At the start of the school year, Maria Pulido entered her classroom ready to teach. Now, as she prepares to graduate from her residency, she reflects on the lessons that shaped her along the way.
Like many first-year educators, she focused on lesson plans, classroom management, and making sure she was meeting expectations. She had a clear vision of what success would look like and how her students would get there.
But over the course of the year, that perspective began to shift.
“More than being my students, they were my teachers.”
When reflecting on the year, one moment continues to stand out.
Around the holidays, one of Maria’s students approached her with a question:
“I know that you’re not going to be in school next year. Can you take me to the school you’re going to be at?”
Maria remembers sitting at the table and tears of joy coming out of her eyes.
It was a simple question, but it captured something much bigger. The connection she had built in her classroom went far beyond instruction. It reflected trust, care, and the kind of impact that stays with students long after the school year ends.
Here are four lessons that Maria Pulido learned from her students this year:
1. Success looks different than expected
At the beginning of the year, Maria viewed success through a traditional lens. Success to Maria meant students meeting grade-level expectations and lessons going as planned.
But working closely with her students, many of whom are diverse learners, reshaped that definition.
“My students break those standards,” she explained.
Instead of focusing solely on benchmarks, Maria began to recognize growth in more individualized ways. A student reading simple words for the first time. Another sustaining a conversation. Others are learning how to engage in a group setting.
“Success for us is not achieving academic excellence based on standards, but based on their own capability.”
2. Small wins are everything
In Maria’s classroom, a special education classroom, progress is often quiet.
Moments that might seem small to others carry deep meaning. A student sharing with a peer. Staying engaged just a little longer. Trying again after frustration.
“Those things that could be small for society, for me were a big achievement,” she said.
Over time, those moments build confidence, independence, and a foundation for continued growth.
3. Patience starts with the teacher
One of the most unexpected lessons Maria carried from this year was not just about her students, but about herself.
“I realized it’s not just having patience with them, it’s having patience with myself,” she reflected.
Like many new teachers, Maria experienced moments of doubt. She questioned whether she was making progress or moving fast enough.
But her students showed her otherwise.
“While I thought I was not making progress, they showed me that I was.”
Through their growth, she was able to recognize her own.
4. Relationships come before instruction
Throughout the year, Maria saw how critical relationships are in the classroom.
There were moments when students expressed frustration or said they could not complete a task. Not out of resistance, but because they needed a different approach.
Building trust allowed Maria to better understand how each student learns and how to support them effectively.
That connection became the foundation for everything else.
Maria also reflected on the misconceptions that often surround students with disabilities.
“I think people have the misconception that it’s more about behavior rather than the disability itself,” she shared.
Through her experience, she saw how much environment, support, and understanding can shape student success.
“These children are able to do great things,” she said.
As Maria prepares to step into her first year as a full-time teacher, she carries these lessons with her.
Her students have reshaped how she defines success, how she approaches growth, and how she sees her role as an educator. They have also reinforced why this work matters.
Because in the end, Maria’s first year in the classroom was not just about what she taught. It was about what she learned and the students who taught her along the way.
She also credits AUSL with helping shape that growth. Through ongoing coaching, professional development, and a strong community of support, Maria gained both the tools and perspective needed to grow with confidence in the classroom.
“AUSL helped shift my mindset from focusing on what I was missing to recognizing everything I had already achieved,” she reflected.
That shift made a lasting impact. It allowed her to see not only her students’ progress more clearly, but her own as well.
Officially an AUSL Teacher Residency graduate, Maria carries with her both the lessons from her students and the foundation AUSL provided and she is ready to lead her own classroom and shape the learning experiences that will stay with her students long after they leave it.
Inspired by Maria’s journey? Learn more about the AUSL Teacher Residency and how you can begin your path to the classroom.
The Academy for Urban School Leadership is a school management organization in working in partnership with Chicago Public Schools
Road to Graduation: Maria Pulido Discovers Purpose in the Classroom
The first time one of Maria Pulido’s students spoke to her without prompting, everything else in the room faded. The student, who is mostly nonverbal and typically only responds with support, spoke independently for the first time. “Ms. Pulido, my table is number 5.” It was a simple sentence. Easy to miss, if you did not know what it meant. But Maria did. “That was huge,” she said. “Those are the things we celebrate. Those are the big wins.Months...
