By Monica Sheats
Q: Where do you live?
Minneapolis
Q: Are you married?
No—divorced.
Q: Do you have any kids?
Yes, one.
Q: Boy or Girl? How old and what is her name?
She’s a girl, fourteen, named Sarah.
Q: What kind of music do you like?
Everything, really. Alternative, mostly. My favorite band right now is The Decemberists.
Q: How long have you been teaching English in Mini-School?
I started second semester— January 23rd.
Q: I know that you also teach some mainstream English classes. How do they compare?
My mainstream classes are larger and they get more homework. In my Mini-School class, I am able to form more of a relationship with the kids. They do all their work in class and I go by my first name there. Overall, it’s a bit more relaxed and I get to just be myself.
Q: Which do you like teaching more and why?
I like teaching both equally. I get different experiences from each. I get to work on alternative teaching styles and interpersonal communication skills in Mini-School. I get to hone some different areas of my teaching style in mainstream and communication is different because they are larger groups.
Q: What was your first impression of Mini-School?
I was excited because I came from Washburn High School in South Minneapolis and I knew that I would really miss some of the diversity and challenges that I had there. Mini-School kids remind me of Washburn kids and I am excited to work in this setting. I was overall excited but also nervous because I knew that you guys were suspicious of new teachers and I wasn’t sure if you guys would like me!
Q: What would you like to see brought to Mini-School that we don’t have?
I like the program meetings and would like to see more of those because they do a great job of helping us build a sense of community here.