Community Partner : Calvin M . Rodwell Elementary / Middle School Intern : Jordan Adams Site Supervisor : Amanda Richardson
What is Calvin M . Rodwell Elementary / Middle School ?
Calvin M . Rodwell Elementary / Middle is located in Northwest Baltimore . Each school day begins with a recitation of the motto , " We ' re on our way to college !"— a commitment backed by outstanding instruction from a highly qualified staff . Elementary students receive comprehensive training in core subject areas and are also provided with music , technological awareness and unique culinary arts programming .
At Calvin Rodwell I was assigned to be part of the support staff for the Springboard Summer Program , which required me to assist the teachers with classroom instruction , take the students to and from breakfast , lunch and enrichment , and assist with arrivals and dismissals . But since starting , I ’ ve taken on a bigger role that I wasn ’ t expecting . The first week I attended virtual professional development sessions for Baltimore City teachers . The second week I attended attendance meetings where we discussed strategies for improving attendance during the upcoming academic year now that students are returning to school in-person . From the third week until now I ’ ve been doing my usual tasks while co-teaching foundational literacy skills to rising kindergarten and first grade students . I have also been supervising three YouthWorkers who help the staff at Calvin Rodwell with daily tasks for the program . I fill out their time sheets , lead them in professional development and career readiness sessions , and report to YouthWorks coordinators with updates . I ’ ve had opportunities to function as both a classroom instructor and as an administrator .
I ’ ve felt immensely grateful during my time at the school . The teacher I am co-teaching with , Mrs . Waddell , has taught me a lot about being a teacher , including tips on classroom management and what materials and learning techniques I should use for students . My supervisor Amanda has supported me throughout my time at the school , and it is inspiring to see how influential and passionate she is about working with the students there . I ’ ve aspired to be a teacher for some time now , but this internship really solidified the decision for me . But my students are who really make the experience such an amazing one . Even if I ’ m feeling tired and overwhelmed , I know that when I go to work , I can count on them energizing me and showing their excitement to learn and have fun . It ’ s what I look forward to when I start teaching myself . My main career goal is to move back to my small hometown and take on both a classroom role and an administrative role in order to transform the school district from one that is low-performing and struggling to one that is thriving and promising for every student , and my experience at Calvin Rodwell has been my first step towards doing so .
Co-taught foundational literacy learning and reading intervention for rising kindergarten students Supervised high school student employees from YouthWorks , and offered them career development and financial literacy workshops weekly Assisted with parentstudent literacy workshops and tracked home reading logs . Responsible for classroom management and student enrichment ( P . E ., art , dance , meditation , etc .)
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