, I couldn't trust you."</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;color:black"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>These quotes show some fun and shocking moment in my room.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I have had some not so perfect moments as well.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This past week one of my students attacked one of the Department of Justice Staff during my class which followed in a fight that was quite unnerving.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Along with some destroyed furniture the fight shook me back into the reality of how dangerous some of my students can be.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I am glad that I am here trying to allow them opportunities to have a future that differs from the choices they have made in the past.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;color:black"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>I love the excitement of NYC.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In the past month I have been to see American Idiot, Chicago, and Phantom of the Opera on Broadway.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Yesterday I was given the opportunity to see an orchestra along with a famous pianist play in Carnegie Hall.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>At this point I guess these types of things have become normal.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I will end with an invitation to come visit me.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I love having guests.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma; color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Tyler Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05882161242696356424noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899977272234295922.post-22877028577653389732010-11-25T20:09:00.001-08:002010-11-25T20:09:24.563-08:00Still enjoying life...<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">Well this past week has been great.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>My parents and my aunt visited me.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Getting to spend time with family really is great for boosting the spirits.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It also meant that I had the opportunity to see a number of Broadway musicals.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Thursday night we saw Promises Promises with Sean Hayes and Kristin Chenowith.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was absolutely amazing although I never realized just how short she is.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Friday we saw the Broadway version of Elf.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was a ton of fun and thoroughly enjoyable.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Saturday we was Chicago and Million Dollar Quartet.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Overall there was quite a lot to take in, but I loved every minute of it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The best part by far was having family from home coming to visit.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>My parents were able to see my school and meet my co-teacher.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It also didn’t hurt that instead of eating in all weekend I was able to eat out at some pretty great places.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We found a wonderful little Indian restaurant right next to my apartment that I will definitely be visiting again.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>This week in class has been pretty low key considering last week ended with a student punching a staff member in the face.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Since it was a three day week and only half a day on Wednesday for classes we focused more on review than learning new material.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I had a student explain to me his theory on how algebra was created by teachers to make busywork.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I then set that as my facebook status.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The best part is the first person to comment on that status was my old algebra teacher who I probably used the exact same line on.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I also had a student who decide to make vulgar sexual noises all of the class period.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That was one of those moments where I had to choose whether or not to address the issue.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I did originally, but when it continued it I decided to focus positive attention elsewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He was convicted the week before and finding a way to invest him in the class was challenging.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I also had a student ask me why we do work every day in class.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>My response was that we were in class to learn and it was my job to teach him so that is why we have lessons every day.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He said that I should try taking a day and not doing a lesson.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>To which I replied, “Do you think it is ok for me to show up to work and not do my job?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Who would want to have an employee who doesn’t do their job?”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He then stated, “I couldn’t trust someone like you to do a job Mr. Hamilton.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You are too perfect.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Well I’m not sure if I should take that as a compliment from my student or not.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It is however slightly disturbing to think that he thinks you can go to work and some days just decide not to do anything.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We are going to have to work on that.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Students quiz scores this week were up significantly which is exciting.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>I am in Boston for Thanksgiving with a friend from TFA.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It is great to be out of the city and in a home.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’m sure I will have more to say soon.</p>Tyler Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05882161242696356424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899977272234295922.post-3943644391209653322010-11-18T08:19:00.001-08:002010-11-18T08:19:32.333-08:00A week in the life of...So this week has been filled with new expreinces. I saw a pregnant clown on the way to work the other day. I can't say that I see the subway as the best place for a clown to hang out but who am I to judge. Grad school has been fairly low key. In my classroom however it has been a busy week. All four of my math classes are now at different points due to varying student abilities as well as the constant influx of new students. We have been studying perimeter and area with the middle school and the high school classes are at various levels of solving linear equations. I have a new student named Sirlancelot. Yes that is his real name on his transcript. Yikes! What loving parents. We also had a student punch a staff member today in one of the classes so tension is a little high for some of the students. My parents and aunt flew into Newark last night so I get to spend much of the weekend with them. :) One final thought/peice of advice. I found the greatest tv show on hulu. It is called Murder One and it was filmed back in 1995. The show is set up like any good cops and lawyer show except the entire season is focused around one trail which makes the whole thing much more intriguing.Tyler Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05882161242696356424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899977272234295922.post-65368478436247472432010-11-09T14:55:00.001-08:002010-11-09T14:55:45.238-08:00Back to the blog<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;color:black">I wouldn't have expected gas to be a problem in an all girls class. But hey, I guess everyone does it. So I fail epically at updating this blog. Here are the things that have gone on in the past few weeks.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;color:black">Improv Everywhere event.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So I participated in a giant flash mob in Manhattan which consisted of about three thousand people doing all sorts of random things in stores and in a park.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There is a video of the event here: </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS""><a href="http://improveverywhere.com/">http://improveverywhere.com/</a><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Sufficient to say, it was one of the most unique experiences of my life.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Being surrounded by people I had never met before doing things that you normally wouldn’t do in public was a blast.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We had a gift exchange and I received a brand new copy of Pan’s Labyrinth.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>After that we (Matt, Mollie, and Robbie a TFA friend) went to Brooklyn to see a program called digital graffiti.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It had a hippie/bohemian feel to it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There were all sorts of extremely obscure art.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>One of my favorite things that I saw was a woman on stilts with long flowing white robes dancing in front of a projector that kept changing.