Friday Update

It's certainly been a while since my last post. Schoolwork has been relatively under control, but it seems like everything else is flying along. The weeks after Spring Break passed by before I knew what was happening. Last weekend we pledged in a new class of members to Delta Tau Delta, and I was fortunate to get to perform the Courage portion again. We also had the first round of elections for Phi Sigma Pi, and Angie will be replacing me as Parliamentarian in the coming weeks.

Teach For America is also moving forward. This past Monday I had a conference call with Kristin, Caroline, along with several incoming corps members about school placement. I felt up-to-date going into the call because I had read all of the TFA materials that I had been sent thus far. Even more so, I was head of the game because I had already had a phone interview with SHINE, a KIPP elementary school in Houston. Although I was not selected to be part of the SHINE school, I was given the interview opportunity, which many corp members were not.

On Tuesday, I received an email from Caroline notifying me of another phone interview, which excited me very much. I felt very fortunate to be given another opportunity to interview over the phone before arriving in Houston. About half of the 2008 corps will have their first interview on June 6 after arriving, and many others will have their first interviews even later. Shortly, I opened an email from the principal of Gallegos Elementary.

After exchanging emails the principal, we set up a time to speak about a second grade position. I was blown away. This principal was frank and honest. She was active and visionary. She seemed to truly wrestle with the issues facing her school and invited me to wrestle with the ideas too. We've agreed that I should talk to the TFA corps member who has the second grade position we were discussing. The teacher's name is Emily and I'm scheduled to talk to her today at 5pm.

The school sounds like it is moving in the right direction, but there are many snags and hiccups along the way. The challenge seems immense, but I am excited by the prospects of finding a school in Houston. Whether this potion works out or another one comes later in the process, I am confident that I will have a teaching home by the time school starts in the fall.