edwards middle school

Why I’m Proud to Be a Teaching Fellow

Greg Beach is a First Year Teaching Fellow at the Edwards Middle School in Charlestown, MA. He is a Tufts University Alumni, Class of 2011. 

At the outset of my senior year of college at Tufts, I thought I knew who I was and where I was going. Truth be told, I knew little than as I know little now. However, I had sufficiently gathered my thoughts and experiences together to understand one truth: the pursuit of a just and sustainable society would motivate me for the rest of my life. The question of how to harness this energy and channel it into something meaningful was daunting. Fortunately, it did not take long before I discovered my path forward in the Citizen Schools Teaching Fellowship.

Having worked in urban education for most of my college career, Citizen Schools seemed a logical next step. I was drawn particularly to Citizen Schools because of its innovative model and advocacy for change. The powerful need for out-of-the-box thinkers and community involvement in education is embodied in the apprenticeship, what I see to be the core of Citizen Schools. I have felt that the content that students receive in school can be narrow, impractical and disconnected from the world. The apprenticeship model alleviates this by exposing students to the world beyond the school walls and engaging them with relevant content that provides a glimpse into their potential future.

I knew that I wanted to support a program that pioneered this sort of innovation and exploration and I knew that I wanted to play the role of educator/mentor. It just made sense. Having completed almost a year of the Fellowship, I can confidently say that I am glad that I became a Teaching Fellow. The Fellowship experience can be very frustrating, in more ways than one. That being said, this frustration can produce some fantastic ideas and inspire innovative action. Some of my proudest accomplishments as a Fellow have resulted from a frustration with the status quo and a desire to provide a more enriching experience for my students. There have been spectacular failures in my stumble to refine my teaching style and integrate new content. Still, there is a strong sense of progress in the work of a Fellow. We are building something spectacular, even if it is unclear exactly what it is we’re building.

In addition to the professional and personal growth fueled by the Fellowship, the connections made as a Fellow are invaluable. I have met so many inspiring, kind people, too many to count, during my Fellowship. A veritable think-tank of creative innovators exists in the Fellows’ Circle, where constructive conversations abound and Fellows are always available to lend a helping hand. Regardless of where we all end up after the Fellowship, I am certain that the friendships I’ve built and the connections I’ve made will stay with me for years to come.

Finally, I am proud to be a Fellow because I am proud to serve my students. Sometimes I wonder what impact I am making, if I am having a positive effect on my students. My concerns are calmed when I think about the bonds that I’ve built with my students and the space that we have created in our classroom. It’s not perfect, far from it, but I think our work together is a significant step towards the learning environment that my students need and that I want to create. I will never forget my first team, in its successes and its failures, and will use the lessons they’ve taught me for the rest of my life.

Apply to be a Teaching Fellow today! The final deadline is Friday, May 18th.

Warning: Volunteering May Lead to Overwhelming Pride

Lindsey Waldron is a Bain & Company Employee and a Two-Time Volunteer Citizen Teacher with Citizen Schools. 

Ms. W and an Edwards student presenting at the WOW!

On December 15th, 2011 the executive board room of Bain & Company’s Boston office was taken over by a group of sixth grade students from the Edwards Middle School in Charlestown, Massachusetts.  They had spent the last three months in my Citizen Schools apprenticeship learning business fundamentals as they helped determine what new, exciting ice cream flavor Ben & Jerry’s should launch nationwide.  This was their opportunity to present their findings to Ben & Jerry’s own ‘Board of Directors’ in an authentic business environment. Read more…

Teaching Holidays in School

Greg Beach is a First Year Teaching Fellow at the Edwards Middle School in Charlestown, MA

Bright lights break through the darkness of winter

As the weather finally begins to match the December date, it is undeniable that the holiday season has arrived. For me and certainly many others, the holidays are a mixed bag. While the seasonal aesthetic of bright lights breaking through the darkness of winter is much needed, the social infection of commercialized Christmas never ceases to irritate and depress. Similarly, the holiday season revives the frustrating debate over the War on Christmas, in which the forces of political correctness are pitted against those of tradition, or so the media narrative goes. This perceived conflict distracts from meaningful conversations that could be had regarding how we celebrate holidays and teach religion in our public schools.

The debate is polarized around the mentioned positions, which obscures more nuanced perspectives on the matter. In a multicultural country like the United States, elevation of one holiday as THE holiday by a passionate majority should not be acceptable. On the other hand, this should not mean that we must exclude all religious or cultural traditions from the public sphere. In fact, discussion of religion and tradition should be encouraged. Our public schools are a fitting institution for such a discussion, in part because of children’s enthusiasm for the holidays but also because of the inclusive, open structure of the classroom.

In the classroom, we are able to share our identities, ideas and interests. Still, there are important perspectives that are conspicuously absent from holiday classroom discussion. Students should learn about the religious holidays that are celebrated by their fellow Americans. However, this should not be limited to discussions of traditions and aesthetics. We must also explore the origins of holidays from both a religious and, importantly, a historical perspective. For example, the depiction of Christmas in the Christian tradition contrasted with the historical origins of the holiday would provide a vibrant subject for exploration and reflection.

