teaching fellow
Why I’m Proud to Be a Teaching Fellow
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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.
Citizen Schools is Coming to the Windy City
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Bryce Bowman is the Executive Director of Citizen Schools’ new launch site in
Chicago.
Chicago has been my home for the past seven years and I am energized, honored, and inspired to be in a role that brings an organization with a proven model for student success to an amazing city. Citizen Schools has been a successful expanded learning time school partner in cities around the nation and I am excited to help bring the organization to the city where I am raising my own family, Chicago, and to the students of Chicago Public Schools.
Education reform and expanding the school day has been a very hot topic in Chicago recently, and what excites me most about bringing Citizen Schools into that environment is that it gives everyday people the opportunity to get off the sidelines and into the classroom. It offers the ability to integrate the Chicago business and civic community into our schools.
We can all agree that, given the right support and access, all kids can learn and we can all help give kids more opportunities. We all have something to contribute to help them realize their potential regardless of what happens with union negotiations and policy decisions.
Through Citizen Schools, rather than just discussing education reform around the water cooler or at a party, people from all walks of life can enter schools, inspire kids by teaching what they’re passionate about, and become active change agents in closing the achievement gap for the students of Chicago Public Schools.
We eagerly look forward to partnering with great schools and providing them with additional resources to drive student achievement. But, in order to truly impact students, we need to build a great team. Consider volunteering as a Citizen Teacher, applying for the Teaching Fellowship, or learning more about our mission.
A Community of Supporters Saves Program in Santa Fe
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Sahra Saedi is a First Year Teaching Fellow at De Vargas Middle School in Santa Fe, NM.
Students' educational opportunities were expanded through Citizen Schools at De Vargas Middle School
On the night of Tuesday, April 17th the Santa Fe school board was convened to make a decision that would affect the future of hundreds of middle school students in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The Santa Fe Citizen Schools staff and I packed ourselves into the humid public forum room. Elbow to elbow, we patiently waited for our opportunity to advocate for the Citizen Schools expanded learning program at De Vargas Middle School. Finally, the school board representatives crackled over their microphones alerting our pack of staff and well-wishers that the opportunity to speak on behalf of our vital program had come.
A line formed behind the public forum podium starting with our school’s principal and ending with three of our most supportive parents. The line of champions twisted around the room.
Principal Diane Garcia Piro started off by painting a picture of our school at a tumultuous crossroads until Citizen Schools began to flourish. Garcia talked about how students now look forward to coming to school because they have been given the tools to succeed.
Students Ruby Lopez, Carlo Quinones, and Suzette Tiscarreno sang the praises of the Citizen Schools program and how it had changed their life. Carlo, fresh off a trip to Washington, D.C. where he, his mother and former Citizen Schools New Mexico Executive Director, Sue Goodwin, endorsed Citizen Schools at our nation’s capital, stepped fearlessly to the microphone with unmatched determination. Carlo described how Citizen Schools had opened his eyes to a world of possibility he would have never otherwise known.
Kathryn Bueller, a De Vargas science teacher, who in the same meeting had been awarded National Teaching Board Certification, proclaimed that “this program (Citizen Schools ELT) should be in every middle school in Santa Fe and across the country!”
Jesus Esparza, a Citizen Schools Teaching Fellow, described his own educational experience growing up in Santa Fe; and his added perspective as a new father has only strengthened his commitment to Citizen Schools and resolve to pursue a career in education.
Returning volunteer Citizen Teachers, Jason Jaacks, Julia Barns, and Alex Gancarz took to the podium espousing everything from hard facts of Citizen Schools’ positive effect on De Vargas’ students to heartwarming moments of triumph in the classroom, declaring the necessity of this program to which they are all so committed.
The public forum portion of the evening concluded with a tearful testimonial from Suzette’s mother, Mrs. Tescarones. Mrs. Tescarones wept as she described Suzette’s education prior to Citizen Schools, previous teachers and administrators had claimed Suzette simply wasn’t intelligent and that her shy behavior was a result of that handicap. When Suzette enrolled in Citizen Schools at De Vargas Middle School as a seventh grader her grades and social parlous began to blossom and grow. Now Suzette is in 8th Grade Academy with a 4.0 and has become an exemplary public speaker from semesters of practice as a translator at the De Vargas WOW showcase. Mrs. Tescarones pleaded with the board to keep Citizen Schools because it saved her daughter’s life and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
The procession of Citizen Schools ambassadors returned to their seats with heads held high, as they were enveloped with applause and congratulations. The evening was concluded by an rousing presentation from the now transitioned Sue Goodwin and De Vargas’ current CD Kendra Engels. Sue and Kendra employed charts, statistics and a sincere documentary made by CT Jason Jaacks to highlight the triumphs Citizen Schools has seen in Santa Fe and nationwide.
