Student Survey: Teacher Q and A

Summers usually offer educators a moment to take a breath and recharge. But this year was different. With the pandemic disrupting the country, district and school leaders were overwhelmed, trying to devise plans for schools for the fall, whether remote, in person, or hybrid.

I was first inspired to teach by my mom, a history teacher of 35 years, and by my 10th grade English teacher. Now, as an English teacher at Manassas High School in Memphis, Tennessee, I enjoy the spark and “Aha!” moment on my students’ faces when they understand a concept or master a complex task.

District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) has been widely heralded in recent years as one of the nation’s fastest-improving urban public school districts. Most coverage has focused on the district’s strong and stable leadership and its sustained focus on educator effectiveness.