Julian Cortella
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| Class of |
2005 |
| Content Area |
Math |
| Teaching Location |
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"In joining the
STEP program I'm pursuing a second career, but a first love.
Since this is my second career I'm not willing to start at the
bottom of the ladder again. I knew by enrolling in STEP I would get
a great education that would permit me to teach virtually wherever
I wanted to upon graduation. Furthermore, when I researched teaching
programs, I looked for a program that would provide a balanced mix
of practical teaching techniques and research based practices. STEP
gives you that and much more. STEP shares many of the same goals and
philosophies I do about what our public education system should become.
They believe that all students should have access to a quality education
and that quality education begins with us, the teachers. I have loved
every minute of teaching my students and being a student myself. I
can't imagine learning about teaching any other way." |
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Diego Arambula
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| Class of |
2005 |
| Content Area |
History/Social-Science |
| Teaching Location |
Summit Preparatory Charter School |
"Hi everyone!
I love the STEP program for a number of reasons. First and foremost,
the professors and the people who run the STEP program are intimately
involved in our learning process. Many of the classes here at STEP
are both challenging and practical, and the professors are helpful
in maneuvering through the theory and applying it directly to the
classroom. Second, STEP administrators do a fantastic job of matching
student teacher candidates with appropriate and helpful master teachers.
My experience as a student teacher has been extremely rewarding because
of the work they did to match me with an appropriate teacher. Finally,
the shortened timetable is challenging, but useful. I've heard that
other masters-credential programs focus on theory first and then have
students fulfill the student teaching portion of their requirement.
The STEP program, conversely, deals with the practical and the theoretical
at the same time. This combination allows students to apply what we
learn and to learn theory regarding what we see in the classroom.
In all, I've been incredibly happy with the STEP program and encourage
anyone who is interested to apply for June 2005. " |
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Daniel Becker
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| Class of |
2005 |
| Content Area |
History/Social-Science |
| Teaching Location |
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"I chose STEP
particularly because of its emphasis on training new teachers in how
to teach their chosen subject, in my case history. The three classes
we take in Curriculum and Instruction help us learn not just content,
but also how to help students gain the critical skills to understand
the discipline of history itself. I have consistently used ideas learned
Tuesday in my C & I class on Wednesday in my high-school classroom.
Also, the intellectual excitement of working with top-notch students
and faculty who share my passion for history is unmatched. There is
no way I would have felt as prepared or eager to be a first-year history
teacher had I not chosen STEP " |
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Amy Burke
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| Class of |
2005 |
| Content Area |
Math |
| Teaching Location |
Berkeley High School |
"I applied to
STEP because I knew that it is the best teacher education program
in the country - and to become a good teacher, I thought I'd need
to be well prepared. I was really attracted to STEP's emphasis on
social justice, that's one of my main reasons for wanting to teach
mathematics to high school students, and I was excited to be surrounded
by others who were going into teaching for similar reasons. I also
think that the diversity of curriculum areas and the facility that
we are afforded to collaborate with one another is a unique and special
aspect of STEP. I like the relatively small program size and the individual
attention that each of us STEPpies receive in order to master our
form. The fact that STEP offers a full year in a placement was also
a major selling point for me; although most significant is the fact
that STEP offers continuous support within your curriculum area. The
math Curriculum and Instruction course is maybe the most informative
and enjoyable of my classes. We get to work problems together and
then retrace our thinking to figure out how to make mathematical processes
more explicit to our students. It's wonderful." |
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Zach Osofsky
|
| Class of |
2004 |
| Content Area |
History/Social Studies |
| Teaching Location |
Hillsdale High School, San Mateo |
"When I first applied
to education programs, I thought they would all be the same. But
I was wrong. STEP prepared me like no other program could. Its intimacy
empowered me to craft my own vision of education. Its support structures
allowed me to safely take risks and grow as an educator. And its
dedicated focus on learning prepared me to confidently enter a classroom
this year." |
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Vanessa Aguayo
|
| Class of |
2004 |
| Content Area |
History/Social Studies |
| Teaching Location |
Capuchino High School, San Bruno |
"STEP has been a great support system. The staff and faculty
truly care for our well-being and are always there for us. I have
really enjoyed all of my courses and I feel that I could bring in
a lot of what I learned from my instructors into my own classroom.