Road to Graduation: Maria Reflects on the New Year & Her Final Semester
As the new year begins, AUSL resident teacher Maria Pullido is stepping into her final semester of the AUSL Teacher Residency, ready to continue growing and excited for graduation and her future classroom! As she crosses the halfway point, we caught up with Maria to ask her to reflect on how far she’s come and what she’s most excited for as she completes her residency training year:What feels like your biggest area of growth so far? Maria: “Classroom...
2025 AUSL Teacher of Excellence Award: Jasmyne Portee-Haywood
AUSL Teacher of Excellence Award Celebrating Mrs. Jasmyne Portee-Haywood, Class of 2013 During AUSL’s Annual Benefit Dinner, Dewey School of Excellence Principal Charlene Reynolds presented first grade teacher Jasmyne Portee-Haywood with AUSL’s inaugural Teacher of Excellence Award. A CTR alumna, mentor teacher, and leader on Dewey’s Instructional Leadership Team, Mrs. Portee-Haywood brings over a decade of teaching experience and boundless joy to her...
Road to Graduation: Maria Reflects on Her First Lead Teach
Just two months into the AUSL Teacher Residency, resident teacher Maria Pullido stepped into the classroom for her first Lead Teach experience — a milestone that asks resident teachers to plan, deliver, and manage a full day of instruction on their own. For Maria, it was a moment she had been quietly building toward since the first day she met her students. “I felt in charge for the first time,” she shared. “In the end, instead of feeling nervous, I felt...
Teaching for Transformation: Erika’s Mission to Change Lives Through Education
“I’ve always considered myself a bit of a disruptor,” said Chicago resident teacher Erika Oyinloe. “I get the opportunity to be a change maker in the classroom. I just want to make sure that as long as I’m in the room, the student with the least amount of resources will get what they need.” Growing up in Chicago, Erika felt very lucky being surrounded by educators who believed in her, poured into her, and made school a safe place throughout her K-12...
From Tech to Teaching: How an AUSL Alumna Discovered her Passion for the Classroom and Leadership
Principal Mauricia Estes has always had a passion for helping others grow – empowering students and colleagues alike to discover new ways of learning and to become confident, informed members of their communities. She is just two months into her principalship at Ludwig Van Beethoven Elementary, but has built momentum throughout the various experiences in her career that prepared her for her first complete school leadership role. Before she cemented her...
AUSL Trained, CPS Made: How One Alumna Became a Force for Change
The AUSL Teacher Residency has a growing alumni community of 1,549 teachers, school leaders, and administrators that lead classrooms, teachers, and school communities with a student-centered approach. AUSL is proud to launch a new alumni series spotlighting former resident teachers and their inspiring career journeys — showcasing how AUSL alumni go on to become teacher leaders. Growing up with a mom who was an administrator and teacher, Principal...
Q&A: How AmeriCorps Made My Teacher Training Possible
AUSL’s partnership with AmeriCorps helps make it possible for resident teachers in the AUSL Teacher Residency to receive additional support as they train and complete the program. The partnership provides resident teachers with the Segal Education Award (tuition credit), childcare assistance, and free healthcare. These services help remove significant barriers for participation and make it possible for resident teachers to graduate. AUSL alumna Christy...
Road to Graduation: Maria’s First Steps with her Mentor
Chicago resident teacher Maria Pulido is one step closer to making her dream come true as she meets new milestones with the AUSL Teacher Residency. The mentor teacher and resident teacher relationship is one component that makes the AUSL teacher residency program unique compared to traditional teacher preparation programs. Mentor teachers are experienced, passionate teachers that guide and push resident teachers forward. They are truly special teacher...
AUSL Teacher Residency Expands Support for Resident Teachers with New Associate Directors
The Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL) welcomes three new team members to the AUSL Teacher Residency team! Dia Bennett, Sam Migliaccio, and Latonia Reynolds have joined AUSL as Associate Directors for the AUSL Teacher Residency this school year. Dia, Sam, and Latonia are also alumni of the AUSL Teacher Residency! Entering a school year with the largest residency cohort in the past decade and the launch of a new teacher residency program, AUSL is...
