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Corps Year: 2008 |
Describe where you live. What is your neighborhood like?
I live with two other corps members on the north end of Bridgeport in a residential neighborhood. The three of us live in a single family house. We live really close to the Trumbull mall, several parks, and major conveniences like grocery stores, restaurants, dry cleaners, and shopping. We each have less than a 15 minute drive to school.
How long did it take you to find housing after placement?
We looked online and found places to look at while we were at institute. We drove up to Connecticut and looked at housing on one weekend and made a verbal agreement a few days later. We signed papers the day we returned from Philadelphia and moved in the next day.
What is your everyday life like?
Everyday I get up and leave the house a little before 7 a.m. I teach until 2:30 p.m. and leave the school between 3 and 4 p.m. I relax when I get home for about an hour and often go for a walk. After dinner, I lesson plan, grade papers, work on projects, and brainstorm ideas for upcoming units. I spend time with my roommates before going to bed around 10:30 p.m.
What is the nightlife/weekend-life like in Connecticut?
There are a lot of things to do in Connecticut on the weekends. We often go out to restaurants, bars, or down to the beach or marinas on the weekends. There are movie theaters, bowling alleys, and lots of friends around to spend time with. We also have taken in a few Bridgeport Bluefish games (the local baseball team).
How would you describe the Connecticut corps culture?
The Connecticut corps is very supportive of each other. While at institute in Philadelphia, 2007 corps members came down to visit and help us plan our lessons and show us around the city. They also were more than willing to show us around our new surroundings in Connecticut and offer assistance to find housing. We all tend to hang out on the weekends and spend time together outside of school. As a corps, we all are very close and have become almost like family.
What kinds of support are available in the corps?
There is professional support available through Program Directors who help each corps member strengthen their teaching practices and effectiveness in the classroom. There are also learning team leaders who specialize in the content area that you teach and can provide advice and insights into how to be the best Spanish teacher, ,math teacher, elementary teacher, or any other teacher that you may be. We also have New Teacher Support Groups Leaders who offer a more informal setting to vent, talk about your successes, and offer advice to new teachers. I have also found support in my fellow corps members. We are each other’s strength and we constantly bounce ideas off of each other, talk about best teaching practices, and listen to each other’s problems. We also have formed friendships that allow us to be supported on a more personal level as well.
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