Mary Beth Lynn 9/3/12 Community Walk Reflection It was a hot sunny day when the seven of us (NTA

Resident Teachers) went on a walk around the community where we were about to embark on a new chapter of our lives-teachers in one of AUSLs turnaround schools. As resident teachers of National Teachers Academy, it was crucial that we became familiar with the area before trying to provide a culturally relevant education to our future students. National Teachers Academy, often known as NTA, first stood out to us because it had an amazing facility so-much-so that many of us were concerned the school may not provide an accurate representation of how a turnaround school functioned in reality. NTA is located at 55. West Cermak Road, between the South Loop, Chinatown, and Bronzeville neighborhoods of Chicagos south side. The area directly surrounding the school has been gentrified and is quite barren, so there are not many businesses or residences within close proximity to the school grounds. During our walk, it was concerning for us to think about where the NTA students lived, shopped for groceries, and even socialized. While walking around, we asked many questions of community members but still sought answers to many of our concerns. We started our day by eating lunch in Chinatown. Although it was only two blocks from NTA, it was very much a community in and of itself. Of the 550 students at NTA, enrollment records stated there were minimal Asian students who attended NTA, which was personally shocking to me being that Chinatown was so close.

Another alarming fact I learned was that the Harold Ickes Homes (also known as Ickes Projects) used to be on the NTA campus, and although they were demolished several years ago, many of the students who used to live there still travel to NTA to attend school. The campus was very much home for those students, because that was where they spent many years of their childhoods. Also directly north of NTA and across the street sat The Hilliard Apartments, which were mixed-income apartments that were recently rehabilitated by a Chicago development firm. Although we learned that some of our forthcoming students lived there, the majority of families lived elsewhere. The question was, Where was elsewhere? One of the gentlemen we spoke to who lived in the Hilliard senior citizen building said that NTA was definitely an asset to the community, because they provided many resources for the senior citizens and families in the area. As we walked south, we spoke to several current and past students of NTA, who all said that they loved the school and the teachers! We also spoke to Ruth, an employee of a local church, who said that NTA was an integral part of the community. She knew the past principal, Amy Rome, by name and spoke about many ways in which they collaborated in order to provide for the families and the surrounding community. Overall, the community walk was a great way to be introduced to the area, and I feel that it was essential to my success in teaching the students of NTA. It provided me with a foundation and knowledge of what the area needs and wants from me as a teacher. Although I still have many questions about where my students come from, I at least now have an idea of my new neighbors and how they view National Teachers Academy.