About Me
I am a Social Studies Teacher at Thurgood Marshall Academy in Washington, DC. Last year my students challenged me to apply to something out of my reach as I was giving them the same advice when completing college applications. As a result, I applied for the Distinguished Fulbright Awards in Teaching Program. I found out in May that I was selected for the award and that I would be headed to Finland to work on my action research project. For 7 months I had the opportunity to live and work in Jyväskylä, Finland while I was on a leave of absence. This website is one way to capture some of the things I was learning about and thinking about while I was there.
My action research project attempted to answer the following questions:
1. What factors influence a student’s decision to attend an academic or vocational school for upper secondary schooling?
2. What are the curricular differences between the academic and vocational track? Do students who choose the vocational track learn the critical thinking and civic skills that students on the academic track acquire? Once in the vocational track, do students have the opportunity to switch to the academic track and are they successful?
3. What lessons from Finnish vocational schools can I bring back to my students who opt out of the college track?
1. What factors influence a student’s decision to attend an academic or vocational school for upper secondary schooling?
2. What are the curricular differences between the academic and vocational track? Do students who choose the vocational track learn the critical thinking and civic skills that students on the academic track acquire? Once in the vocational track, do students have the opportunity to switch to the academic track and are they successful?
3. What lessons from Finnish vocational schools can I bring back to my students who opt out of the college track?
It wasn’t until I started spending time with students, teachers and counselors that I realized how complex the answers to these questions are and how many more questions I developed in the process. I also realized how important it is as a teacher takes the time to be a researcher. Although I was looking at the Finnish system, I found that I couldn’t fully understand what I was learning unless I was reflecting on my own practice and philosophy.
My number one goal of this time was to be refreshed and reenergized to tackle another 8 plus years in an urban classroom. I can say without a doubt that goal has been accomplished.
My number one goal of this time was to be refreshed and reenergized to tackle another 8 plus years in an urban classroom. I can say without a doubt that goal has been accomplished.
The views and information expressed on this website and blog are mine and mine alone and do not represent the Department of State or the Fulbright Program. This is not an official Department of State or Fulbright Program website or blog.
