We build trusting relationships by being curious, vulnerable, and embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion. Relationships are strengthened by high expectations and collaboration alongside laughter and joy. Our team exhibits compassion and respect by leading with love.
Get a behind-the-scenes look at our Special Education teacher’s day during distance learning at our public school — shared by our Resource Specialist at KIPP Compton Community School, Dr. Shadi Seyedyousef.
7:00 - 8:00AM — GOOD MORNING
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Life is so different when you’re teaching from home! I miss seeing my school and my KIPPsters in real life every day, but there is one beautiful silver-lining...sleeping in! Since there’s no commute and my classes start a little later than usual, I can take my time getting up in the morning!
8:00 - 8:30AM — SETTING THE STAGE FOR SUCCESS
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Time to get ready for another great day! I have to have my morning shake, and start the day with checking my inbox and responding to emails.
8:30AM - 12:00PM — FOCUS ON CHARACTER
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On Fridays we have Character Assemblies with our entire school! We nurture confidence and character, and inspire the passion needed for our students to achieve their goals. It is also so much fun to celebrate our kiddos for their hard work, and we always do a dance party at the end! After this, we go to our English Language Arts small group and one-on-one time to practice our letter sounds and read, baby, read!
12:00 - 1:00PM — LUNCH
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Mmmmm, lunch time! I make sure to take a break from the computer during lunch. Sometimes I’ll relax and watch some TV while I eat. (What a strange new kind of teaching day!) Fun Fact: I also love singing my heart out to my favorite Broadway musicals.
1:00 - 2:00PM — COUNTING & SINGING
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Back to work! It’s time for calendar math. My kiddos love this time of the day, and we have fun singing about the days of the week, months of the year, and the weather together! Plus, we get to keep track of how many days we’ve been in school and practice counting on the hundreds chart! It's so much fun to get to teach with our Special Education Aide, Ms. Ashley!! We make a great team <3
2:00 - 3:30PM — INDIVIDUALIZED SUPPORT
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Now we have one-on-one’s again, but this time for math. I provide individualized instruction and support to my students with a nurturing and structured classroom environment. At the start of each session, I ask my kids, “what do you want to work towards today?” and they get to choose a celebration for us to do at the end such as a silly dance or a read-aloud; sometimes, some of our puppet friends even join us as we learn!
3:30 - 4:30PM — LESSON PLANNING
Time to get planning! I turn in attendance, fill out my service logs, and do any last minute adjustments before the next day. I love to use my "Planning to Change the World" plan book from the Education for Liberation Network because it keeps me inspired from week-to-week, and I get to educate myself about social justice leaders and critical historic events that are not always talked about in mainstream spaces. I also try to get ahead for the next week, so I can fully decompress when I log off for the weeknd, although I do enjoy looking for amazing resources in the middle of the night in Facebook bitmoji groups.
4:30 - 8:00PM — AFTER THE BELL RINGS
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After a day full of teaching and learning, it is time to unwind! I love to watch shows and play video games with my boyfriend, talk to my mom on the phone, hang out with my friends on Zoom, make my own spa nights at home, and work on creative projects! Above are some of the paintings I’ve been working on.
“I love to teach! I enjoy building trust, sharing my knowledge, and growing with my KIPPsters — they are such powerful learners! We focus on a curriculum that includes social justice, college and career readiness, and civic engagement.” Our teachers certainly love building lasting relationships with students, creating inspiring and engaging lessons, and growing as educators and teammates. Join our KIPP SoCal Team & Family.