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George Acosta
Geneviève DeBose
Joy Kraft-Watts
Nate Monley Maurice
Rabb Andrew
Glass
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Nate Monley, 25, Ford Boulevard Elementary, East Los Angeles, CA Nate is a fourth generation teacher. It's in his blood. His natural abilities shine through as soon as he steps in front of his first class. We watch as he leads his bilingual 5th grade students with energy, creativity and compassion. When he learns about one at-risk child, he goes beyond the classroom and reaches out, offering hope when there is no one else there. His commitment is inspiring. Along the way, he seeks guidance from his mentor and his family, but ultimately he takes the journey alone, challenging himself and empowering his students along the way. Hometown Born in Sacramento, California. Grew up in Woodland, California. What do you teach? 5th grade. Bilingual Education. Why and how did you become a teacher? I saw a tape of Father Gregory Boyle, a social activist who works in the Latino community in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles. I knew that was where I wanted to be. I went down and worked with him at his office. I drove kids around to school and back to their homes. At the same time, a friend of mine was teaching through the Teach for America program. I ended up joining Teach for America and teaching in East Los Angeles, just outside where Father Boyle was doing his work. What did you encounter in your first year of teaching? I realized how hard it is to be a teacher. But when you see the fruits of your labor, you realize what an impact you have on these children's lives. There was a young girl named Edith who was doing terribly in school. The other kids made fun of her and she was always all alone. Her aunt asked me to meet with her and I did. I started to spend extra time with her and soon her grades improved. Her whole personality started to light up, and by the end of the year she had made a friend. It was incredible to see her development. I felt so rewarded as a teacher. After The First Year Nate returned to Ford Boulevard Elementary to teach 5th grade. He continued to work on finishing his credentials at Cal State LA. He also moved to the community where he teaches because he wanted to be closer to the kids in his class and wanted to get to know their world. His ultimate goal is to go to Spain and study Spanish and learn how the language is taught. He wants to bring that knowledge home with him to the States and use it in the schools. You can email Nate at: nmonley@rocketmail.com (return to top) |
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 56k 220k Nate on connecting with his students 56k 220k Nate on first year challenges |
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© 2001 Teachers Documentary Project, Inc. |
