Ms. Cooper’s Classroom Edit display name

About my class

There is nothing standing in the way of my students' success in reading and writing other than their own often troubled personal histories connected to the classroom. Picture Y, a student whose eyes shine and lips tremble with questions when she finds interest in a topic. Or G, a self-professed troublemaker whose intelligence and natural wit offer gravitas and compassion to every class discussion. Then, there's R, an ELL student who voraciously reads because he wants to master the English language. Yet, all of them share a story about when reading became difficult, school became boring or learning became a chore instead of a labor of love. They all attend my school, an Expeditionary Learning school in Washington, D.C., where teachers design the curriculum and use field trips, expert visits, community resources and real-world application of academic concepts to build a culture of student empowerment for learning.