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A local gym was also open and had all of its bouncy equipment set up which was quite fun.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>All together it was a really fun totally free night out in NYC.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">By the way…major props to anyone who reads through this whole thing.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In other developments I now have a new roommate.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She just moved in.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Her name is Simone and she was born and raise here in NYC.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Matt and I are both exited to see how things work out.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>(cheesy intro)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>When it comes to working out I have now joined a gym.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The sad thing is my biggest motivation for actually working out is the fact that I am paying for it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I am only paying ten bucks a month, but it is still hard earned money coming out of my pocket.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>For one of my three day weekends I traveled to Baltimore to visit my good friend Joy.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She has been doing TFA there for the last year.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was really great to meet up with her and her friends and just have some fun relaxing.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Every time that I get to see people who I know from back home I cherish.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It is not that I don’t enjoy the people here, but there is so much that they don’t know about me yet and so much that they don’t know how to relate to that I do miss home quite a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>(Home qualifies as both Spokane and Fircrest in my book).<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>My students are so great, even the ones who throw desk across the room and the ones who put holes in the smart board, because each and every one of them is just a kid who is looking for attention.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>While I do have some days where I am frustrated, for the most part I come home each day pretty happy with what we’ve accomplished.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If only there were more time.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The bummer about being the only math teacher at my school is that I students only get one period of math a day as opposed to the double periods of social studies and English they receive.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I feel that especially with math the more practice my kids get the better.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>I’ll try to be more on top of updates.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I promise myself that now, but we will see when I write again.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>For anyone out there who is feeling bored for some reason you are more than welcome to give me a jingle.</span><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Tyler Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05882161242696356424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899977272234295922.post-14020157105493274552010-09-28T10:29:00.000-07:002010-09-28T10:30:33.197-07:00Catching up...<span><span style="font-size: 120%;">Student quote of the week. "I'm gonna break you. You ever been hit by a dump truck?" <br /> Well, it has been a while since I updated this blog, which is unfortunate because my intent was to update it weekly. We will see how that goes from this point on. My last update was immediately after my first day of school and boy have I learned a lot since then.<br /> Our four day weekend gave me the opportunity to prepare for class somewhat, although I am quickly learning that there is no such thing as truly being ready for class. There are good days and there are bad days. A part of that has to do with me being adequately prepared and a part has to do with which students are in class on any given day and how they feel for that day. Since the first day of school we have had all sorts of excitement. There have been ten kids who I had who have now left and another seven new ones have been added. To put that in perspective, about 40% of the faces that I see are different. It will take me quite a while before I really understand this system. There isn't necessarily any notice of when kids are leaving which is sad. To go home one night so that I can work to create an extra extension for a kid only to show up the next day and have them gone is a real bummer. The other bummer is half the kids are gone every day anyway for court or some other appointment. It makes teaching math fairly difficult, but we are pushing on. The kids are so great though and I really do feel as though I am beginning to build a stronger rapport with my kids.<br /> At the moment I am still the lead teacher in a math class which is technically illegal, but who cares about technicalities.<br /> The past two weekends have been a little bit crazy. I started out with out many plans, but the NYC nightlife sort of got to me. I don't plan on getting home at 6:30am again anytime soon, but the life experience of seeing a fight (crazy dude with a cane) and dancing in a night club are things that really are a part of experiencing the city. Matt and I now have a couch ordered and on the way and a TV coming soon to round out the apartment. The final thing we need is a roommate who we hope to find soon. I am sorry I haven't been more thorough in updating my blog.<br /> Just as a hint to those of you out there, I really do enjoy catching up with friends so give me a call. I am free (meaning I can put off lesson planning if you call) every day after 3pm except Mondays until 8pm. That is 3pm eastern time so if you have some spare time during your afternoon give me a call.</span></span>Tyler Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05882161242696356424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899977272234295922.post-2257708327110868342010-09-08T21:49:00.000-07:002010-09-08T23:40:05.789-07:00First Day of School<p class="MsoPlainText"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>First day of school.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I am actually writing this between classes while I wait for the curriculum to for the class to be faxed over to my site.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I have taught two of my three classes for today and I haven't started crying yet.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This year is definately going to be a handful.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The kids are interesting to say the least.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I suppose that it is similar to all the classes I was in when I was in highschool.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The each class has its clowns and its model students.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Being at passages with this student population there are things that I see and worry about that I hope my teachers never had to concern themselves over.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It is hot and the AC is out, so naturally you want to open the windows...well that is fine, but I need to make sure that the window above the fire escape is not open becuase that could be a problem.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Having to hlod on to penicils and erasers until we are actgually using them, thne collecting them again after class also seems a like overkill, but these people know what they are doing.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It is also a little bit strange to have one or two of the staff memebers in the room who are responsible for removing the kids if they get over aggitaded.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Who knows, this experince is going to be great.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I do also have to get used to a completely different set of names from what I am used to.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Say good by to John and Jane, because a regular name now is Tymaine, Shaquille, or Spanky.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I teach math.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I will be teaching algebra and middle school math.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I am actually the only math teacher at my site at the moment.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Woohoo.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>When was the last time that I worried about slope or linear equations.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Well I guess I get to learn it all over again then teach my kids.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>At this point I have finished teaching my classes for the day and I have to say as a whole it was successful.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Successful in that my lesson was about why math is important and not actually teaching them any new math concepts.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I also think that it is I can say a little bit about my new apartment. The apartment as a whole is great, but I do have two slight complaints/things that just make me laugh. The floor in the apartment is uneven. When I say uneven I mean that there is nothing that is flat at any point. In the living room the table leans to the left and when I go to sleep if I lay down on my bed in one direction my feet are definitely above my head. The other slight problem is the noise. We are right along a main road and there is always something going on outside. So now that I have said my little bit of negative about the apartment I feel that I should say that I love it. Apparently Labor Day is a bigger deal in my neighborhood than I have seen it be anywhere else. Both Sunday and Monday we had people out in the street everywhere. Sunday night there was music until about 5am. When I say music we are talking steel drums and all sorts of other fun stuff. People were dressed up like it was Mardi Gras or something. Full on bright Vegas showgirl outfits with feathers and all. Of course the body types aren't necessarily ones that you would want to see in such outfits, but the spirit of the whole thing was great. That is all I can think of for now. God Bless.