When the microphone was finally silent and the school board was given the opportunity to question and comment on the parade of proponents they had been witness to, they could only thank Citizen Schools for its commitment to excellence. Brief, pointed questions were poised to Sue regarding specific data the board would be interested in, but the over-all climate in the room was one of victory. An army of parents, community leaders, volunteers, and Citizen Schools staff had heralded the vital nature of the work we do and the room reverberated with understanding and awe. That evening I believe we all could have flown home on the wings of a community unified in the fight for education reform and a deep commitment to the future of students at De Vargas Middle School.
Check out the advocacy video below created by Volunteer Citizen Teacher, Jason Jaacks!
Toledo Rockets: Help Students Reach New Heights
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Tony Ryals is a First Year Teaching Fellow at the Orchard Gardens K-8 Pilot School in Roxbury, MA. He is an alumni of the University of Toledo, Class of ’10.
I remember walking across the stage at Savage Arena and anxiously thinking, what will I do now? I made the commitment to do something that is bigger and better than myself. I decided to join the Citizen Schools Teaching Fellowship and to work towards the bettering of our future generations!
My experience with Citizen Schools has been a truly great one.
The program propels students to do more both inside and outside of the classroom. The job propels the teachers to make the most of each day.
I have learned patience and understanding for students who may not have been exposed to the positive side of education. I work at Orchard Gardens K-8 Pilot School, which is a turnaround school in its second year. I work with 8th graders in 8th Grade Academy (8GA) and I am given the unique opportunity to help these students apply for high schools in the Boston area. High school is a huge milestone, especially for my team, considering that more than half of my students have been at Orchard Gardens since kindergarten!
I’ve seen students accepted in to many great high schools. The look of accomplishment that transforms their faces and body language, is priceless.
It takes time to build trust and a conducive learning environment with your students and you must build positive relationships all the while maintaining your teacher presence. I will say that this all took time for me to figure out, but Citizen Schools helped me every step of the way.
I did not receive my degree in Education, like many other Teaching Fellows so don’t let that discourage you in any way. You are trained throughout the summer and school year to ensure that you are being an effective teacher and mentor. You build great relationships with your cohort and are able to exchange feedback and ideas with your cohort members around the network.
The Fellowship teaches time management, organization and allows you to have morning partnerships with your school guidance counselor, teachers, work for the regional or state team or even work as a partner with the community or with companies such as Google, Bank of America and local law firms. This program will expose you to many great opportunities for personal and professional growth. I am glad I made this choice after college and you will be too.
Make the commitment, make a difference!
Apply for the Teaching Fellowship before the final deadline – May 18th.
A Life-Changing Impact
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Jin Ellington is the Campus Director at Lowe’s Grove Middle School in Durham, NC. Under Jin’s leadership, Lowe’s Grove won Citizen Schools’ ‘Most Improved Campus’ Award in 2010. She joined the Citizen Schools Teaching Fellowship after graduating Duke University in 2008.
Robert in his cooking apprenticeship.
Robert is an unforgettable student.
He’s one of those people that the first time you meet him, you automatically know that you will like him. This is largely due in part to his personality – outgoing, genuine, and absolutely hilarious! (If you could compare Robert to any celebrity, it would be Chris Farley).
On top of that, he is also an amazing public speaker who is the most articulate and poised 8th grader you will ever meet. And finally, add to the mix the fact that he’s an A/B student who gets his homework done, participates in lessons, leads his fellow classmates, and supports other students, you have the perfect student all teachers dream of having.
So needless to say, I was in absolute shock the day his mother explained to me that it wasn’t always so. Robert was once a fairly shy young man who wasn’t very confident in his leadership abilities. Not only that, but he started middle school with C’s and D’s. She shared with me that in 6th grade, he would come home afterschool and attempt to complete his homework, though most of the time rather unsuccessfully. Then when she arrived home after work, they would continue to work together – sometimes until midnight when they would finally call it quits, completed or not, because it was just too late. Throughout that year, tears fell, arguments ensued, energies expended, and still the results did not improve.
Jin is a Duke University Alumna, Class of '08.
According to Robert’s mom, Citizen Schools was the changing factor. It provided him the academic support he needed to get his homework done on time and with quality. The program also provided him the opportunity to explore different careers through the apprenticeships and to develop his confidence with oral presentation opportunities.
Citizen Schools can be and is a transformative experience for students. All students have the potential; some just need a little extra push to set them on the path to achieving their dreams.
Do you want to help put students like Robert on the path to success? Consider applying for the Teaching Fellowship, a life-changing experience for you and students.
