Taylor Martin has taken his knowledge of being a teacher and creates custom, culturally responsive curriculum and implementation solutions for schools across the country as a senior consultant at Public Consulting Group. As a psychology major and music minor at Washington University in St. Louis, he wore many hats and took a diverse array of coursework to find his calling. After graduation, he honed this eclectic skill set as a Teach For America corps member, where he first taught middle school performing arts and created a communications-based curriculum that is now being used in eight middle schools. He was subsequently tasked with teaching science, and without any prior experience, increased the number of students scoring proficient on the state exam by 20 percent.
Q & A
What was your college experience like?
For a few years, I had dreams of becoming a professional opera singer, so I honed my performing arts skills as a member of my college’s opera, concert choir, and theater programs. I even received the Friends of Music scholarship. But I wanted to help others, so I volunteered with a program that put on short plays for elementary schools to increase students’ awareness of social justice issues.
How did you find out about Teach For America, and what caused you to apply?
During my sophomore year, I was walking to class and spotted a TFA flier on a bulletin board. I Googled it and spent the rest of that afternoon reading almost every page on their website. Then, as an upperclassman, I took classes about the politics and philosophies of American education; they solidified my interest to pursue education—and the mission to reform American education—as a career.
What would you consider your biggest success as a teacher? What achievement are you most proud of?
During my first few years of teaching, I developed a performing arts program for middle school students that focuses on using music and theater to train all students in the school to be effective communicators. The program was so well-received that it has now grown and expanded into over eight different middle schools across the network in Newark and Brooklyn.
How, if at all, have you utilized the skills and beliefs you developed in the corps?
Every day, I use skills that I developed as a corps member. Developing materials for multiple grade levels and multiple subjects is complex and requires strong organization and attention to detail. This level of detail is something that was always expected in TFA and something that I put to practice on a daily basis today.
Imagine that you’re talking with someone who is thinking about applying to Teach For America. How did being a corps member impact your life, what you do for work, and how you do the work?
It’s provided me with a clear purpose and the motivation to work toward it. My work now in content development is incredibly detailed, but I am constantly reminding myself that I am part of something big. I’m part of a mission and a movement that's changing life trajectories. No matter how small the details of my work become, I can rest assured that it’s serving a purpose that I believe in.