</span></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes">This preview for an upcoming film is pretty good. Definitely worth seeing if you care about education at all. It is a documentary looking at the charter school movement.</span></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2518550297/">http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2518550297/</a></span></p>Tyler Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05882161242696356424noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899977272234295922.post-82274476851773703762010-09-01T21:57:00.000-07:002010-09-01T21:58:20.435-07:00Apartment plus some...<h2 style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;font-weight: normal;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">Knowing that school is getting ramped up back at Whitworth makes me a little bit sad, but school here is going to be ramping up as well so I’m sure that I will have plenty to keep me busy.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Well after finding out that I had a job I had to go on and face the next step…finding an apartment.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Fortunately, I my friend Matt from home and Whitworth is also new to the city and we were looking together.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This is actually quite a daunting task here in NYC because there are so many and yet so few.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I have to consider the location, the cost, and the apartment itself.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I knew that for me cost and location outweighed the apartment’s look I didn’t really want to end up in a closet.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Throughout the past few months friends from TFA have been finding apartments all over the city and some have had it easy while others find it to be a battle.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I took almost two weeks to get mine.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Craigslist can only get you so far and broker’s fees are expensive.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I budgeted for about $1000 a month for an apartment.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>With TFA friends spending anywhere from 700-1300 a month I figured aiming to be in the middle would be a good plan.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Well in the past two weeks I have spent countless hours looking at advertisements for apartments and visited at least ten different places, some nice and others not so nice.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I sort of wanted to get one with a doorman and a pool/gym/billiards room, but that was a little bit out of my price range.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Matt and I found a great one with a good location and low cost that was not too bad looking, but someone else beat us to it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Yesterday we went to check out a place right next to Prospect Park, the largest park in Brooklyn, that I had found on facebook.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was titled, </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;color:black">$1450 / 3br - *Cash* Beautiful 3bed on Rutland Rd. and Flatbush Ave. !*CASH*</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;color:black;font-weight:normal; mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">, and had no pictures.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Well after visiting the apartment we were pretty stoked. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The maintenance man for the building was the one who let us in and we were shocked at how big it was.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So we saw the apartment at 2pm then called the broker afterward to say that we wanted it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We met him at 4pm and put down the deposit which was one month’s rent in cash.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>(I struggle hand that much money to someone who I just met.)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He was a great guy who’s name I still don’t actually know.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Then we met again today at 2pm to file our final paper work while in the back of his car and pay last month’s rent along with a security deposit.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Money seems to be flying here.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So within twenty four hours I now have my keys to an apartment that is unfurnished.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Well of course we decide to head to IKEA.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Matt and I ended up spending five hours in IKEA and we only really got about half the stuff that we are going to need.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This whole process has been a whirlwind.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Oh and in case you were wondering if the whole cash upfront thing is sketchy I think so, but apparently in NYC it is actually quite common and I do actually have a legit lease form so it has all worked out.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I wouldn’t suggest to friends however that they regularly run around the city with thousands of dollars in cash.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’m sort of over IKEA and all that it has, but I get the feeling that I will probably be back there again in the next few weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>One more thing to add on to the housing tangent that I just went on, we now have an extra bedroom that we will probably end up renting out and I will be paying about half of what I budgeted for housing.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Yippee.<o:p></o:p></span></h2> <h2 style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;color:black; font-weight:normal;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">The city as a whole is still a very interesting place.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>When traveling on public transit you never know what you are going to see.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I have witnessed a young boy physically fight the woman he was with (I’m not sure if she was his mother or not). <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I have seen countless musicians/artist of some kind run into a packed subway car and begin playing expecting people to give them some money.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>To be a real New Yorker though you need to sit there staring straight ahead and ignore them otherwise they really will come up and get in your face when asking for money.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The other day an older woman got caught in a subway car door.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You may ask, how does something like this happen? Well I will tell you.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was on the D line heading to Coney Island and we got to a stop and the conductor announced that this train was now going to run on the N line.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Well that sucks because more than half the people on the train have to get off and wait for the next D.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So we get off and wait.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The next D pulls into the station and we all get on only to wait a minute and hear another announcement, this train will now also be running on the N line and we should get out and wait for the next D.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So there are a lot of frustrated people on the platform not really sure what is going on, the next D pulls up and the same thing happens only the conductor doesn’t speak very clearly so we are all quite unsure of what is going on.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Well I get off because at this point I just want to walk or take a bus.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>As I get off the train doors close and this old woman is caught in them.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She is not just a little bit caught, but a lot bit.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Basically the doors are pressing directly against her belly and her backside.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Well her head is turning one way then another and she looks very confused.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She didn’t look confused about being stuck, but more about whether or not she wanted to be on the train.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>(Don’t worry, the trains won’t move without all the doors closed so she wasn’t in any danger).<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Well after about thirty seconds I go up to her and ask if she is trying to get off and she says yes.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>At this point I realize that this poor old woman was legitimately stuck between these doors that whole time with probably fifty people on the platform and another thirty in the car waited not wanting to step in to help.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I guess there is still something to be said for being from Washington and not having as thick of a skin as New Yorkers.