The Art of Optical Illusion
What do man-made illusions tell us about patterns in nature?
Meet the Author

Frank Ashford
ashford@sfsu.edu

Starr King

SFUSD


Title:
Student
Grades:
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
My Philosophy
Teachers help students build bridges.

My Community
I live in Alameda, CA. It has a small town, or even a suburban, feel to the place. The toughest kids in the district are what is known as a "cut-up" most places. This means that even though there are issues of diversity in income and in ethnic origin, most schools are free of the dread that you might find at some more inner-city educational locales. For me it is also a treat to work there (I was a substitute teacher there last year) due to the ease of riding to work each day. I am a person who thrives on challenges, so I am looking to challenge myself to learn here at SFSU by working in a truly inner city setting.

My Environment
I work in the second-grade at Potrero Hill's Starr King Elementary School as a student-teacher. I enjoy helping out where and when I may. I am working with a teacher whose skills at managing the classroom show me important elements with which I am unfamiliar. I intend to become an apt pupil. Still, I am working with the curriculum and beginning the journey to developing teaching 'chops.'

My Roles and Responsibilities
As a substitute I cannot flag any particular successes as each job has elements of success and of failure. Usually I tried to come from within the regimen of the teacher whose class I taught. Some of the classes were quite felicitous and the number of helpers in the class meant that I could work intensively where needed, and that I could step back and watch the kids learn. Other classes consisted of few helpers with many challenges. I learned from this, but usually I came away more exhausted.