MARC MONAGHAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Photo Essays: Elementary and High School Educators in Chicago

This essay includes images and text that were published online in The Atlantic as Americans at Work: Elementary and High School Educators in Chicago (12/10/2016). 

"When I started this project I expected I would see teachers, administrators, and support staff engaged in meaningful ways in their work. I imagined that I would see the consequences of their efforts in the physical set up of the classrooms, the pacing of lessons, in classroom management and in the engagement of students. I saw all of that. I witnessed care, dedication and professionalism, minute after minute, hour after hour, throughout the full day I spent with each of most of the teachers. 

I was surprised at how fully the teachers supported the work I was doing. They let me do what I needed to do. They gathered releases from parents and guardians, contacting them after hours and on weekends. They read my caption notes for accuracy. In their help, I felt their desire to be seen and understood. 

The teachers I observed exhibited superb executive functioning skills, inquisitive minds and care for their students; they got tired during the day and they worked diligently. During the process of photographing these classrooms and schools, my understanding of the work teachers, administrators and support staff do and my respect for them as professionals was reinforced and deepened. I hope this is revealed in this collection of images.” 

  • Principal Beulah McLoyd has a discussion with a student about Jim Crow laws in a Seminar class at Dyett High School for the Arts, October 26, 2016.
  • Principal Beulah McLoyd greets students in the hallway during a passing period at Dyett High School for the Arts, October 26, 2016.
  • Principal Beulah McLoyd watches students move through a routine during a dance class at Dyett High School for the Arts, October 26, 2016.
  • First grade students gather around physical education teacher Katie Krupa as she prepares to teach them flag-football in the gymnasium at St. Mary of the Woods Catholic School in the Edgewater neighborhood of Chicago, November 11, 2016.
  • Physical education teacher Katie Krupa comforts a first grade student who bumped her head during a game of flag-football in the gymnasium at St. Mary of the Woods Catholic School in the Edgewater neighborhood of Chicago, November 11, 2016.
  • A second grade student tries to determine which food group an item belongs to as physical education teacher Katie Krupa helps another student during a health class at St. Mary of the Woods Catholic School in the Edgewater neighborhood of Chicago, November 11, 2016.
  • Custodian Sirena Buchanan sweeps a landing on a staircase of the University of Chicago Charter Schools North Kenwood Oakland Campus, November 16, 2016.
  • Special Needs classroom teacher Tammie Vinson works with her students on their auditory processing skills at Oscar DePriest Elementary School, October 18, 2016.
  • Special Needs classroom teacher Tammie Vinson pays listens to a student at Oscar DePriest Elementary School, October 18, 2016.
  • Special Needs classroom teacher Tammie Vinson helps a student as he climbs a wall during recess at Oscar DePriest Elementary School, October 18, 2016.
  • Sixth grade teacher Erin Henry carries books to be distributed for open reading as her students take a vocabulary quiz at Beulah Shoesmith Elementary School, October 7, 2016.
  • Sixth grade teacher Erin Henry monitors a meeting of the entire sixth grade at Beulah Shoesmith Elementary School, October 7, 2016.
  • Sixth grade teacher Erin Henry reviews homework with one of her students at Beulah Shoesmith Elementary School, October 7, 2016.
  • The front entrance of Marvin Camras Children's Engineering School as seen from the east side of the 3000 block of Mango Avenue in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood of Chicago, November 3, 2016.
  • Third grade homeroom teacher Brian Calhoun greets his students at the beginning of the school day, November 3, 2016, at Marvin Camras Children's Engineering School.
  • A third grader shows her work to her homeroom teacher Brian Calhoun during a literacy lesson at Marvin Camras Children's Engineering School, November 3, 2016.
  • Third grade homeroom teacher Brian Calhoun escorts his class to recess at Marvin Camras Children's Engineering School, November 3, 2016.
  • Part-time teacher Rosa Walke comments on a presentation made by a group of students during an AP Spanish Class at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, October 19, 2016.
  • Part-time teacher Rosa Walke speaks to two student about laughing during a student presentation in an AP Spanish Class at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, October 19, 2016.
  • Part-time teacher Rosa Walke does some copying in the faculty offices at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, October 19, 2016.
  • High school Science teacher Dr. Zachary Hund works with a student as he analyzes a recorded spectrum from an absorption spectroscopy experiment during an AT (Advanced Topics) Chemistry class at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, November 9, 2016.
  • High school Science teacher Dr. Zachary Hund adjusts the height of a crucible holder for a student as he performs a decomposition of sodium bicarbonate stoichiometry laboratory experiment during a Chemistry class at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, November 9, 2016.
