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Corps Year: 2006 |
Describe where you live.
I live with two other corps members in St. Francisville, Louisiana, a picturesque historic town with beautiful homes and trees covered in Spanish moss. My roommate George joked about how when he moved to Louisiana, he wanted to live in the typical southern home with a big porch, rocking chair and hammock – and we do.
Although St. Francisville is a small town, there are a handful of wonderful restaurants ranging from southern comfort food to Mexican, where after a few visits the waiters remember you. There are also two small grocery stores, a video store, a bank, a wonderful library, and lots of community churches. My roommates and I all teach at the same school, so we often share the 20-minute drive to school. Our drive in the morning often includes seeing the sun rise as the fog lifts over the farm ponds – a wonderful way to start your day, and the drive home is equally relaxing. Although we are a rural town, the drive to Baton Rouge is quick and easy for night or weekend trips to visit other corps members. Corps members from Baton Rouge also enjoy escaping “city life” for a weekend in the country.
What do you like most about living in South Louisiana?
The culture in South Louisiana is amazing. On top of the incredible Cajun food, people in Louisiana are full of life and energy. Every season brings a long list of festivals and things to enjoy. For example, I have grown to learn that LSU football is life, and a trip to Tiger Stadium on a Saturday is a must. High school football games and the marching bands are also phenomenal. In February, Mardi Gras parades, beads, and king cake are an excellent excuse for school vacation. And finally, cracking open a freshly boiled crawfish is a sign that spring is here. Never before had I lived in a place with so many different and wonderful things to enjoy all year round.
What is the nightlife/weekend-life like in South Louisiana?
Nightlife and weekend-life in South Louisiana can depend on your personality. In East Feliciana, corps members develop a close bond and spend a lot of time together. You can almost always find us at Chili’s on Friday afternoons for dinner and drinks and lots of talk about our weeks at school. We like to have barbeques, movie nights, and an occasional trip to the local bars. When the quietness is overwhelming, weekends trips to Baton Rouge are a great way to see other corps members and burn off extra energy.
What is it like to teach in East Feliciana Parish?
One of the things I love most about being in East Feliciana is the clustering of corps members. There are currently five other Teach For America corps members and two alumni at my school. Because there are so many of us, I can actually see that what we are doing is making a difference. Our small school also helps create a close-knit faculty of both Teach For America and non-Teach For America teachers.
What does the achievement gap look like in your school and what is Teach For America doing to change this?
The achievement gap at Jackson Elementary is characterized by a majority of students performing below grade level and overall low tests scores. Because there have been so many of us in Jackson and the other schools in East Feliciana, our presence is making a huge difference. In my first year, over half of my students came from a Teach For America corps member’s classroom, and almost all of those students were performing on or above grade level. For the past few years, almost all of the students who were in a Teach For America classroom for fourth grade, a high stakes testing year, passed the LEAP exam. Our principal has clustered Teach For America teachers in first, second, and fourth grade classrooms to try to increase students performance for the LEAP exam and prevent gaps from forming in the early grades. Having an assistant principal who is a Teach For America alumnus is also a huge help.
How would you describe the South Louisiana corps culture?
The South Louisiana corps is like a second family, and in East Feliciana this is especially true. We spend a lot of time together, both at school and on the weekends, and we support one another through the hard times and the good times. All-corps events on Saturdays are a good time to reconnect with friends. Although I am not best friends with everyone in the corps, I would feel comfortable calling anyone of them and asking for help.
Do you find you can live comfortably here on your teacher’s salary? Are you able to save money?
Living within your means on a teacher's salary is not only possible but also profitable. We go out to eat and buy materials for our classrooms on top of living expenses (car payments, insurance, cell phone bills, rent etc.) and still manage to save a couple hundred dollars every month. There are also professional development opportunities offered throughout the parish that allow you to earn extra money.
What is your every day life like?
On a school days, I get up at 6:05. After making lunch and packing up my things, we leave the house by 6:30. On our ride to school, we see the fog clear or the sun rise in order to be the first people to arrive at school. From 7:00 until 7:30, I gather my thoughts, supplies, and copies for the day to come. From 7:30 until 4:30, I make significant gains with my students. Some days I go to the gym after school. Other days I come home and sit on the couch, make dinner, prepare for the following day, and always get to bed early. It is very easy to establish a workable routine while teaching in South Louisiana.
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