Name Jennifer Chalmers

Grade/Content 7
th
grade Reading
School Freedom Prep Middle School

Working vision: Starting point
My vision is that the scholars in my classes will be empowered to think critically about the world around them through
their literary analysis and writing skills. Their work in my class will give them the tools and practice they need to
challenge societal norms, develop an unrelenting drive for personal growth, and make their voices heard. It is my vision
that my scholars will learn how to make positive impact on their own lives and communities through my class.
My mission for this year is to foster a community of excellence in my classroom and among all the teachers and scholars
of Freedom Prep, where excellence is paying attention to details and working harder than everyone else. This means
that my scholars and I all practice sweating (and critically analyzing) the small stuff. It also means that we strive to work
harder than seems possible. This way, even when we have moments of failure, we are first consoled by the knowledge
that we have tried and will continue to try our very best, and we are then driven by our confidence that we will improve
because we will never stop trying our very best. My scholars and I will grow by first reflecting on our successes and areas
for improvement every day and then responding to our results by making at least one informed, purposeful change
every day.
To achieve a community of excellence, I will hold myself and my scholars to my high expectations 100% of the time to
consistently demonstrate that I believe in the excellence of my scholars, the excellence of Freedom Prep culture and
expectations, and the excellence of the achievement that will come from working together in this community. In this
community of excellence, scholars will believe in their own success because they will see it in their behaviors and their
academic results.

PART ONE: RESEARCH AND REFLECTION GUIDE
Community
What are you learning about your schools community (opportunities, assets, community organizations and leaders?
What kinds of knowledge and skills are valued in the community?
Who are the people in your community with whom you can partner to provide you with the insights or resources you
and your kids need to reach your vision?
People to help you answer the
above questions
Questions you might want to ask to help
answer the questions above
Resources you can access to help
answer the questions above
Parents of your students; veteran
teachers at your school,
administrators (principal, assistant
principal, academic
advisors/coaches), local community
organizations (TeenSHARP,
Sophisticated Sisters, Boys and Girls
Club, North Camden Little
League),religious groups
What do you like about living here/working
here?
What do kids do after school for fun?
Who are the community leaders?
Who do our kids most look up to in this
community?
What outside organizations work with our
students and/or families?
What most holds our kids back from being
more successful?
School websites
Camden and Trenton city
websites

Camden:
CamConnect.org
District Council Collaborative
Board websites



Action plan:
By August 22 interaction with Camden community through volunteering (Heart of Camden)
By September 4 read scholars surveys to learn more about what they like to do
By September 9 contact with scholars parents through introductory phone calls
By September 12 research camconnect.org, District Council Collaborative, and Board websites in preparation
for meeting with principal
By September 15 meeting with FPMS principal about next steps for learning more about the community and
volunteering
By October 1 research possibilities for clothing drive in Camden with FPMS colleague / school social worked
Rough draft by October 5



















Vision of Excellence for Academic Achievement
Why does your academic content matter in the short and long-term?
What knowledge, skills, and mindsets do students need to master in order to break down academic, racial, and
socioeconomic barriers AND have access to their dreams and ambitions?
What assessment(s) are kids required to take at your school? How do you know that they are rigorous enough?
What will it mean for a childs future if they master that assessment? Whats at stake if they dont?
People to help you answer the
above questions
Questions you might want to ask to help
answer the questions above
Resources you can access to help
answer the questions above
Your content leaders, veteran
teachers, TFA CMs and alum,
administrators at your school,
teachers and administrators from
high-performing NJ schools, TFA
staff
Above questions, plus:
What is one example of a really rigorous
assessment for my grade level? Where can I
find it?
What is an example of an assessment that
students in high-performing schools take?
Where can I find it?
What assessments really matter for my
students (required for
graduation/promotion, SAT/ACT)
School websites
NJ Department of Education site
TFA Assessment Google Site
Short Term
My academic content matters in the short term in a number of ways. First, the spoken and written communication
and analysis skills that scholars learn in Freedom Prep Middle School reading and writing classes allows them to make a
positive and lasting first impression on those whom they come in contact with. They learn to converse professionally in
a way that demonstrates their consideration and respect for their peers, using habits of discussion like, I agree with my
peer ______, and I would like to add on and I heard what my peer _______ said, and I would like to respectfully
disagree. Habits such as these demonstrate above average maturity from scholars in 7
th
grade and immediately
indicate to strangers that Camden children are on the path to college. FPMSs stress on clear, mature, respectful
communication helps my scholars lead the next generation of their community toward breaking down academic, racial,
and socioeconomic barriers and gaining access to their dreams and ambitions not only those of FPMS scholars but also
of the entire city of Camden.
Additionally, short term assessments such as the Freedom Interim Assessments (FIAs), which are taken every six
weeks, and slightly longer term annual state assessments, NJ ASK.