  • High school Science teacher Dr. Zachary Hund explains the importance of calibrating the spectrometer with a ‘blank’ cuvette for an absorption spectroscopy experiment with a student in an AT (Advanced Topics) Chemistry class at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, November 9, 2016.
  • Biology teacher Kyera Bradley lectures about symbiotic relationships in nature during a freshman biology class at Noble Charter Schools - Johnson College Prep, November 8, 2016.
  • Biology teacher Kyera Bradley discusses the definitions of different kinds of symbiotic relationships during a freshman biology class at Noble Charter Schools - Johnson College Prep, November 8, 2016.
  • Biology teacher Kyera Bradley meets with the school's dance team in her room after school as they practice some routines at Noble Charter Schools - Johnson College Prep, November 8, 2016.
  • Lower school Art teacher Philip Matsikas meets fifth grade students in the hallway-gallery to start their fine arts class as he goes over the work plan for the day at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, November 9, 2016.
  • Lower school Art teacher Philip Matsikas engages a fifth grade student in an analysis of her gray scale during class at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, November 9, 2016.
  • Lower school Art teacher Philip Matsikas discusses how to draw light as it falls across a 3-dimensional surface by adjusting shadows and highlights in a demonstration of still life drawing during a fifth grade art class at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, November 9, 2016.
  • First year teacher Mel Georgiou works one-on-one with a fifth grade student during a reading workshop at the University of Chicago Charter Schools North Kenwood Oakland Campus, October 13, 2016.
  • First year teacher Mel Georgiou copies quiets some of her fifth grade students down before an assembly at the University of Chicago Charter Schools North Kenwood Oakland Campus in the October 13, 2016.
  • First year teacher Mel Georgiou has a hallway chat with a fifth grade student who was behaving inappropriately during a transition to class at the University of Chicago Charter Schools North Kenwood Oakland Campus, November 13, 2016.
  • Librarian Lies Garner asks a group of first grade students if they recognize any characters or scenes from nursery rhymes in the book she is reading during their homeroom's library class at Hawthorne Scholastic Academy in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood, November 10 2016.
  • Librarian Lies Garner helps connect a fourth grade student with a good book during an unstructured library time at Hawthorne Scholastic Academy in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood, November 10 2016.
  • Librarian Lies Garner escorts kindergartners to their homeroom after recess at Hawthorne Scholastic Academy, November 10, 2016.
  • Administrative Assistant Akanke Kareem answers some questions while doing paper work in the Kenwood Academy High School main office, November 2, 2016.
  • Classroom co-teacher Carmenita Peoples works with several of her students on their work plans in the mixed age class of 6 year-olds to 9 year-olds at the Montessori Academy of Chicago, October 20, 2016.
  • Co-teachers Carmenita Peoples and Cassandra Martin check in with each other as their students work on various tasks in the 6-year to 9 year mixed age classroom of the Montessori Academy of Chicago, October 20, 2016.
  • School head and classroom co-teacher Cassandra Martin conducts an intake interview with prospective school parents in her administrative office October 20, 2016.
  • Security guards Jamaal Gill and Erik Bradley screen students as they enter Dyett High School for the Arts, October 31, 2016.
  • Music Department Chair and Band Director Gerald Powell conducts during a sectional meeting of the Intermediate Band class at Kenwood Academy High School, November 2, 2016.
  • At the end of the day Music Department Chair and Band Director Gerald Powell responds to phone messages in the Music Departments offices at Kenwood Academy High school, November 2, 2016.
  • Music Department Chair and Band Director stands in the wings as the Kenwood Concert Choir performs during the school's annual Thanksgiving Concert, November 18, 2016.
  • School cook Chandra Kilgore prepares peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the school kitchen at Dyett High School for the Arts, October 31, 2016.
  • English teacher Ray Salazar speaks with a student during a transition period about missing assignments at John Hancock College Prep High School October 3, 2016.
  • English teacher Ray Salazar takes attendance during division (homeroom) at the end of the school day at John Hancock College Prep High School October 3, 2016.
  • Ray Salazar meets with fellow English teachers for a monthly planning session at John Hancock College Prep High School October 3, 2016.
  • School cook Chandra Kilgore serves lunch at Dyett High School for the Arts, October 26, 2016.
  • History teacher and college counselor Andrew Johnson speaks with a student in the central student gathering area of George Westinghouse College Prep, October 6, 2016.
  • History teacher and college counselor Andrew Johnson prepares for his next class in the Social Studies Department offices at George Westinghouse College Prep, October 6, 2016.
  • History teacher and college counselor Andrew Johnson speaks with students in his Economics class during a lesson on supply, demand and price relationships at George Westinghouse College Prep, October 6, 2016.
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