Teaching Fellowship
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.
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.
Ten Things I Learned as a Teaching Fellow
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Jessi Worde is a Second Year Teaching Fellow at Van Buren Middle School in Albuquerque, NM. She is a UT Austin Alum, Class of ’06.
1.) Just because something works once, or 10 times, does not mean it will continue to work.
2.) Students love it when you embarrass yourself—and it’s worth it.
3.) Being a middle schooler is very hard. The more people are kind to you, and care for you, the greater your chances of surviving adolescence with grace and success.
4.) Keep it, change it, flip it. That’s how you divide fractions. I relearned all the basic math skills I never understood, or had forgotten.
5.) Giving students power will make your job easier and your students more invested.
6.) COB stands for “close of business.”
7.) Education is changing in profound, exciting, and scary ways. We have a chance to bring out the former 2 adjectives and diminish the latter.
8.) You are weird. You are old. You are embarrassing. (In the eyes of those born after 2000). And it’s fun.
9.) Beware student snacks. One day you’re deriding how yuck Takis are and the next day you’re pulling a bag from the grocery store shelf, thinking, “Just this once…”
10.) Teambuilders and games can actually be fun. And I can have team pride (full disclosure: I never went to a single UT sporting event) when it’s something in which I’m directly involved.
Apply for the Citizen Schools Teaching Fellowship by the final deadline May 18th.
