When I had moved from Florida back to Tennessee I thought I knew plenty about teach-
ing in urban settings; after all, in Florida my previous school had been in the local news-
paper for highest gang activity in the district. I thought to myself, overconfidently, “I can
teach at an urban school in Nashville.” As you have probably guessed, I was wrong and
on the first day of teaching 7th grade English at one of the most impoverished schools
in the city, I was in for a reality check. So, I had to act fast; I had to think. How could I
engage my students, stop disruptions and actually teach? I had to meet my students’
needs first and that came with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, so I created a competitive
teaching model that made my classroom a community filled with teamwork and dedi-
cation. It changed my teaching career forever.
All students should be equipped with the knowledge and
skills to successfully embark upon their chosen path in
life. We have connected with some of the best minds on
this subject who will guide educators as they endeavor to
engage all students in their schools/classrooms.
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#AllM