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was still willing to step in even if it was a little bit late.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></h2> <h2 style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;color:black; font-weight:normal;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">Another fun travel story has to do with me walking down the street and stepping on a rat.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That’s about it for that story.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Yuck.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The neighborhood that I have been staying in for the past few days with a friend from TFA is almost entirely Jewish.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I have begun to see the world in black and white.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That is really the only colors people here wear.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I don’t have a yarmulke or long curls on either side of my head so I don’t really fit in.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It is strange walking down the street and hearing Yiddish more than English.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was in a McDonalds the other day where the staff was all black and speaking Spanish.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I guess my understanding of diversity in America has grown pretty substantially. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Well that is about all I can think to say for now.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Hopefully this hasn’t been too long and boring.<o:p></o:p></span></h2>Tyler Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05882161242696356424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899977272234295922.post-8949717097267797472010-08-26T18:59:00.001-07:002010-08-26T19:34:39.953-07:00School starts soon but before that...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxHlu1lYK5Bh4yqc3gCJFOubBooCDH92incoG4OvYi11Q9vehSjXcitFjizCKFABEeIipX_k9R2pXFXRcflaftUA0TpCnNvZtxDM6u7YB0s56majNU8rOh0VPF7Md3H8jgPLjVxqdXiyA/s1600/IMAG0010.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxHlu1lYK5Bh4yqc3gCJFOubBooCDH92incoG4OvYi11Q9vehSjXcitFjizCKFABEeIipX_k9R2pXFXRcflaftUA0TpCnNvZtxDM6u7YB0s56majNU8rOh0VPF7Md3H8jgPLjVxqdXiyA/s320/IMAG0010.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509912196121937346" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtwzE-86lUmpJKyX7ADA9LHH4amj_Fq4bYA20aTjXpsl5WGKfZ9wrMoEmtuc969IzyKZOfvtV_JbKkL2BiRGF4V3xHX5pKlBoFOOabeUwOsMI0BZ2LOk1w1qS3wiMVkEBX7Ar72RLrVpo/s1600/IMAG0009.jpg"><span><span></span></span><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtwzE-86lUmpJKyX7ADA9LHH4amj_Fq4bYA20aTjXpsl5WGKfZ9wrMoEmtuc969IzyKZOfvtV_JbKkL2BiRGF4V3xHX5pKlBoFOOabeUwOsMI0BZ2LOk1w1qS3wiMVkEBX7Ar72RLrVpo/s320/IMAG0009.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509904147778593378" /></a><div>So<span><span> time here in NYC has been great. I</span></span> was officially offered a job this past Wednesday. I will be working at Passages Academy in downtown Brooklyn. The school has multiple site and my site is at the boystown campus. <a href="http://www.boystown.org/new-york">http://www.boystown.org/new-york</a> I'm still learning about the school and there is a whole lot more for me to learn before I really have a complete picture. the school is very small. They max out at about 46 students and there are 10 teachers on staff. The kids are at boys town for multiple reasons. Passages academy is a part of District 79 here in NYC. District 79 offers alternative education programs to students who have been incarcerated, teen mothers, and people aiming for GEDs. This district is a relatively new thing for Teach For America. They placed one person in District 79 last year and two of us are in District 79 schools this year. I couldn't be more thrilled about my placement. It will be a unique challenge.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>When it comes to living in NYC there is always something new to see and something more to do. I have officially finished my first class for grad school and I got an A. (woohoo) A new student ID card and more student bills to pay. However, being a grad student at Hunter College is not a bad situation. My overall cost is significantly lower than what it was to be a Whitworth student. I don't think that I will be quite as proud of this diploma as I am of my Whitworth diploma. I certainly wont be paying as much for it.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Apartment hunting is not too fun. The cost to live in NYC is outrageous. I'm hoping to get housing figured out in the next day or two, but until then it is couch surfing. Today I was walking around downtown and found some fun stuff. Tim Horton's/Cold Stone Creamery, a Dunkin Doughnuts/Taco Bell, and life is never really complete until you see the naked cowboy...I mean cowgirl. She is especially unique because she is as old as my mother and looks about as fake as possible. This is NYC. If anyone wants to come join me here you are more than welcome. Short term visits are good too.</div>Tyler Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05882161242696356424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899977272234295922.post-61801251834079963062010-08-17T21:11:00.000-07:002010-08-17T21:28:49.787-07:00Catching upSo I realize that it has been a really long time since I have updated this blog which unfortunately is not something that I was hoping to do when I first started the blog, but life is full of unexpected things. The reality is I have been waiting to post something until I was placed in my school for the fall so that I could talk about that and be excited, but unfortunately that hasn't happened just yet. So the reality is I still haven't figured out where I will be working this coming fall. The whole process has been pretty frustrating because while TFA sets up interviews for me I don't really have a ton of control over where I go. My first few interviews went well, back in July, but the first two schools ended up deciding not to hire anyone for the positions. The third school chose a different TFA guy who just came out of the workplace so he actually has experience. Then I took my week off to go to Canada which was great, but put me behind in the placement process since most people still waiting were placed during that week. Oh well. <div>Then I came back and last week we had round zero training which was not bad, but I missed about half of it because I was out interviewing. Last week I interviewed at four different schools which equated to eight interviews including phone interviews, in person interviews, and demon lessons. Soooo much fun. The basic gist of things is that one didn't think I would fit well in the system they had where I would have had to be a resource room specialist. The second said that they would love to hire me after my demo lesson if they had a position for upper elementary school because they thought I would be far better with that than the first grade position they had available. Oh well. I guess it is a good thing they liked me seeing as how that was the top charter school in the state of New York. So right now I am waiting to hear back from the other two schools. I had my last interview with one of them today, the other I finished up with last week, but with TFA we don't want to take any chances so tomorrow I get to go on a whole new interview with a new school. Hooray for going to grad school tomorrow for an eight hour class then leaving it and going straight to the interview which of course is in an extremely inconvenient location almost two hours away via public transit. So right now my hope and prayer is that I will get an offer tomorrow so as to avoid that whole process. I should find out soon anyhow and I'm excited to see where I end up. At the moment the schools that are pending are in Washington Heights (upper west side of Manhattan) and the other is in Brooklyn with a school for students who are in detention and awaiting court dates. I'll be sure to update again soon once I know something.</div><div>Grad school is not exactly what I would call challenging so far, but we will see.</div>Tyler Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05882161242696356424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899977272234295922.post-13256052305495185202010-07-31T23:11:00.000-07:002010-07-31T23:12:35.824-07:00The end before the beginning<p class="MsoNormal">Well it is all over.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Institute is actually finished and I have a little letter that says I made it through.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>My kids made some major growth and I learned a ton.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The thing that I learned that surprised me a little bit wasn’t necessarily anything to do with what they were trying to teach us.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I learned how hard it is to be away from home and friends.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Sure I made some friends while at institute, but at this point I don’t know how many of them I will see again and there are probably more people who I don’t really care to see again than people who I do.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I miss Whitworth and Tacoma.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Spending the next two years here seems overwhelming.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I know that the program is great and that the city is great, but for me it just isn’t home.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I am actually writing this in the Newark airport.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Within one hour of finishing institute I bought a plane ticket to Calgary so that I could meet my family up at my sister’s new house.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Spending the next week with family is just what I need.