"What mental health needs is more sunlight, more candor, more unashamed conversation." -Glenn Close

Lots of people asked me why I decided to move to Mississippi. Why not to...Hawaii, for example, with my greatest friend Miss Anna Tucker (fellow TFA corps member)?? Did I draw the short stick? No. I've wanted to move here for years. I've wanted to move here because at some point, some how, the education system failed certain people in our country and I want to be a part of the solution. These students are FULLY CAPABLE of the success the students from higher performing and more affluent schools experience, but because of what has been named the achievement gap, the resources are not available to them. Teach for America works to fill that gap, and Mississippi is one of its highest need areas in the country. Here are some facts (I'm slowly learning these more and more as I go and I want to share): -18-21% of students in Mississippi are retained at least once after kindergarten -41% of students in Mississippi don't even graduate -towns like West Bolivar, Mississi...

Well, it's pretty much official (it is official)...I HAVE A HOUSE! And by I, I mean WE, because I'll be moving in with two beautiful Hollandale colleagues of mine (Katie and Vanessa) and one lucky other lady from another area who we are just getting to know! So now, for the great unveiling of the BEAUTIFUL MAJESTIC PALACE that I will soon call home....prepare to be amazed.  We begin with the peaceful drive from Cleveland (where I'm currently staying at Delta State University) toward Leland, Mississippi, homeland of George Abide and now ME!  A little drive through town (note the Abide Furniture Store)...we're nearing my house! TA DA! And we pull up in front of the gorgeous 607, the beautiful little red brick house owned by Mary, already sure to be the greatest landlord (she has 12 rental homes and all of them are rented out to TFA).  ((the house is yet to be named, but I won't let this beaut go without a good one, that's for sure))...

#margs #fridaynight #teachers #mississippi #friends out to La Cabana for school socials and MONSTER MARGS Sometimes margs make you think deep thoughts (not me, but maybe him). Colleagues at Sanders Elementary School! Climbing to the roof of the dorm...#adventureous (turns out the college cops came right after my friends and I climbed down and everybody on the roof got scolded big time....narrowly escaped that one...#lucky) #timetogettowork

Just finished week one with the little angels! Honestly its hard to put into words everything that we've been doing down here because it's so much. I can say this much, however: I literally laugh constantly with my students. They are honest, funny and real. They say what they're thinking and they mean what they say. They work so hard and make me so proud every single day! It amazes me the amount of effort they're giving so that they can be ready to go to second grade and eventually "play college sports" or just go to college in general!   So here's a little pic update, maybe interspersed with some hilarious 6 year old stories (if you're lucky):  Our 2nd grade teaching team!  From left to right, Ms Karpilo, Ms Forster and Ms Delgato I'm the luckiest because these two ladies are so great to work with and I'm learning so much from them! These pictures were taken at our community night (pizza with parents) at West Bolivar! ...

((a little glimpse into life at Teach for America Summer Institute and the talent I'm surrounded by))

Dear Loyal Listeners, Sorry these blog posts aren't funny yet. Turns out there's a lot of serious business when you're in the position of getting 9 almost-second-graders ready to enter second grade when some of them are still doing reading and math at a pre-primary level. It's a huge job, actually. It's unbelievably daunting. 9 students, 3 adults, 1 month to conquer this b-word called the achievement gap. NOT COOL, EDUCATION SYSTEM. But in the meantime, when we're not working on lesson planning, building classroom culture, learning how to teach (it's good review for me, it really is), practicing behavior management (explicit directions, narrate behaviors "Kenderrius is showing me he's ready to go by having his hands in his pockets and his voice turned off, Lisbeth has her hands in her pockets and is facing forward, I see that X'Zavier is showing me he's ready to go by having his hands in his pockets and his body facing forward...,"...

To start this post, I'll give y'all a couple pictures of the school I'm teaching at this summer. The kiddos start tomorrow, finally! This is the door to my first grade (entering second) classroom for the summer! How beautiful are these desks?! Another picture of the drive home. Once I got home I decided it was time to go for a walk alone around campus so I could get to know my way around ((and also get some darn movement in because all we've been doing all day is sitting in class for 9 hours and it's TORTURE for the poor bod)) HERE ARE SOME PICS I TOOK (you're welcome George! also mom and dad) Delta State! Three flags at Delta State! The library. Ask me if I've been in there. No wait. If you know me, you know the answer. But it's pretty from the outside... DSU  The dining hall! ((people don't know what I mean when I talk about the "caf"...who calls it a DINING HALL anywas??)) :) T...

I was under the impression that I'd graduated college and moved into the adult world as of last Sunday...but I was totally wrong. Though I technically have an Bachelors Degree...homegirl's back in the dorm life. After a year of living in my OWN room, with a BEAUTIFUL, COMFORTABLE, BIG BED (in my own room, did I mention that?), I'm back to the freshman dorm with a mattress that squeals when I move and keeps me up at night thinking I'm sliding off of it (because it's got that water proof exterior...you know...darn college kids and their crazy antics...). So that's nice. The good thing is my roommate is SO NICE, and in reality I'm never in my room because we are GO GO GO just all the time. It's day three and it feels like I've been here a month. We get up at 5:00, go to breakfast, hop a bus, go to school and learn and lesson plan and discuss and eat packed lunches until 5:30...and then we go to dinner. And then we lesson plan more. And then we work ou...

Alright team! The time has come again for me to leave this beautiful state of Minnesota and head off into another country! Okay, not really, but I'M MOVING TO MISSISSIPPI! WHAT.THE.HECK. IDON'TTHINKI'VETHOUGHTTHISTHROUGH . Here are the basic facts: On Saturday we will be partying hard at the Forster household so that I can see all of the people I love one last time before I leave. Dad got a keg of HONEYWEISS do you DON'T want to miss out. ((plus you love me?)) THEN, (and this is the best part) at 3:45AM on Sunday morning (June 9th) I depart the beautiful city of Golden Valley,  Minnesota and head to the airport for my 5:20AM flight to MEMPHIS TENNESSEE. There, I'll hop a nice little Teach for America shuttle for a ride to my home for the next five weeks: Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi. This is the gist of what I know will be happening for those five weeks (though I've heard you really just can't be prepared): -get up every day at ...