When I go out with my friends, most of them teachers, our conversations generally drift towards work. We talk about students that have been pills, things that have been going well, and different current events surrounding education. I promise, we are very fun people.
One topic that has come up a few times is the debate over teacher tenure. In California, …
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Jennifer Bulgin
I joined the MAT@USC program in the Fall of 2009. Thus far, my experience has been a pleasant and thought provoking one, and has allowed me to gain a much broader perspective on the state of education today. I currently teach third grade in Altadena, CA which neighbors Pasadena, home of the Rose Parade. I did my undergraduate work at UC San Diego and chose to major in dance, a lifelong passion of mine. Post graduation I worked in the Pasadena area as a floortime therapist for children with Autism until landing my current teaching position. I got my credential at Azusa Pacific University shortly after, and am now at USC. Though it took me some time to get here, I have been a lifelong Trojan and am so pleased to be an official member of the Trojan family! When I’m not working, grading papers, writing papers, or lesson planning, you can most likely find me sleeping, playing with my dog, catching up with friends, or reading a book (for pleasure!). I hope you find my blogs insightful as I attempt to give you a glimpse of the wonderful program USC has to offer, and my experiences both with the program and teaching in general. Happy reading, and Fight On!
Posts by Jennifer Bulgin
Teacher Tenure
The School Year’s Like…..A Rollercoaster Baby Baby
In one of my teacher credential classes, I remember a professor talking about the school year in terms of a line graph. On the X-axis you have the months of the school year, and on the Y-axis you have your mood/energy level. Teachers generally start out the school year enthused and full of great ideas. You just can’t wait to …
Just Listen
The other week I wrote about some of the little bumps we will all inevitably encounter along the way. Most of them were lighthearted and though they may frazzle you in the moment, they were nothing to lose sleep over. Unfortunately, we will all have moments that are much heavier than that.
My second year teaching I had a student who …
What does “Fight On” mean to a teacher?
As teachers we always seek the “Ah-ha!” moments, but what do you do when you have a “@*#$%!” moment? Fortunately, in my three years teaching, I have yet to have anything so horrendous happen that I’m driven to tears. I have had multiple bumps along the road that have gotten me close, but as of right now they remain a …
Heroes
Who is your hero? Is it someone famous or someone you know personally? Ask a child who their hero is and I bet 9 times out of 10 it’s somebody they know personally. A parent, a family member, a teacher. Quite similarly, the people I look up to as a teacher are…you guessed it, teachers! Coming from a family of …