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’m tired, a little grouchy sometimes, and I want to be around people I love.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The next week is family time before I return to the chaos of the city and round zero training for TFA.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Some interesting things about NYC and what I have learned while I have been here:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">-I have had a number of friends make comments before that leggings are not pants.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I have to say that most of NY would disagree with you.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The number of people who I have seen wearing only leggings (both men and women) is a little bit staggering.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>On that note, people should also avoid wearing tube top dresses while traveling.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They look really awkward and sitting next to someone wearing that on the plane is pretty strange.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-Underwear and pasties do not count as clothing if you are 20 or 60.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Yes I have seen both and neither should happen.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-On the subway the other day I saw something great.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There was a man wearing a yarmulke next, to a man wearing a rosary, next to a man with a turban.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There are many interesting people all on the subway.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-While moving my bags from St. John’s (where I have been staying for institute) I saw man dancing in the subway car.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It wasn’t just a regular dance however, this man was pole dancing and rubbing his back all over the pole.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>As if that wasn’t enough a big guy came up to him and laid into him for being inappropriate in front of ladies.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This new big guy then went on a tangent about the dancer being a ******ity ***** ********** *******.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He started threatening him.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He got off the subway only to decide to come back into the next door to yell some more.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Then he got off and came back in again to yell.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Oh what a night.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-Almost didn’t get out of the apartment this morning because the doorknob fell off.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It took me about 15 minutes to figure out how to fix it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">-One of my best lessons was the last.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This past Thursday we did a math review of everything that we had learned during summer school.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We had ten full pages of word problems that dealt with all of the math problems that we have been doing.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I did all the work independently before class and it took me about an hour and a half.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I challenged the kids to beat my time.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They got to work as a class and different groups could work on different pages.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They took about ten minutes to really get into it, but when they realized they could beat my time they all began to work fervently in teams to try to finish in time.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Seeing them get so motivated to do their work was great.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Even the students who struggled still worked on the easier pages together.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They didn’t get the chance to finish because we ran out of time, but in one hour they finished 9 of the 10 pages so I have no doubt that they would have done it.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-I can get a bagel and coffee from a street side vendor for $1.50.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Take that Starbucks, McDonalds, and Sodexo.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-On the same block I can get two containers of blueberries (fairly good sized) for $2.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-If I want to get an apartment with a small room about the size of the study room from my old dorm it will cost at least $500 a month.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>No wonder the food is so cheap.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We have to spend all our money on rent.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-The shuttle to Newark International Airport is only $25 roundtrip which is pretty great because it leaves from grand central in Manhattan and flights from Newark are generally less expensive.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-If you want to live somewhere that allows for cheap travel NYC is the place to be.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I found an offer to go to Iceland for 3 days with hotels and airfare for only $400.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I don’t really care to go to Iceland but it is still sort of cool.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-I watched the today show this morning while I at breakfast. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’m going to have to get myself on it as one of those silly people in the background waving.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I walked by the area last weekend and I would not be hard to get there.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-Living in NY the biggest thing ever is happening … that’s right, Chelsea Clinton is getting married.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We are all so excited.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’m not really sure why, but it is hard to miss.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-My kids think that Obama is a god.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>One of the guys at TFA does a really good Obama impression (his voice is perfect) and he recorded a message to the kids in his class as a class reward for the end of the summer program because they met their goal.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They had a kid cry in their classroom of third graders because he was so excited.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-Diversity is a whole new thing.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I have learned so much about so many different cultures while I have been here.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Within TFA and in NYC there are so many different perspectives from what I have seen in the North West.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-East coast folks as a whole are pretty snooty.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Some are great, but a lot have their noses in the air.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">- I have learned how to do a teacher stare.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="font-family:Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings"><span style="mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings">J</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’m still working on my teacher voice.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It works sometimes, but then I want to smile or I scare myself which totally throws me off my groove.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-I love teaching math and reading.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Writing is a nightmare and I wish that no one ever had to do it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I just say that now because I can’t see to get a handle on it yet.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’m sure that it will come with time.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-I want to treat these kids like campers.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Instead of being Tyler I am Mr. Hamilton and instead of being flexible and fun I have to be pretty structured.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Oh well.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I think they like me anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Now I just have to try going back to camp and having the kids call me Mr. Hamilton.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We will see how that goes over.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-Dunkin Doughnuts is everywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Their doughnuts are not that great, their sandwiches are lame, and everything is overpriced.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Not worth a visit unless you get the munchkins. (Doughnut holes)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">-If a dog weighs less than 10lbs it is not a dog it is a rat.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The number of little rat dogs that I have seen is overwhelming.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There have been a few that are too feeble to walk.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Their owners put them in purses or even bags that are intended for dogs.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They even had a restaurant (I forget the name, but it was like a Dick’s) that serves dog treats as well as regular food.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">-There is going to be a mosque built on ground zero.