The Answer - A blog about Education, Preparation, and Commitment.

yBlazer Studios Releases New Short: Building Classroom Culture with Jamie Elfenbein of YES Prep

March 31, 2011 by Jeremy Jones

YES Prep West 6th grade ELA teacher and all-around amazing person, Jamie Elfenbein was recently featured in a YES Prep yBlazer Studios video produced by teacher Craig Brandenburg.  One theme we wanted to highlight with Jamie was her ability to build spirit and family in her classroom which I think this video does a good job showing.  However, if you ever get the chance to visit her classroom, you should see it

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How YES Prep is like Korea, Singapore and Finland

March 30, 2011 by Nella Garcia

Last week, the New York Times ran an article entitled, “U.S. Urged to Raise Teachers’ Status.” The article focused on a new report that compares educational systems across the globe. It highlights three defining characteristics of Korea, Singapore and Finland in their successful efforts of how they educate students. They recruit only high-performing college graduates for teaching positions, support them with mentoring and other help in the classroom, and take steps to raise respect for the profession. After reading this, I could not help but feel excited about the work YES Prep is doing to ensure we are elevating the teaching profession in our work. How is YES Prep similar to these education powerhouse nations?

1. Countries that are high performing recruit only high- performing

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YES Prep Students Work with Local Artist GONZO247 to create Graffiti

March 29, 2011 by Jeremy Jones

YES Prep Southeast is bringing street art/graffiti into the lives of our students. Since January, students have been hard at work on a bench to help raise money for a summer opportunity. Students were 100% invested in this project and worked intently for one month. The process was encouraged by their peers and the overall support for street art within the Wizard family.

Presenting the idea of graffiti to students was a challenge:

• What kind of graffiti?
• How will the overall composition work?
• Will each side of our bench be related?

Through a simple process, students decided that the bench should represent Houston. Students created their own idea of how to represent their home city. They chose a side and began.

Each side took on a life of its own. With a diverse group

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The goal of school is not to become good at school

March 29, 2011 by Jeremy Jones

 "The goal of school is to not become good at school."

– Jay McTighe, Author of Understanding by Design

This weekend at the ASCD conference was an outstanding shot to the arm of what great researchers are saying make up great schools. The quote above came in a session from Jay McTighe linking the UBD framework with the latest in neuroscience. It resonated with me because although so much of what we do pushes beyond the typical schools there is still so much we can do to ensure all students will be fully equipped in the multitudinous ways they need to be successful in the 21st Century. It starts by recognizing and continuing to embrace that our students’ success goes so much beyond what we do for them in the classroom. It’s the connections and relationships we are building for

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YES Prep Alumnus: From Day One, YES Prep began Preparing me for College

March 28, 2011 by Tenesha Villanueva

Ryan Martinez graduated from YES Prep Southeast in 2005.  He attended the University of Texas at Austin where he majored in Government with a minor in History and graduated in 2010.  Ryan currently works for the Texas Charter School Association as Regional Coordinator in Houston.  He had this to share about his time at YES Prep and experience in college. 

What is your favorite YES Prep memory?

One of my favorite memories at YES Prep was the spring break trip to the Grand Canyon with Mr. Clafflin’s Geology class.  The week-long trip consisted of a van ride to the Grand Canyon and back.  Along the way we had many memorable moments including climbing a massive hill under moonlight, Mr. Clafflin’s Chubaka calls and the day-long hike at the Grand Canyon. Although the trip consumed the

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