STEP is an awesome community! My goal as a teacher is to create an
environment in which all my students feel valued and cared for. I
want to help them become critical thinkers of history and of all their
other subjects as well." |
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Raul Kahlil Betancourt
|
| Class of |
2004 |
| Content Area |
Science |
| Teaching Location |
East Palo Alto High School, Menlo Park |
"At first, I envisioned that learning how to be a good teacher
was my goal at STEP. The more I read, studied, and interacted with
fellow dedicated students and faculty at STEP and my students, the
more I realized that teaching is not enough. I saw the inequity imbedded
in the structure of schools and classrooms and I have to do something
about it. I am deepening and widening my commitment. I am now teaching
because I love watching my students come to life; and I am advocating
for change in schools so that students can continue to learn and stretch
their boundaries and truly succeed. I am coming to life as a teacher
activist for my community and I like it. I feel hopeful." |
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Kristy Cabrera
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| Class of |
2004 |
| Content Area |
English |
| Teaching Location |
Downtown College Prep, San Jose |
"Undoubtedly, STEP's team of renowned professors and educators
blend personal experience, knowledge, and good pedagogy in preparing
future teachers. Not only did I feel prepared to teach due to the
curricular work, but I also felt well-supported in both my personal
and professional development by my cooperating teacher, my supervisory
group, and my fellow colleagues. Perhaps the greatest benefit of the
STEP experience was leaving the program confident in the knowledge
that I am part of a broad community of teaching professionals and
people who truly care about education." |
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Emily Venson
|
| Class of |
2004 |
| Content Area |
English |
| Teaching Location |
College Prep School, Houston TX |
"During my year in the STEP program, I grew more, professionally
and personally, than in any year of my life. STEP gave me the day-to-day
tools I needed to be an effective English teacher- how to construct
lessons, how to plan units, how to keep students engaged during class.
More importantly though, STEP made me aware of the absolute importance
of holding ALL students up to my own high expectations, which they
WILL rise to. STEP empowered me to help shape the kids in my classroom
into a community of eager, life-long learners." |
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Nati Rodriguez
|
| Class of |
2004 |
| Content Area |
Mathematics |
| Teaching Location |
East Palo Alto High School, Menlo Park |
"STEP helped me learn the necessary skills for creating equitable
and effective learning environments for students. I learned about
and implemented strategies for making math accessible to students
of various backgrounds and abilities. Through my student teaching
experience I was able to plan, execute, and reflect on what I was
learning in the classroom. I knew I wanted to pursue this profession
a few years ago, but I did not know I would have the opportunity to
learn about teaching from some of the best professors in education.
Although there are many options for credential programs, STEP prepared
me for the type of instruction I want to be able to provide." |
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Travis Bristol
|
| Class of |
2004 |
| Content Area |
English |
| Teaching Location |
Manhattan/Hunter Science HS in New York, NY |
"Deborah Meier says 'If we could name it, we could have power over it, not it over us.' STEP has ignited within me the 'it' or the passion to provide resources and educational opportunities to students who have been pushed to the periphery of our society." |
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Marissa Kalan
|
| Class of |
2004 |
| Content Area |
English |
| Teaching Location |
Diablo Vista Middle School, Danville |
"I just finished my first quarter teaching at Diablo Vista Middle
School, and I've found that not only were you right, but that I feel
very prepared for the job that I am doing. I found a school with a
supportive administration, participating parents and a professional
environment where all of the staff is encouraged to continue developing
and to work collaboratively. I feel really lucky to have been able
to participate in STEP and to find a school like this where I could
begin my teaching career. I still have room to grow in many areas,
but I feel I got a really firm foundation at STEP. " |
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Yumi Matsui
|
| Class of |
2003 |
| Content Area |
English/Social Studies |
| Teaching Location |
Life Academy, Oakland |
"STEP is an incredible program for
teachers interested in teaching urban communities. STEP pushed and
challenged me to think past whole class instruction to find innovative
and relative ways to help students learn. It emphasized the need for
literacy, an issue that is so prevalent in my students. Without STEP,
I wouldn't have been able to face the many challenges I have on a
daily basis. I truly feel it prepared me for the classroom but most
importantly, instilled a need to constantly reflect and better my
practice to meet the diverse needs of my students" |
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Maura Dudley
|
| Class of |
2003 |
| Content Area |
Mathematics |
| Teaching Location |
Summit Preparatory Charter School |
"I wish that I had more words to describe how fortunate I feel
to know you and to have had the STEP experience. My first year of
teaching was so wonderful--it is not without hard work and sacrifice,
but I truly feel excited to go to school every day. I owe so much
of my happiness now to you and everyone else at STEP." |
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Rosa Navarro
|
| Class of |
2003 |
| Content Area |
Science |
| Teaching Location |
Campbell Hall High School, North Hollywood |
"I enjoyed my time in the STEP program immensely. The best part
was the interactions the program provided between new teachers and
experienced teachers, mentors, and professors. The STEP program provided
me with many tools that prepared me to enter the classroom with confidence
and with a clear picture of what I wanted my classroom environment
and curriculum teaching goals to be. I feel that now in my second
year of teaching I am able to maximize my rate of personal professional
growth due to the solid foundation that STEP helped provide. " |
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