In my schooling experience, I had to dig deep for any sort of historical information on religions that weren’t practiced by Sumerians or Ancient Greeks. It felt almost as if someone didn’t want me to learn that Christmas as celebrated today was heavily influenced by Pagan traditions. We are so hesitant to mention anything Christmas-related that we miss out on a fantastic opportunity for students to explore alternative perspectives and cultures. The history of religion is the history of our deep-seated beliefs, beliefs that many of us have inherited without really examining where they come from. We should not seek to avoid discussing the historical origins of religion if we truly want to understand each other and ourselves.

A discussion of the historical importance of the menorah, perhaps?

I’ll admit that opening up the dialogue regarding religion in public schools is tricky.  Religion, especially in schools, is a touchy subject in the United States. However, understanding the historical connection between the Roman Empire and the growth of Christianity, for example, does not diminish God’s great mystery. What it does do is place religion within an academic context that is sure to inspire many students. It connects the dots and examines new perspectives on religion, a topic that is neglected at all levels of public education. The holiday season is an exemplary time to begin a discussion of holidays as history. Whether its learning about the origins of the Christmas tree, the historic events that inspired Hannukah, or the winter festivals that preceded and influenced our modern holidays, the holidays provide a rich base of content to engage and open young minds.

Expanded Learning Time at a Tipping Point

Eric Schwarz is the Co-Founder and CEO of Citizen Schools

“If we are truly going to change our educational system, we can no longer approach reform one school at a time. We need to tackle reform more systemically. It is time for the exception to be the rule.”
Regis Shields, Education Resource Strategies: 1,000 Schools vs 1,000 School Districts

Regis Shields is right: Expanded Learning Time for the moment is a school-based reform. The bright spots that The National Center for Time & Learning celebrates indeed appear to be exceptional cases, found only in unique circumstances like turnarounds, district-selected innovation schools or charter schools, free from district constraints.

The Edwards, Orchard Gardens, and other schools where Citizen Schools is providing a core of the expanded learning day enjoy levels of additional funding and autonomy not accorded to most low-performing schools across the country. Even the leaders of districts like Boston, Chicago and Newark, who have declared that ELT is a critical lever for reform of their lowest performing schools—and proven that to be true with real results—have not yet institutionalized the flexibilities their proof points enjoy.

She is also right that the clear path to district-wide adoption of ELT is blocked by the boulder of the status quo: how districts allocate resources, the level of autonomy schools have to shape compensation for their teaching force, and the value districts place on “non-traditional educators.”

But there are three reasons why we as a nation will overcome these barriers and provide an expanded learning day for all kids who need it—and sooner than you may think.

1. ELT is close to reaching critical mass, in a critical mass of districts.

No thoughtful reform should sweep the country overnight. Charters didn’t. Given all the structural impediments, districts have chosen to test ELT in a small number of schools—and then use any successes as leverage to make systemic change. In Boston, for example, Citizen Schools’ ELT partner schools now serve 21% of incoming middle school students this Fall, offering all of them a 40% longer day. Charters, meanwhile, are serving about 11% of public school students. With ELT programs not involving Citizen Schools factored in, 3 times more Boston middle schoolers benefit from in ELT than charters. And the district is paying for this today. Once ELT is serving at least 50% of the student population, a district will have tremendous leverage to drive reforms beyond what would have been possible a few years earlier.
2. ELT at scale is increasingly a high-yield, affordable investment.

Even in these tight fiscal times, many communities and states may see a dramatically better and longer learning day as a great investment for parents and students. ELT delivers an appealing return on investment for districts: on average 40% more quality learning time for 10% of current per-pupil spending. And inspired by charter schools’ success in transitioning from a six- to a nine-hour learning day without significantly increasing their core budget, districts are using strategies like block scheduling, strategic staff deployment and increased class sizes to fund a longer learning day.

At the national level, ELT is no pipe dream if we focus on where the need and opportunity for payoff is greatest: high-poverty schools, in the middle school years—the funding exists today. The nation has only several million middle school age students attending schools that are majority low-income students. Enrolling 100% of these students in ELT programs, even at the upper end of per-pupil cost estimates ($2,000), would cost about $5 billion dollars. Federal funding streams exist that are meant to extend learning: SES, 21st Century Community Learning Centers, School Improvement Grants, and school-age child care grants. If even just half of these were directed to high-quality ELT, that would amount to $3 to $4 billion dollars.

3. Flexibility is closer than ever.

Districts may have a golden opportunity right now to sail with the winds of federal policy at their back.  The DOE’s initiatives, including Race To The Top, I3, ESEA waivers and reauthorization, all support ELT as a core lever for reform. As high performing charters are proving that high-need students can catch up to and surpass suburban peers through a longer school day, families demand an equally excellent educational experience at their district’s schools. A rigorous, relevant and engaging learning day should become a promise districts are expected to keep for their communities—with no excuses.

A tipping point is at hand. If you are convinced that a longer learning day can benefit kids at greater scale, it’s time to join Citizen Schools, the National Center for Time & Learning, The After-School Corporation (TASC) and leading foundations like Wallace and Ford, in seizing this moment.