AUSL Launches into a Summer of Learning and Growth
The AUSL Teacher Residency Class of 2026 is off to a strong and purposeful start this summer. Following a successful orientation week, resident teachers began their summer coursework with DePaul University, marking the official launch of their learning journey into the teaching profession. As resident teachers progress through the summer quarter, the AUSL Teacher Residency team designs and leads professional development sessions that center on key...
Road to Graduation: Resident Teacher Leads by Example, Advocates for Diverse Learners
The AUSL Teacher Residency Class of 2026 is off to a strong start, wrapping up their summer coursework at DePaul University as they prepare to begin the school year at their training sites. Over the course of this residency year, AUSL will follow the journey of one of our resident teachers in the AUSL Teacher Residency to capture their personal experience from orientation to graduation. Originally from California, Maria Pulido knew she always had a...
The Academy for Urban School Leadership Celebrates 25 Years of Transformative Impact
The Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL) proudly celebrates 25 years of impact – marking a quarter-century of unwavering commitment to excellence in education. Since 2001, AUSL has become a national leader in training high-quality, passionate teachers to become successful educators in hard-to-fill subject areas in underserved communities throughout Chicago. Over 25 years, AUSL has recruited, trained, and supported 1,549 new teachers with the AUSL...
Facing the National Teacher Shortage: AUSL Vision 2030
Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL) recently hosted a summer open house to highlight the impact of the AUSL Teacher Residency. The event featured incoming resident teacher Maria Pulido, Superintendent of North Chicago School District John Price, and AUSL Executive Director Adam Case – all discussing new opportunities. “We just graduated the largest class of resident teachers in the past decade. Over the past two years, we doubled the size of our...
164 New Resident Teachers Begin Training with the AUSL Teacher Residency
As the AUSL Teacher Residency alumni network welcomed a new cohort of resident teachers across Chicago, the AUSL team kicked off orientation week to begin onboarding the Chicago Teacher Residency Class of 2026. “We will give you all of the tools to be successful,” said Adam Case, AUSL Executive Director, addressing the incoming resident teachers. “Be a learner, ask questions, be engaged and most of all, act with urgency. Students need all of our...
AUSL Celebrates the Chicago Teacher Residency Class of 2025
The Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL) hosted a graduation celebration at DePaul University on May 27th for the Chicago Teacher Residency Class of 2025, AUSL’s largest graduating class in 10 years. Resident teachers, AUSL supporters and staff, and DePaul University College of Education professors joined our celebration to congratulate the 23rd class of the Chicago Teacher Residency. 105 resident teachers will join the growing community of 1,549...
Resident teacher overcomes injury, embodies tenacious service in the classroom
Lia Noel Khan, southside Chicago native of the Beverly neighborhood, always had a lesson or skill to learn growing up. She was active in multiple extra curricular activities as a Chicago Public Schools (CPS) student including cheer, gymnastics, violin, piano, and dance. Lia graduated from Southern Illinois University (SIU) in May 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science and a concentration in coaching. During her sophomore year on the college...
AUSL Annual Benefit Dinner Celebrates Educators and School Leaders
The Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL) gathered with sponsors, supporters and friends for an evening of celebration on Tuesday, April 29 at Offshore Rooftop at Navy Pier in Chicago's Streeterville neighborhood. Guests were in attendance to celebrate the passionate educators that empower and support our students everyday. "In my career I've spoken to hundreds of school district superintendents across the country," said AUSL Executive Director Adam...
AUSL Teacher Residency Job Fair Introduces Residents to Network of Opportunities
The Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL) recently hosted its annual AUSL Teacher Residency Job Fair at National Teachers Academy in Chicago’s South Loop neighborhood. Resident teachers from the Class of 2025 met with school administrators, leaders, and educators from 20 schools across Chicago to explore open positions for the upcoming school year. The AUSL Teacher Residency Job Fair serves as a professional development opportunity for resident...
AUSL’s Teacher Residency Partner: DePaul University
Since 2015, AUSL’s Teacher Residency program has partnered with DePaul University’s College of Education to address the critical teacher shortages many schools across the country face, especially in high-need content areas. Together, we recruited and trained new teachers while increasing the number of student teaching hours in the classroom and investing in training experienced teachers as mentors who model and give continual feedback as Residents put...
