Derek- Social Studies Educator @ Washington Jesuit Academy

Hey,

My name is Derek Porter and I'm glad someone started this online forum. Here is a little bit about me.

-I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

-I am from Minnesota born & raised so please don't complain about the weather here.

-I enjoy dancing hip hop (performance style not club) and salsa

-I have a growing passion for trying new things and being adventurous. I just took a day off work to explore NYC for the 1st time!

-This is my 1st experience living away from my family and friends, so I would love to meet new people.

-I am a 1st year teacher at an all-boys middle school that has 12 hour days, so there is never a dull moment.

-I love freestyling on the piano and making instrumentals on my computer.

-I am part of a group the creates and performs Christian hop hop.

-I have a major decision on graduate school to make.

Well that's a start, but like each of us... there's always more to the puzzle.
Look forward to some good healthy dialogue.

dsporter wrote:Hey,

My name is Derek Porter and I'm glad someone started this online forum. Here is a little bit about me.

-I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

-I am from Minnesota born & raised so please don't complain about the weather here.

-I enjoy dancing hip hop (performance style not club) and salsa

-I have a growing passion for trying new things and being adventurous. I just took a day off work to explore NYC for the 1st time!

-This is my 1st experience living away from my family and friends, so I would love to meet new people.

-I am a 1st year teacher at an all-boys middle school that has 12 hour days, so there is never a dull moment.

-I love freestyling on the piano and making instrumentals on my computer.

-I am part of a group the creates and performs Christian hop hop.

-I have a major decision on graduate school to make.

Well that's a start, but like each of us... there's always more to the puzzle.
Look forward to some good healthy dialogue.

Hey Derek, welcome to the forum!

You sound awesome. No lie. Lol. We have a lot in common! I love GOD, hip hop, and all things adventurous. I've played the piano since I was four, but I only wish that I could dance. I always wanted to learn ballroom (especially the waltz and salsa), but have recently considered getting into hip-hop dance because I'm so stiff & kind of shy and would like to loosen up a little with both things.

Just curious, what major decision do you have to make with graduate school soon?

Be blessed,

Kali

~Kali,

I pray this message finds you warm and well amidst a cold winter's night.
I appreciate the reply and hopefully this reaches you because I am still trying to figure this thing out. lol

Next year I have the opportunity to attend Yale Divinity School for a Master's of Arts and Religion. I am actually deferring that currently so that I could come to DC and teach these boys. So the decision is do I stay or do I go?

Education is extremely challenging work, but the delayed gratification and life on life experience is really helping me mature. I definitely know that God will be faithful no matter which one I decide, but I'm just looking to make the greatest impact for those that I love and the ones coming behind me.

Good question.

So when do your hip hop classes start? lol

Derek

dsporter wrote:~Kali,

I pray this message finds you warm and well amidst a cold winter's night.
I appreciate the reply and hopefully this reaches you because I am still trying to figure this thing out. lol

Next year I have the opportunity to attend Yale Divinity School for a Master's of Arts and Religion. I am actually deferring that currently so that I could come to DC and teach these boys. So the decision is do I stay or do I go?

Education is extremely challenging work, but the delayed gratification and life on life experience is really helping me mature. I definitely know that God will be faithful no matter which one I decide, but I'm just looking to make the greatest impact for those that I love and the ones coming behind me.

Good question.

So when do your hip hop classes start? lol

Derek

Well, the way I see it, once you get your Masters in Arts & Religion, maybe you can also get the credentials to teach what you learned during those two years at a Christian (private) school, OR even better to teach at a public school and have a profound effect & influence on the lives of kids who may not even know much about God or religion. Either way, I think it's best to get your M.A.R. first, while you have this opportunity, and then go back to teaching if it is what you still desire to do. You can always teach, and you can always choose to influence someone's life positively on a daily basis. It isn't every day that you can pursue the M.A.R. at Yale!!!

Too...have you thought about volunteering as a teacher in New Haven once you begin the program?

So did you graduate from a school in Minneapolis? What did you get your undergrad degree in, and what subject(s) are you teaching now?

I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN in Secondary Education with concentration in Political Science. Now I teach 7th & 8th grade American History, a 6th critical thinking class once/week and I'm kinda the Arts Director...but that's a bit of a story...