Meet Our MCE of the Month: Jezer Ureña
Jezer Ureña
4th Grade Math & Science Bilingual Teacher
Aldine ISD
Texas
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_empty_space height=”15px”][vcex_heading text=”What inspired you to go into education?” italic=”true” font_weight=”semibold” font_size=”22px” color=”#f65412″][vc_empty_space height=”15px”][vc_column_text]Jezer: I was greatly inspired by teachers and have always felt a calling to serve my community. I got tired of seeing the brain drain and decided to teach in the district where I was educated.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”30px”][vcex_button hover_animation=”shrink” url=”https://twitter.com/pastorjezer” title=”Follow Jezer on Twitter” align=”center” size=”medium” icon_left=”fa fa-twitter”]Follow Jezer on Twitter[/vcex_button][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Today was one of those days when the classroom environment exceeded all expectations. It’s the culmination of preparation, relational cultivation, sufficient resources and tremendous trust and discipline on the part of students. I always say teachers are like parents, the kids don’t choose. That’s why I remind myself, my students deserve peak instruction, respect, and opportunity.
A5. When Ss see their beloved teacher have the courage to pull out all the stops to engage in creative instruction, you increase engagement. You also provide much needed levity to the anxiety and pressure associated with our current testing culture. #flocabchat @Flocabulary
— Jezer Ureña, M.A. (@pastorjezer) January 16, 2019
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vcex_heading text=”What kind of educator do you strive to be?” italic=”true” font_weight=”semibold” font_size=”22px” color=”#6bb14c”][vc_empty_space height=”15px”][vc_column_text]I want to be the type of educator that ignites a passion and a curiosity for learning. I want my students to be critical thinkers and problem solvers. My hope is that my students learn to see their world critically and understand that all knowledge is interconnected. An education is so much more than just learning content, but learning how to become a person and learn who we are because we’re exposed to things. This helps us encounter what we’re passionate about.
At the price of becoming a testing culture, certain activities have been deemed extraneous even though modern brain science and psychology show the opposite, which is why Flocab is important. I want to bring excitement back into the classroom, where it’s not monotonous and where the kids aren’t focusing the whole year just on one exam — I don’t want to be one of those teachers where students don’t want to come back to the class. My kids never miss, they come to school sick. They don’t want to go home. Somehow I’m making things that are boring entertaining. I respect them and give them a voice and allow them to express themselves. [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”30px”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]
Behavioral challenges are often the result of lack of engagement. These students @WilsonAISD are locked into the lesson using @Flocabulary to reinforce area and perimeter. @BakerDana2424 @tachambers01 @grizfan99 pic.twitter.com/M8zh9ckl2n
— Jezer Ureña, M.A. (@pastorjezer) January 10, 2019
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Brilliant flow by one of @WilsonAISD best and brightest. Dropping the mic🎤🎤🎤🎤 in that lyric lab. A 616 production. These students wanna make a grown man 😢. Super proud of my @Flocabulary junior MCs. @TeamSoc_Studies @lindsayrothfeld @alexrappaport @MrIkeRamos @BakerDana2424 pic.twitter.com/Gtm34C9dvD
— Jezer Ureña, M.A. (@pastorjezer) December 4, 2018
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vcex_heading text=”How do you typically integrate Flocabulary into your curriculum?” italic=”true” font_weight=”semibold” font_size=”22px” color=”#6e6edd”][vc_empty_space height=”15px”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]I sit down and look and my learning objectives and look through the Flocab library to see if I can find a video that hits my learning target. Then I like to use the video as a warm-up or engagement piece. I will play the video all week. By mid-week I assign read and respond, quizzes and the lyric lab.
For students that are struggling and not grasping information in a traditional way, they love Flocabulary. Hip-hop is so predominant in pop culture and it’s what they listen to. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]
Some people may ask is this learning? My response is that bilingual students must master four components to exit: listening, speaking, reading and writing. And boom 💥, @Flocabulary hits every domain, and they do it with gusto. My students feel so empowered after sharing a flow.
