What Does Teach To Be Taught Mean To You?

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I have always had a soft spot in my heart for children. Even when I was in 3rd grade, instead of going to recess, I would return to my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Wilder, to help her with her class! Looking back, I am not sure if I really helped too much, but I did entertain the kids while she was prepping for her next lesson and escorted the kids to the restroom to avoid any accidents. I think my old teacher appreciated it, though, because she gave me an awesome Christmas card that I actually still have to this day! Over the years, I have given many of my hours giving back. Fast forward to my first and second years of attending the University of Hawaii at Manoa, I was able to have a work study at a local elementary school. We actually had a few places to choose from, but while I met with one of the tutor supervisors, I realized that she worked at one of the poorer schools in Honolulu. She was well known for going above and beyond with helping kids and their families with not only school related issues, but also helped them find affordable places to live, she helped them find better jobs, and she also drove food drives! All of which I observed while tutoring the children and helping them with their homework and reading. It is no secret that there is a huge inequality in education when it comes to children growing up in inner cities. But there are many people out there who a making a huge impact with not only the kids but adults, too!

What Is Teach For America?

Teach For America, also known as TFA, is making huge strides in the education world. Their mission is to ” enlist, develop, and mobilize as many as possible of our nation’s most promising future leaders to grow and strengthen the movement for educational equity and excellence”. They find motivated and committed people who yearn to make a big impact while also being supported, challenged and valued. Check out this awesome video that explains everything you need to know as to why we need Teach For America and how they are making the difference.

How You Can Become A Corps Member

There are certain things that Teach For America looks for in their corps members:

Belief that everyone is full of potential
Commitment to expand opportunities for students
Demonstrates leadership abilities
Perseverance challenging situations
Long term commitment to reaching goals
Excellent critical thinking skills
Organized
Great interpersonal skills in order to motivate

Although these skills are not the whole deciding factors in whether or not you are accepted into the program, research shows that the students that make the most dramatic academic growth have corps members who do have the above skills and qualities. Once you are admitted, TFA does not just throw you into the classroom to fend for yourself! Teach For America will train, coach and support you throughout the entire 2-year process. Corps members look back on their 2 years as some of the most impactful period of their lives when they knew they found their purpose and fell in love with teaching kids. But some corps members decide to work outside the classroom after their 2 years are over. They are now tackling educational inequality from all sides of the spectrum, from civil rights attorneys to socially conscious CEOs. Teaching For America is doing great things for children and adults across the country. There is nothing better than to be able to help those who really need it. Everyone deserves a chance to realize their full potential and as a corps member, you can show those children what is possible when you work hard and dream big! Which often goes to show that when you teach, you can also be taught, as well.