This past August, many recent graduates kicked off the school year as new teachers in Chicago. We are highlighting three of these #edbirds as we checked in this fall to see how the 2022-23 school year is going so far.
Zyanya Acosta ’22 graduated from Illinois State University last May with a degree in Special Education. A Chicago Public School (CPS) graduate herself, Acosta spent her senior year back in Chicago taking her final classes and completing field base and student teaching semesters in CPS classrooms as part of the Innovative Network of Urban Special Educators (INFUSE) program.
This August, she began as a cluster teacher for special education students with mild to moderate disabilities at North-Grand high school in Humboldt Park just blocks away from her former high school. Driving her career choice is her younger brother, currently a student in another high school cluster program in CPS. She keeps him front and center as she works to create a program to help secondary students with disabilities transition out of school with the skills they need to find jobs that are the right fit, and more importantly, insure that they receive equitable pay and benefits.
Noticing from personal experience that some employers take advantage of young people with disabilities, she sees her position as a way to directly impact how transition plans are created and implemented, and as a Latinx teacher from Chicago, she is in a unique position to model self-advocacy. In just a few short months, Acosta has been able to connect with her students and families because she shares their lived experience.
As a first-generation college student, Acosta recalled the experience when she entered her new classroom and crossed the literal threshold between student and professional in August. “I remember the moment I got my keys and opened the door. When I was able to finally see a classroom that was mine, it was like ‘wow,’ it was worth all of the struggles. I came into that classroom literally as a different person completely. My mindset is different now. I know I can do it.” She encourages other first-generation Latinx teachers to be extremely proud of their inner child and what they did to get there. “We never realize the journey that we have to go through to get to places because we just want to get to that place. I want any first-generation Latino/Latina teacher to understand that wow – we did it. We’re doing our first steps of planting our seeds into the next generation. I want everyone to take the time to feel that pride.”
Breanna Cruz ’22 graduated from Illinois State University last May in English Education. After student teaching during the spring semester at Richards Career Academy high school in Back of the Yards, she quickly fell in love with the school. Thrilled to find out that a position was open for the upcoming school year, she accepted the opportunity to return to where “the students, the community, and the school’s mission all have a very special and important place in my heart and in my journey as an educator.” Currently teaching English III to juniors as well as a section of the freshman seminar, Cruz was excited to reconnect with the students she created relationships with last spring.
Though nervous about kicking the school year off the right way, one thing Cruz knew for sure was that she wanted to be intentional about building a classroom community. “One of my largest focuses as a first-year teacher is to help create an environment where students feel seen, heard, and valued.”
A classroom space needs to be comforting and uplifting to maximize learning. Thinking back to her first day of school, Cruz wishes she had remembered to slow down and be mindful of those first moments as a teacher sharing, “There is always room to take a breath and sit with where you are in the present moment.” In a challenging field, Cruz finds her motivation through connection to others, and her mission stretches beyond her classroom and even her school. She thinks about students throughout Chicago as well as her own family members, who learn within underfunded, and often, underappreciated schools.
“They need teachers who care and show up for them, and I intend on being one of those teachers,” Cruz said.
Traevon Parnell ’19 graduated from Illinois State University in History Education. After spending his first three years teaching in Peoria and Champaign, Parnell began teaching at Solorio high school in Gage Park this August with the support of the ISU National Center for Urban Education. As an ISU student, Parnell participated in many levels of NCUE programming starting with clinical visits to Little Village, then participating as a fellow in Summer Teacher Education Partnership for Urban Preparation (STEP-UP) in 2018, and culminating with student teaching in Peoria. Parnell sees his transition to CPS this fall as a logical next step in his dedication to urban education.
“Teaching for me is a political thing. It’s designed to increase social mobility and enfranchise people. Knowledge is power. Moving up here has felt like an important step to improving myself as a teacher,” Parnell said.
Parnell jumped right in at Solorio this fall teaching U.S. History and a senior seminar course as well as helping to coach the football team. Though it has been overwhelming at times to adjust to a new city, a new district, and a new school simultaneously this fall, it has also been exciting to be part of a vibrant high school, explore diverse Chicago neighborhoods, and share space with millions of people. Parnell is making time to take it all in and stay dedicated to the process of adapting, a quality imperative for an effective teacher.
“Many teachers might say ‘This is so hard – I can teach somewhere else.’ I try to remind myself that part of what makes this harder is that I’m still adjusting,” he said.
Parnell feels lucky to be where he is as he embarks on this path. “Solorio is a fantastic school; it’s hands down the best institution that I’ve had the opportunity to work in. I try to stay grateful for all of it: for all the new students I’m meeting and to NCUE for preparing me for all of this and even supporting me in coming here. I want to continue to stay dedicated to the craft, to the students, and to this community.”
NCUE is grateful for these three teachers as well as all of the ISU #edbirds that serve in Chicago Public Schools, around the state, and across the country. We know that dedicated teachers committed to growth, their own and their students, are integral to the mission to change lives and transform communities. We’re very proud of Zyanya, Breanna, and Traevon and look forward to their many years of teaching ahead.