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Hello controversy, lots of upset people on both sides.</p>Tyler Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05882161242696356424noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899977272234295922.post-15535816039641531002010-07-28T14:15:00.001-07:002010-07-28T14:15:44.276-07:00Time is ticking away...<p class="MsoNormal">I feel as though I am expected to get these kids to make changes in days that normally take weeks and teach objectives in weeks that should have months all while learning how to teach.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Today has been fairly frustrating because we are assessing our students.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>While they have made growth, some of the objectives we simply haven’t had time teach them yet we are expected to test them on these objectives.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It is not a student’s fault when their teacher doesn’t teach them something and I would argue at least right now during institute I don’t feel as though it is entirely my fault that the students didn’t get the best education either.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Even with all these frustrations the students in my class have made some tremendous increases in reading and mathematics.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">On a less school focused note, this past weekend was great.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I met up with Katie Zerkel who I haven’t run into since May last year.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We spent the day catching up with each other down in Times Square.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We also went out and saw Mama Mia.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It is my first Broadway musical since moving to NYC.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was a blast getting to see the city and spend time with a good friend.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Sunday after church I went over to Mollie’s apartment and had lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Sunday evening we went to Pier 54 to dance.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The NYC park program had live music along with a Latin dancing lesson.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I made someone’s day when I danced with her, but she only spoke Korean and so outside of a smile and a peace sign there wasn’t much communication.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Tomorrow is our last day with the kids.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’m excited to be done, but sad to leave my fourth graders.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They are wonderful and they make me smile every morning.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I am still waiting to hear about my final placement for the fall.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I hope to know by the end of the week, but with TFA you never really know.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’m excited to begin work for my students in the fall.</p>Tyler Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05882161242696356424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899977272234295922.post-49950427115635011132010-07-22T19:04:00.000-07:002010-07-22T20:24:26.444-07:00One week left...I have almost made it through Teach For America Institute. The five week crash course on teaching that does the best it can to prepare me for a classroom this fall. I have to say that from my perspective the whole thing was a little bit more hyped up than I expected. I was told multiple times that this would be the hardest thing that I would ever do and I have to say that I don't think it is. Then again, when I look at other times in my life I feel as though I have been more challenged. I really can't think of anything that compares to the month that I spent washing dishes in "the pitts" at Frontier Ranch. Those were some hard days will lot of work and little rest as well. I also probably helps that I have had at least some experience working with kids at camp. While a cabin of ten fifth graders for the week is not quite the same as teaching a classroom, I do feel much more comfortable with managing children.<div>All is well on the hiring front for most TFA folks. We just found out today that 71% of the NYC Corps have been placed at this point (small party). At this point the lucky 29% of us (big party) who are still up in the air are just waiting for the next interview and potentially the next call/sticky note/text message to tell us that we got hired. Yes someone did really learn today that they were hired via sticky note from an assistant principle. It might be sort of cool to have that be how I get my first official job offer. While it is a little frustrating to be on the unhired end of the statistics, last year at this point only 31% of the corps members were placed so we are actually not in a bad position at all. </div><div>My fourth graders are great. Today we awarded the first of our 'Rock Star' prizes. Through class students have the opportunity to earn high notes. When they receive twenty five high notes they then get a photo shopped picture of themselves with the celebrity of their choice. Today one of the kids got a picture with him and Michael Jackson. Next week we have kids getting pictures with Madona as well as two Japanese cartoon characters that I can't remember the names of. It is amazing what silly incentives can do to boost a kids spirits. </div><div>I am trying to learn how to think like a fourth grader, I have to admit that it is harder than I would have expected. How do you explain to a kid who is struggling with rounding that any number that is equal to or greater than five means that you round up. I thought it was pretty straight forward, but when one child can't figure out that you don't round up with a four or down with an eight it can be hard to come up with more ways to explain. Using manipulatives can help, but they can also confuse the kid even more. Well it just show that I have a lot to learn. Next week I get to teach multiplication of two digit numbers by two digit numbers with regrouping as well as division of two digit dividends by one digit divisors with and without remainders. While I don't really have a problem doing the math myself, explaining the process and understanding why we do things the way we do is something I haven't thought about since I was in fourth grade. I get to learn right along with these kids. I have so much more respect for all of my teachers and the time and energy that they put in. I always thought that teaching was a fairly easy job for most teachers. Well I was wrong.</div><div>This weekend I am going to try to enjoy myself a little bit. I also get to spend some time each day with a different friend from home. :)</div><div>If you want me to send you a picture of some of my kids awards (their pictures with celebrities) shoot me an email. I'm not supposed to post them for the sake of confidentiality. The best email to reach me at is thamilton10@my.whitworth.edu</div>Tyler Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05882161242696356424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899977272234295922.post-38937970135506153992010-07-17T20:33:00.000-07:002010-07-17T20:34:53.160-07:00NY Times ArticleSo if I ever feel bad about myself I can always look a this article as a quick ego boost. It was on the front page of the New York Times this last Tuesday.<div><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US; mso-bidi-language:AR-SA"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/12/education/12winerip.html?_r=1">http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/12/education/12winerip.html?_r=1</a></span></div>Tyler Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05882161242696356424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899977272234295922.post-31543207984081067272010-07-15T17:15:00.000-07:002010-07-15T17:57:33.469-07:00Three weeks in...Well I have only been teaching for two weeks, but the training has been going for three and I am about to hit my one month mark here in NYC. To say that this has been a difficult experience would be an understatement. I didn't realize how important sleep was to my life up till now. I suppose that is because when ever I had a lack of sleep before in my life I had time to make it up. Well that is not the case here. You take what you can get, a short nap on the bus on the way to school or you give up on lesson planning at midnight knowing that you have to be up at 5am and even if you have the best lesson in the world you wont be able to present it if you haven't slept. <div>This past weekend I met up with Mollie McComb a friend from Whitworth and we went out to Staten Island and went hiking through a park. It is really great to get the chance to get away from TFA folks and see something different. It is also nice to have a friend who came from the same pond into this crazy NYC ocean. We also went to Redeemer Presbyterian Church this past Sunday. It is a pretty neat congregation and I hope that where I end up living will be within a functional distance of the church. After the service we strolled through Central Park. I wish I could afford to live near the park because it is absolutely amazing. Musicians, artists, trees, and grass although you can't walk on the grass because it is all fenced off. At least it is green. </div><div>My kids are priceless. Kids really do say the darnedest things. Today in class they had to use vocab words to create sentences. One of the sentences I looked at was 'the princesses and princes were bravely dancing.' Another said, 'Mr. Hamilton is magnificent.' I'm still getting used to being called Mr. Hamilton. What a strange thing. I do have one student who seems to have missed out on how to spell my name and when ever she writes it at the top of her papers she write 'Mr. Hamlet.' At the end of class today as a reward for good behavior we play Michael Jackson's Thriller and one of the students busted out a choreographed dance to it. He is the sweetest little guy. Being thin as a stick, wearing glasses, and soft spoken make him the person who I was least likely to imagine doing a dance, but he knew how to groove. The kids are great and life is going well here in the big city.