AUSL’s 2024 Impact Report
Friends and Supporters, Thanks to your unwavering support, 2024 was a year of meaningful growth and impact for AUSL. Your generosity and dedication fuels our work to ensure that students in Chicago and across the country have a great teacher and a transformative educational experience. Thank you to all of our friends and partners for making this work possible for over 20 years. I invite you to read AUSL’s 2024 Impact Report, which captures the authentic...
LiberatED Way Strengthens Family Partnerships with Dual Capacity-Building Framework
AUSL’s Advisory Services program, LiberatED Way, has partnered with The Carole Robertson Center for Learning since 2021. The partnership led to the creation of a student-centered vision for Kindergarten readiness and built the capacity of staff and faculty to engage and collaborate with families. Through the work, LiberatED Way focused on strengthening family partnerships utilizing the Dual Capacity-Building Framework, a model developed by Dr. Karen...
How the Danielson Framework Informs the AUSL Teacher Residency
The Danielson Framework for Teaching has become a cornerstone in educator preparation programs nationwide. Its data-supported structure and comprehensive approach to teaching effectiveness make it an invaluable tool for teacher development. At the Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL), we integrate the Danielson Framework into our Teacher Residency program to ensure Residents receive the reflective and meaningful teacher training to prepare them for...
AUSL Open House Highlights Teacher Residency Success Stories
Earlier this winter, AUSL hosted an Open House at Pablo Casals School of Excellence in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood bringing together current and former Residents, school leaders, and friends of the AUSL community. Attendees met AUSL Executive Director Adam Case, listened to a panel of current and former Residents, and witnessed the transformative impact of AUSL's teacher residency program firsthand by visiting classrooms at Casals. “This is why...
Resident Embraces School Community at Earle STEM Elementary in West Englewood
Growing up in a Military Family, service has always been important to William Melvin. After living in seven states and going to college, his desire to serve others called him to the classroom. William graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in finance and worked at several banks before making the career switch to education. He was a Client Relationship Consultant at U.S. Bank before starting his Residency program.“You can be good at something in life, but...
AUSL Welcomes New Board Members Arnie Rivera and Drew Beres
The Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL) is pleased to announce the addition of Arnie Rivera and Drew Beres to our Board of Directors. As dedicated leaders with extensive experience in education and community development, Arnie and Drew bring valuable perspectives to AUSL’s mission to improve educational outcomes for students and empower teachers and leaders in schools in Chicago and across the country.Arnie Rivera has a strong background in public...
“Teacher” Documentary Illustrates Current State of Education, Celebrates CTR Program
AUSL joined DePaul University’s College of Education for a special screening at Davis Theater in Chicago’s Lincoln Square neighborhood for the documentary film "Teacher" by Adam Gacka. The film follows Chicago Teacher Residency (CTR) alumni Chelsea Bennett and Nkanga Nsa at Curtis School of Excellence on the south side of Chicago. It highlights their daily routine as educators and brings to light some of the realities of being a teacher in an underserved...
AUSL Residency Professional Development Supports Resident Success Across the Program
AUSL leads professional development sessions throughout the year for all members involved with the Chicago Teacher Residency (CTR) program including Residents, Mentors and Principals from our CTR Partnership School Training Sites. These sessions play a key role in building community and a strong professional network for educators and school leaders to learn new and effective strategies to apply in their relationships, classrooms and school communities. ...
Chicago Teacher Residency Recognizes Ten Values Award Recipients
Throughout the year, the Chicago Teacher Residency distributes CTR Values Awards to current Residents that embody three values: Student-Centered, Community-Focused, and Tenacious Service. CTR staff celebrated the following award recipients in September and October during Residents’ Professional Development meetings. Congratulations to these well-deserving award recipients! Max Carroll (Community-Focused) "Max always makes a priority to thank the many...
Resident follows Passion for Teaching, Committed Life Learner
Andrea (Andy) Browning is many things, a southside Chicago native from the Beverly neighborhood, a single mother, and most recently, an incoming Resident of the 2025 Chicago Teacher Residency cohort. “How did I get here? It just took me to recognize my true calling and then act on it,” she said. Andy has worked in multiple industries and held many positions in her professional career before joining the CTR. Since her graduation from Chicago State...