By August 22 Learn about assessments and complete first 6-week assessment
By Sept 15 Meet with FPMS principal and ask more questions about how assessments were made, other than
through North Star; how did North Star make them?
Rough draft by October 1






























Critical Consciousness
What opportunities exist or do not exist for students growing up in your school community?
What systemic injustices exist that impact your students ability to be successful?
What does the birdcage of oppression (Marilyn Frye, The Politics of Reality) look like for your students?
What entities, laws, programs, falsehoods, or services form the wires of the cage that traps your students and their
families?
What issues must students approach with a critical eye in order to maneuver their way to success?
People to help you answer the
above questions
Questions you might want to ask to help
answer the questions above
Resources you can access to help
answer the questions above
Administration at your school,
community members, parents,
Above questions, plus:
Survey questions from Appendix A
Local newspapers, local news,
local events, TFA required and
parent liaisons and your school
counselor
optional prework readings,
student and family surveys


See Action plan for community

September 2 send home family survey
By September 9 find more local newspapers to follow throughout the year
Rough draft by October 1


































Cultural Competence
Who are your students? What matters to them? Think more broadly than just what they like. What values and fears
shape their worldview? How does their worldview benefit them?
In the same vein, who are you as the teacher that stands before them? What shapes your world view? What are your
potential blindspots in being able to create culturally competent scholars?
People to help you answer the
above questions
Questions you might want to ask to help
answer the questions above
Resources you can access to help
answer the questions above
Please use the surveys in the Appendix of this document (or similar student surveys) to help you answer the above
questions related to students.
Refer to the self section to answer questions related to you.



See Action plan for community and critical consciousness
Rough draft by October 5








































Self
How are your background, values, and experiences reflected where you teach?
How are they similar/different? What brings you to this work? What are your passions?
To what extent do you hold culturally responsive dispositions (develop sociocultural consciousness, hold affirming
attitude, feel sense of responsibility, embrace constructivist teaching and learning, become familiar with students prior
knowledge, design instruction based on these dispositions)?
People to help you answer the
above questions
Questions you might want to ask to help
answer the questions above
Resources you can access to help
answer the questions above
Your friends and family, your MTLD,
past managers, mentors and
colleagues, self-reflection
Who do I most value in my life?
What do I most value in my life?
Why did I apply to TFA? Why do I stay in this
work?
What is my personal long-term vision?
How do I like to spend my free time?
Personality tests (The Learner
Sketch, Meyers-Briggs, the Bird
Test, etc), prework for TFA
related to identify and self-
reflection



Write this by September 1

































PART TWO: NAMING YOUR VISION AND GOALS
Academics: What assessment will your students take at the end of your course/the year? What is the class or individual
score(s) that must be achieved to truly open a door academically for kids? How do you know? Does the assessment you
will set your goal around measure the k/s/m to where you landed in part 1? How will you meaningfully engage students
throughout the year to achieve these outcomes? What teaching strategies will you use to create a culture of
achievement? How will you create a student centered classroom? What will student voice sound like in your room?

By Sept 15 - Learn more about NJASK in meeting with principal

Rough draft by October 1


Cultural Competence (Traits and Mindsets, Reference Big 7- #5) In order to achieve this academic success and
access opportunities, what will your kids believe about themselves and their community? What is the proof that
they are critically conscious and are armed with the mindsets to continue to push bounds and boundaries beyond
your influence? What will their parents/families believe, understand, and be able to do?


Rough draft by October 1


Critical Consciousness (Reference Big 7- #6-7)- How will students practice and employ their cultural competence as
leaders in their schools and their community? How will you create space for them to engage with questions of power
and influence?


Rough draft by October 1



Pathways to Opportunity In addition to the opportunities this academic success will provide to kids, what other
opportunities or resources must be provided to them and their families? How and when will you provide these,
considering all community partners? What doors will be unlocked because your kids are culturally conscious? What will
this allow them to do for themselves and their community now and in the future?



Rough draft by October 1