</div><div>In the past week I have interviewed for two middle school special education positions in the Bronx. I don't know when I will hear back from them, but hopefully soon. I would love to be able to start looking for an apartment. Thats all I can think of for now. To my friends and family in Washington keep holding down the fort and for those of you elsewhere enjoy the experiences that life throws at you.</div>Tyler Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05882161242696356424noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899977272234295922.post-62699614947518745562010-07-08T17:33:00.001-07:002010-07-08T17:33:20.973-07:00First few days as PS86<p class="MsoNormal">The kids are great.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I love my class.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They are the sweetest kids.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They will own my life this month, but it will be worth it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Today one I asked Paola if she was excited about this weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She said that she was happy to be spending time with her family, but that she was sad because she wouldn’t see us again until Monday.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-char-type: symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings"><span style="mso-char-type:symbol; mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings">J</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So sweet.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I think I scared the kids a little bit because as a part of the writing lesson we had a stuffed bear come out to tell a story.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Well needless to say, my stuffed bear voice is pretty much the same thing as my elf voice.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It caught a few of them off guard at first, but it certainly held their attention. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">I think that this is certainly one of the hardest things I have ever done.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We work non-stop and sleep whenever we get the chance.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You are doing good if you are in bed by midnight and my alarm is set for 5:30am.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This is also however a bit of an ego boost because I am making it through lesson planning significantly quicker than most and actually have time to enjoy dinner and an hour or two off each day.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I had my first interview yesterday.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I am fairly optimistic about how it went, however I don’t think I will hear back from the school any time soon.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The principle wasn’t really sure how many positions she was hiring for or exactly which positions she needed.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We shall see.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Perhaps the next two years of my life will be spent teaching middle school special education at PS118 in the Bronx.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I would love prayers for energy and patience.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>My slightly picky organization side is making it more challenging for me to work with my team members who just don’t think the same way as I do. </p>Tyler Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05882161242696356424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899977272234295922.post-3370790534067102972010-07-05T15:01:00.000-07:002010-07-05T15:02:10.765-07:00A quick update<p class="MsoNormal">Well time flies when you’re having fun which I think is what is happening.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>For the most part I am certainly enjoying my experience here.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We saw the classroom that we will be teaching on Thursday.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The room is great and my Corps Member Advisor, basically the TFA person who is individually responsible for me, knows the teacher who will be observing us throughout the month.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There are three people in my teaching collaborative.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We are an interesting combination of folks and I’m not sure how good we will be working together with all of our different styles, but only time will tell.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This weekend I caught up on sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I got about 9 hours of sleep Friday night and then I hit 15 hours on Saturday night.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That was not really intentionally.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I fell asleep at 8pm without setting an alarm to get up to go to church.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Oops.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I slept till 11am the next day.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Last night (the 4<sup>th</sup> of July) a group of us went down to a park to watch the fireworks.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>While the fireworks were great, for some reason I just don’t enjoy fireworks as much now as I used to.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Perhaps I am a little bit less of a pyromaniac now?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Tomorrow is the first day that we have in the classrooms.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I will get to meet my students and get started on assessments and explaining classroom policies and procedures.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I am anticipating life getting harder here, but who knows, maybe I just led too busy of a life back at Whitworth and what some people think of as busy I just see as common place.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I’m still waiting to hear about placement info which is a little bit frustrating.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I haven’t had any interviews so far, but I am told it is just a matter of time.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Once I get hired by a school I will begin the great apartment hunt.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Doing this in the big apple is likely to be the most stressful part of this whole experience.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I have never gone apartment hunting before and the idea of spending more than one thousand of dollars a month on rent just stresses me out.</p>Tyler Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05882161242696356424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899977272234295922.post-35330587336571408462010-06-30T19:58:00.000-07:002010-06-30T19:59:42.653-07:00The chaos has begun<p class="MsoNormal">I love being here and at the same time I really wish I could be back in Spokane.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I woke up this morning at 5am so that I could get in a run, quiet time, and shower prior to breakfast.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I learned that leaving 30 minutes for breakfast is not enough.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Actually after today the start time changes from 7am to 6:15am so a good night’s sleep will be hard to get.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Oh well, it is all for the kids.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That is what we are all reminding ourselves of.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Tomorrow is the first day I get to see the school that I will be teaching at this summer.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>PS 86 in the Bronx doesn’t know what it has coming. Goodnight. For those of you who live on the west coast please remember that calling me anytime when it is evening for you means that you will likely wake me up. :( This has already happened a few times. Oops.</p>Tyler Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05882161242696356424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899977272234295922.post-14213955085681443932010-06-27T13:51:00.001-07:002010-06-27T13:51:45.072-07:00The last weekend of fun<p class="MsoNormal">Induction is now done, which is both happy and sad.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It is exciting looking forward to institute but also terrifying.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Long days and lots of hard work are ahead.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Nothing extremely eventful has happened the last few days outside of some great discussions about special education and also diversity.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I did rip my black dress pants yesterday…while sitting down next to one of the program leaders.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Oops.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That means that this weekend also gets to be a bit of a shopping experience in Manhattan.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Friday after institute finished up I That night we went down to the pier and got to check out downtown Manhattan at night.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The city has all sorts of stuff set up for the world cup which was pretty sweet.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>On the way back up I upset a man in the subway. