Q&A

How did you find out about Teach For America? What is the story between when you first heard about the program, and when you wound up applying?

My journey to Teach For America started with a recruiter; Kate Varnum. She spoke to me and my desire for equity for people of color in this country. She told me that I would make a difference in children’s lives and no matter how small or how many, that difference is necessary.

The application process was very straightforward but the interview process has still been one of the most difficult interviews I have ever had to be a part of in my adult career. For me, one of the biggest concerns was being placed in another state on the other side of the country away from my support system, mainly my family and friends. I was lucky enough to be placed in Newark, NJ, a place I call home. Teach for America gave me the opportunity to give back to my community.

Describe your first day of teaching. What emotions were you feeling? What struggles did you have to overcome that first day/first year?

My first day of teaching, I was awestruck. The classroom was calm, organized and students followed every direction impeccably. However, they call this the honeymoon period as you could probably imagine why; students are donning  their freshest haircuts and nicest shoes. But like honeymoons, it all came to an end and the biggest challenge that confronted me was classroom management. It was difficult my first year because of the high expectations I had for myself. I had to learn to overcome my ego and overcome the idea that failure was a place that I had to wallow in. I was fortunate enough to have my now VP, mentor, and the principal of Dr. E. Alma Flagg to help me along way.

What would you consider your biggest success as a teacher? What achievement are you most proud of?

While I was at Dr. E. Alma Flagg, my mentor and I worked with the co-founders of DreamWakers, a nonprofit. Together we coordinated a trip to the White House for my middle school seventh graders. We visited the White House, visited Congress and were able to actual get tickets to sit on the House Floor which is a pretty big deal for seventh grade history students. For me, being able to give these students a new experience like visiting Washington D.C., was something that was worth it as a teacher. I wanted their school experience to be always more than just tests and quizzes. I always want my students to see school as a place to explore, learn, and grow in.

What were some of the major lessons you learned during the corps?

While at the corps I learned that:

1. Failure is not fundamentally a bad thing. It is a way to truly look at yourself, however uncomfortable it may be. The thing you must then do is rise, because wallowing in failure is not the purpose you’re supposed to walk in.
2. The education system in the country is deeply flawed. Our children come to our classrooms with beautiful aspirations. Educators should remember that our goals should not be to “fix” children. It should be to take in all the unique and wonderful aspects of their story and help them be a better person when they leave.
3. To quote the brilliant Rita Pierson, “Kids don’t learn from people they don’t like.”
4. Start with the end in mind. With everything that you do. It turns out to not just be a great principle in the classroom, but one of the best principles I’ve learned to follow in life.
5. Every child and every person deserves to learn about their history; they deserve to discover who their ancestors were so they can determine who they’re meant to be.