CTR Mentorship Model Shapes Residents and Mentor Teachers to Grow
The current class of Residents in the Chicago Teacher Residency (CTR) have completed their summer courses at DePaul and have started their teacher training experience at CTR Partnership School Training Sites across Chicago. Before the school year began, Residents and Mentors met at DePaul for the very first time, setting the foundation for the relationship they will cultivate throughout the school year. The mentor and mentee relationship is at the heart...
AUSL Announces Next Executive Director
After an extensive national search, The Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL) is pleased to introduce Adam Case as the organization's next Executive Director. The AUSL Board of Directors is confident that Adam is uniquely qualified to lead AUSL into an invigorating and innovative new chapter, continuing its legacy of fostering equitable educational experiences for students in Chicago and across the country. “Over the last 20 years, Adam has built a...
AUSL’s 48 Hours of Giving Campaign Funds Community Resource to Support Residents
AUSL's 48 Hours of Giving Campaign directly benefits the Chicago Teacher Residency (CTR) Need-Based Fund. This CTR community resource helps Residents address unexpected challenges that have created hardship to successfully navigate and complete their residency by awarding financial assistance on a case-by-case basis. Life happens unexpectedly and barriers Residents experience include requiring assistance with extra learning support, transportation,...
LiberatED Way’s Word on the Street Virtual Summit Focuses on Street Data and Empowers Student Voice
LiberatED Way hosted the inaugural Virtual Summit, Word on the Street, on Thursday, June 13, with educators, school leaders, community partners, and friends to explore the value of street data for school transformation. Word on the Street began with keynote speaker Marlon Styles, who engaged attendees with his personal story of being a former educator and superintendent of Middletown City Schools. Styles spoke about his strategic approach to collecting...
The Chicago Teacher Residency Orientation Builds Foundation for New Residents
The Chicago Teacher Residency hosted orientation week for the new class of Residents from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14 at DePaul University. The goal for orientation is to set a foundation of success for incoming Residents to make connections with their cohort, understand expectations from DePaul University and the Chicago Teacher Residency, explore the values and key voices that will shape their learning from the program and identify the purpose...
The Chicago Teacher Residency Celebrates New Class of Graduates
The Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL) hosted a graduation celebration at DePaul University on Tuesday May 28th for the Chicago Teacher Residency Class of 2024. AUSL supporters and staff and DePaul University College of Education professors attended the celebration to address and congratulate the 22nd class of the CTR program. Our 73 Residents will join the community of 1,371 CTR alumni!Kate Rhodes Peterson, Director of the Chicago Teacher...
Incoming Teacher Residents Share Intentions for CTR Program at Class of 2025 Social Event
The Chicago Teacher Residency (CTR) hosted a social event for the newly admitted Residents of the Class of 2025 at Bottom Lounge in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood on May 15. AUSL staff brought a warm welcome to the new class of Residents and provided any answers to questions they have for the upcoming year. It was also the first opportunity for Residents to get to know one another as a cohort. “The main thing I want to welcome you into today is this...
Chicago Teacher Residency Names Final Values Award Recipients of School Year
Throughout the year, the Chicago Teacher Residency distributes CTR Values Awards to current Residents that embody three values: Student-Centered, Equity-Driven, and Courage to Persist. CTR staff celebrated the following award recipients at Professional Development meetings in April and May to close out the 2023-2023 school year. Maya Martinez (Student-Centered)"Maya has been nominated for the Values Award because of her student-centered approach...
AUSL Annual Benefit Dinner Honors Champion Sponsors and Celebrates Legacy
The Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL) gathered with sponsors, supporters and friends for an evening of celebration on Tuesday, May 7th at the Four Seasons Hotel. Over two hundred guests were in attendance to honor the achievements of the last year and recognize the work of AUSL’s educators that empower students every day. Before the evening program, guests arrived and enjoyed a cocktail reception with one another that set the warm and cheerful...
Network 11 Schools Reveal New Portraits of a Graduate
LiberatED Way hosted an End-of-Year Community Showcase for their Chicago Public Schools Network 11 school partners on Saturday, May 4 at Kennedy-King College in Chicago’s Englewood community. Anna R. Langford Community Academy, Nicholson STEM Academy, and Stagg Elementary School brought their school pride and spirit to the showcase! Teamwork Englewood, Urban Initiatives, Englewood CAC, and Stay L.I.T. Community Youth Services also joined the showcase to...