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>By upset, I mean be for some reason decided that the group I was with was too loud so he began to scold me about my ability to speak.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He said that I would never win a Pulitzer Prize if I didn’t sound better spoken.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Overall my diction was acceptable, but I said the word I think too many ****ing times.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>After about fifteen minutes he got off the train.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I guess I don’t really know what experiences I will have on any given day.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Saturday I spent some time at a flea market down in Brooklyn with a couple of friends.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I then had my first NYC bagel.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We looked at apartments in the area as one of the girls in the group hadn’t been placed yet.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I am hoping that I will be placed soon.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>About half of the folks at TFA NYC have their placements already and I have only met a few who like me haven’t had any interviews yet, but patience is a virtue.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I went to bed early because I needed to be up early to head downtown for church.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Ruthie and I went to a church called Redeemer Presbyterian on the west side of Manhattan.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was right next to central park.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The church was a bit more traditional in the way the service ran than I am used to.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Overall I liked it very much, not sure if I will end up back there for the rest of Institute since it takes a little bit longer than an hour to get there on the subway.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We start inductions tonight.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>From this point on I will be wearing ties every day.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Yuck.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I can appreciated being professional, but in this heat I might get to me a little bit more than it normally would.</p>Tyler Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05882161242696356424noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899977272234295922.post-24623316810711212542010-06-24T04:45:00.000-07:002010-06-24T04:46:42.190-07:00Getting to know people<p class="MsoNormal">Well I don’t plan on updating the blog quite this frequently in the future, but right now there is so much going on that I feel like is worth sharing about.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I am meeting new people constantly which is exciting but also draining.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There are only so many times that you can ask the questions before they get dull.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>What is your name? Where are you from? What school did you go to?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Do you have your placement yet?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You get to a point where there is just too many people to try to meet.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>My new favorite thing to ask is for people to remind me of their name because I have forgotten.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Along with the joys of learning all about TFA and the grad programs we also get the chance to have fun.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Last night after a quick run to Rite Aid, a group of us played word games.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’m glad that there are other people here who get giddy over boggle.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>One other highlight of yesterday is that I found someone to go to church with this coming Sunday.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She is a great person and I would love it if I was sure what her name was.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I think it is Rosie, but to be perfectly honest today I will probably be asking her my new favorite question just to be sure.</p>Tyler Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05882161242696356424noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899977272234295922.post-63583708544492068022010-06-22T20:17:00.001-07:002010-06-22T20:17:51.267-07:00Day One<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">I love NEW YORK!!!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We just finished a meeting on one side of the St. John’s campus and when we came out it was pouring down rain and when I say pouring I mean this rain was a significant upgrade from East Hall showers and it was even more environmentally friendly.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I am pretty wiped out right now from lack of sleep and going for most the day, but it is happy hour and TFA folks are going so I figure I should enjoy the free time while I have it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">I may have been a little bit over zealous in saying that I love NYC.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>While I am enjoying the weather I am finding the whole experience to be quite overwhelming.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The first TFA person that I met is a guy who just graduated from Stanford, I had lunch with a guys who just graduated from Harvard and Princeton, our neighbors went to Vanderbilt, my roommate graduated from University of Chicago and he just spent the last year on a Fullbright scholarship to some little country that I have never heard of between France and Spain.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It makes me feel a little bit self conscious about the fact that pretty much no one has ever heard of Whitworth.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I did however get to have dinner with a girl who graduated from Whitman and we had a short bonding moment over Washington State.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">The people here are great, however I do certainly feel that I am in a whole new world.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This is not the cozy lovey dovey Whitworth community, there is no hello walk to greet people on and while we are all trying to get to know each other, it seems as though there is not a strong desire to be there for each other.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I think that this next five and a half weeks in training will give me a good idea of what life would have been like had I gone to a large state university.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I don’t anticipate that I will be a wild crazy student, that just wouldn’t be me, but I never really had to deal with the fact that the first thing a lot of people want to do is go out drinking an see who is single.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">When it comes to the program I am excited to see what they will teach me and what I will be able to do with my students.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I certainly see a place for God in all of this and how he can shine through the decisions that I make.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The more I meet people the more I have the opportunity to show them were I am supported from.</p>Tyler Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05882161242696356424noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899977272234295922.post-33881071725171386332010-06-20T22:43:00.000-07:002010-06-20T23:03:16.205-07:00The Day Before<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Well I'm not quite sure how I feel about the whole blogging experience, but since I do know that I follow my friends on their blogs I figure it's only fair that I create my own as well. The goal in this blog is to catalog my future adventures as they unfold. I will be flying to New York City tomorrow night to take the first steps towards teaching this coming fall. My hope is to have at least a brief update on a weekly basis. In reality, I am hoping to stay in contact with friends outside of this blog and not through it.<div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I started thinking about Teach For America back in October of this year. I originally dismissed the program because I was focused on other options and the representative that I met with rubbed me the wrong way. Through my experience in South Africa during January and a number of conversations with people who I respect greatly, I chose to apply for the program this spring. I applied without thinking that I would actually get accepted and when I received my acceptance I yell at my computer. My frustration in being accepted had more to do with my desire to not have to make a choice than it did we with me not wanting the job. After prayer and conversation I chose to accept the offer I was given by TFA. My original placement is in (1-9 Special Education) but I am also being considered for (1-6 General Education).</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Today looking at leaving home for the foreseeable future I am beginning to second guess this decision. I don't know what to expect and that scares me senseless. I love being in control and knowing what is going on around me. I guess that this is probably a good time to learn. My prayer is that God will help me as I enter this new environment in finding friends, support, housing, and just about everything else that I am not anticipating at the moment. Inductions start on Tuesday and training begins next Sunday. I am excited and terrified about this adventure.</div>Tyler Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05882161242696356424noreply@blogger.com0