We’re proud to introduce our new supervisors, who will join Mary, Sara, and me:
Tina Kafka is about to spend her first winter in New York, having arrived at TC this spring from San Diego, California. She taught elementary school for 14 years, in both primary and upper grades. She was then a pullout science teacher and curriculum coordinator at a charter school after earning California certificates in teaching reading, cross-culture and language development, and gifted and talented education. She has also published several nonfiction books for young adults. Tina is now studying in the reading specialist program and plans to work with adult learners.
Mei Ying Tan taught diverse students in upper elementary and middle school students in urban public schools in Singapore. She also wrote curriculum for a private education company. She received her masters in the TC Literacy Specialist program and is now a second year doctoral student examining student engagement and content area reading for English language learners. In her spare time, Mei Ying plays the harp. She is also learning to swing dance!
Casey Upson has taught first grade in both public and private schools in Princeton, New Jersey. She has her masters from Teachers College in the Literacy Specialist program. Casey lives in Pennington, New Jersey with the loves of her life: her husband, her nine month old daughter, and her golden retriever. She is a graduate of Penn State University and spent the first five years after graduating working with an investment team in New York City. The best advice she was ever given about teaching was, “Have fun. Don’t forget to spend time laughing, listening, and enjoying your students. Spend time with them and become a part of their lives.”
Lindsay Mann recently moved to NYC from Detroit, Michigan to join the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project as a Staff Developer. Prior to joining the Project, she was a K-4 Literacy Specialist and classroom teacher, where she taught kindergarten and second grade. Lindsay graduated with a degree in psychology from the University of Michigan and worked for Northwestern University for a couple of years in Chicago, before returning to UofM to pursue a Masters in Elementary Education. Although she misses all of her former students back in the midwest, she is excited to join the work at TC and to share in your experiences in NYC classrooms.
We welcome Tina, Mei Ying, Casey, and Lindsay!
Beginning this week on the 24th, please send your reflection logs to your supervisors by Friday late afternoon. We will respond and return them to you by Tuesday. And we’ll see you in your classrooms very soon!
Ellen
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