— Jezer Ureña, M.A. (@pastorjezer) October 29, 2018
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vcex_heading text=”What is one of the most memorable experiences you’ve had in the classroom while using Flocabulary?” italic=”true” font_weight=”semibold” font_size=”22px” color=”#f25a52″][vc_empty_space height=”15px”][vc_column_text]My most memorable moment has to be my implementation at the beginning of the year. I assigned a lyric lab assignment and my students said it was too hard. After I showed them my first rap, it stoked their inner fire and now I have a whole class of junior emcees. Flocabulary has been vital to building a powerful rapport with my students.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]
Here’s a Wildcat production @WilsonAISD using beats and the lyric lab from @Flocabulary. We’re sharing the four types of soil. Special thanks to @WildcatHammer6 for sharing his @padcaster expertise. @BakerDana2424 @STARS_902 @TeamSoc_Studies @lindsayrothfeld @MrIkeRamos pic.twitter.com/yC5loHKOaF
— Jezer Ureña, M.A. (@pastorjezer) November 29, 2018
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vcex_heading text=”How has Flocabulary impacted your classroom?” italic=”true” font_weight=”semibold” font_size=”22px” color=”#482e80″][vc_empty_space height=”15px”][vc_column_text]It has sparked excitement in the classroom and helped me teach vocabulary in a memorable and effective fashion. Students are excited to come class. For students not grasping the information in a traditional context, Flocabulary is an amazing vehicle. It taps into the pop culture and the students love of hip hop. It also helps stoke their creativity.
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A6: @flocabulary does a masterful job of framing our world in a way that accessible and entertaining. I love using the life skills lessons to expand Ss awareness of the great tapestry of life. Ss need to learn how to be global citizens. They also need a safe place to exhale.
— Jezer Ureña, M.A. (@pastorjezer) February 13, 2019
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A4: @flocabulary taps into the universal language of music to help lower the affective filter of ELs to facilitate language acquisition. Flocab can also pair with the SIOP model by utilizing teacher resources to create vocabulary flash cards, graphic organizers and much more.!
— Jezer Ureña, M.A. (@pastorjezer) February 13, 2019
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vcex_heading text=”How has becoming an MCE impacted you?” italic=”true” font_weight=”semibold” font_size=”22px” color=”#fca00c”][vc_column_text]
It has given me a powerful professional learning network. There are so many brilliant teachers that are MCEs and the opportunity to share ideas and teaching strategies have been invaluable. Also, the educators that use Flocabulary are typically innovators in the classroom, and I love to dialogue with intrepid educators.
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Wow. Kudos to @Flocabulary for facilitating #FlocabChat. It gave me the opportunity to connect with brilliant teaching minds from across the country. Very inspirational and insightful. Stand on the shoulders if giants. #flocabulary #teacherlife
— Jezer Ureña, M.A. (@pastorjezer) December 12, 2018
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@MrEricFeeney iron sharpens iron. Posting your classroom culture provides awesome insights for fellow educators. I frequently borrow from @EckerDustin and @mjmcalli . Joining the @Flocabulary community has created a tremendous impact in my instruction and Ss success .@WilsonAISD https://t.co/26b0v0JaQz
— Jezer Ureña, M.A. (@pastorjezer) January 16, 2019
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Connected with my fellow @Flocabulary MCE @pastorjezer for a Google Hangout! His 4th graders showed us a little something about force & motion! @felixfrostygar1 & her class came over too! Can’t wait to do it again! We ended by singing together! @Carver_Tigers #WeBuildLeaders 🎤 pic.twitter.com/BwHYiDNnTt
— Melody (@mjmcalli) February 1, 2019
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vcex_heading text=”Alright, time to rhyme — let’s write a rap (using Lyric Lab, of course). We’ll start… “ MCE of the Month, and this month, it’s me. So let me tell you something about Flocabulary… “ – your turn – ” italic=”true” font_weight=”semibold” font_size=”22px” color=”#7b7cdf”][vc_empty_space height=”30px”][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEacs7Hum7o&feature=youtu.be”][/vc_column][/vc_row]