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Learner Ex

Sara Solano wrote a summary of an article by Laura McKenna about her experience as a first-year teacher in District 75 of the South Bronx thirty years ago. McKenna taught twelve disabled teenagers without proper training in a classroom that lacked resources. Despite the challenges, she fell in love with teaching and was inspired by her students' desire to learn. When McKenna revisited District 75 thirty years later, she found that teacher requirements had increased but that student success still depended most on teachers who genuinely cared about their students. The experience showed that while qualifications are important, caring about students and believing in their ability to learn are what make for a truly successful teacher.

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99 views2 pages

Learner Ex

Sara Solano wrote a summary of an article by Laura McKenna about her experience as a first-year teacher in District 75 of the South Bronx thirty years ago. McKenna taught twelve disabled teenagers without proper training in a classroom that lacked resources. Despite the challenges, she fell in love with teaching and was inspired by her students' desire to learn. When McKenna revisited District 75 thirty years later, she found that teacher requirements had increased but that student success still depended most on teachers who genuinely cared about their students. The experience showed that while qualifications are important, caring about students and believing in their ability to learn are what make for a truly successful teacher.

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Sara Solano

EDU 211

Professor Deborah Sullivan

Learner Exercises/Article Summary

October 7, 2020

District 75: ‘The Toughest Job You’ll Ever Love’

In this article, Laura McKenna reminisces on her experiences as a first-year teacher

thirty years ago. Her classroom consisted of twelve disabled teenagers in the urban District 75

of the South Bronx New York. Her student’s disabilities ranged from physical, cognitive and

neurological. McKenna recounts that challenges faced by her students went beyond those

posed by their disabilities. Like most children living in a high-poverty urban area, they lacked

basic necessities, such as sufficient food, adequate school supplies, and in some cases a safe

home environment. She became a teacher to these twelve students without any special

education training, or any formal training in the education. She entered the field with a

master’s degree in political theory and an emergency teacher certificate. Despite the odds

being against her she fell in love with the profession. McKenna remembers her defeat on the

first day but also remembers how emotionally involved she became with her students only after

two short weeks. She saw their desire to learn and was inspired by it which lead her to advance

her studies in the field later on.

After thirty years McKenna was back in District 75 to observe the changes that have

been implemented. Unlike when she entered the profession, the requirements to hold a

position like the one she once held are much more rigorous. All teachers are specialized in the
field and are highly qualified, and classrooms are fully equipped with all the necessary materials

and technology. However, teachers and administrators that she had the opportunity to observe

and speak with concurred that student success was primarily due to teachers that care about

the students. Students are able to tell the difference between who cares about them and who

is just going through the motions. Another educator stated, that “nothing in college could have

prepared her for the job…just as it is tough it is gratifying”. Teachers enthusiastically shared

with McKenna the success of their students. One of the most remarkable being that a student

was able to transfer to a regular education school and became the valedictorian. All students

are held at higher standards than they use to be and the results are encouraging.

The big take from McKenna’s experience and the experience of these teachers, is that

teacher qualifications are not enough. Proper academic preparation is only part of what an

educator needs to be a successful teacher. A teacher has to legitimately care about his or her

students and believe in their ability to learn. Believing that learning is a possibility for all, leads

an educator to properly motivate students and hove high standards for all. Like McKenna

explained, her love and admiration for her students is what made her surpass all the obstacles

of a very challenging classroom dynamic.

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