Aisha Dumbaya ’17

Aisha is teaching Kindergarten at KIPP Academy Lynn Elementary (KALE). Her “24 awesome kindergarteners” are great motivation for her every day.  She co-teaches with a veteran instructor so that they can divide the class into differentiated group lessons during instructional blocks such as math workshop or guided reading. Between these blocks, she gives her students a 10-minute “wiggle” so that they can dance and be silly before going back to schoolwork. Aisha has also been volunteering as a leader of the 1st/2nd grade after-school choir.  She reports that the Wheaton Education Department gave her strong preparation for the classroom. She has received praise from the director of the KIPP regional staff for her “already established teacher presence in the classroom.” “I owe that to Wheaton,” Aisha says, “and I’m so thankful to have gone through such a strong program.”