Kati Delahanty
Kati Delahanty is a Cohort 3 graduate and current ELA teacher at Charlestown High School. She completed her residency at Charlestown six years ago and has remained there since.
Kati’s undergraduate studies in English and her tutoring at the San Diego Juvenile Hall led her to explore urban education through BTR. At Charlestown High School, she has served as a BTR mentor, and is currently the coordinator of a new writing center, a collaboration between UMASS, the National Writing Project, and the Calderwood Foundation. Kati has spoken on behalf of BTR at various educational events, and currently sits on the Education Advisory Board of Edutopia, the George Lucas Education Foundation. She is also participating in the Teacher Leadership Resource Team with the Boston Plan for Excellence and is working with their data team.
Inspiration to teach:
Before BTR, I was in San Diego, California editing and writing medical manuals. I volunteered in schools and in a juvenile hall on the side, and I realized quickly that the on-the-side stuff was blowing my mind, but the technical writing stuff…not so much.
In college, I tutored in the Writing Center and loved every second of the learning I was doing ALONGSIDE the tutees (as we called them). The writing (and writers, of course) exposed me to new ideas, opinions, and philosophies every day in the center. It kept me invigorated. I was desperate to stay in that world of thinking, questioning, and learning. Teaching just made sense.
So, I started searching urban ed programs, found BTR, loved the idea of BTR, applied for BTR, was accepted into the 3rd—most awesome—Cohort, shoved everything I could fit into my VW bug, drove the 3,000 miles to Boston, and I haven’t looked back since.
About my students:
My students are brilliant, powerful, and hilarious. They are writers, readers, thinkers, movers and shakers, and—God help me—teenagers.
I learn more from them than they could ever learn from me.
About BTR:
Above all else, BTR is about serving students. To that end…
BTR forces us to reflect, to respect the process, to be vulnerable, and to get over ourselves by genuinely inviting and using feedback without being defensive.
BTR invites us to collaborate with like-minded colleagues (fellow grads, instructors, mentors, and current Teacher Residents) to design curriculum that will empower and inspire our students.
BTR challenges us to effect change in our individual schools and in our city by advocating for our students and by becoming teacher leaders who push other teachers to have high expectations for every single student.
I am proud to be a graduate of the Boston Teacher Residency. I am grateful to have been a mentor for the past two years. And, I’m lucky to still teach with one of my mentors, Adina Schecter, every single day. Because of BTR I don’t feel alone in this work; I feel like I’m a part of something HUGE.
Favorite Thing in the World To Do:
Laugh.
Random thought:
If they don’t play Boys II Men at my 10-year high school reunion in November, I’m walking out.
Recently by Kati
RSS Feed3.31.10 - The up-side of the unbelievably annoying…
It’s unbelievable how many decisions teachers have to make in one single workday. Scratch that. It’s unbelievable how many decisions teachers have to make in one single class period. Scratch that too. It’s unbelievable how many decisions teachers have to make DURING THE DO-NOW.
… [more]2 comments so far
11.23.09 - So far this SCHOOL year, I’m thankful for…
the chance to teach.
each and every unique and complex student I get to work with.
our “Native Son” unit.
my laptop for learning.
my students’ loyalty to their families.
inspiring colleagues.
whole-unit circles.
COLLABORATION!
a… [more]
0 comments so far
10.06.09 - Student Engagement?
Imagine trying to engage thirty 16, 17, 18, and 19-year-olds (whom you don’t know) at noon on the last day of summer.
Let me back up. We (Adina and I) are teaching in a new alternative-ed small learning community at Charlestown High… [more]
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