Things on my mind.
So, this weekend I returned to the U of M to help with recuitment for TFH. I wish I could say that the visit recharged me with new energy, I have to admit, I am scared to keep teaching.
My big presentation included the following:
Hi, my name is Carey Ma. I am a 2005 NYC corp member. I teach English and social studies to middle and high school students in Harlem. Teach for America strives to end what is called the achievement gap. What is that? It is the staggering reality that students in low income areas are not doing as well, academically, as their high income counterparts. What this looks like is a 9 year old in a low income area is reading 4 grade levels lower than a 9 year old in a high income area. This means that the 9 year old in the low income area is struggling with Sesame Street books, while the high income 9 year old has mastered Harry Potter. We have to make this the issue our generation is committed to overcoming.
Teach for America's goals are two-fold. First in the short-term, TFH is committed to finding students like yourselves to infuse low income areas with your leadership, your knowledge, and your expertise. And in the long-term we hope that after the commitment, TFH alums will take their experience to whatever profession they ultimately end up in. Because what would our society look like if all of our politicians, business men and women, doctors, journalists, and economist had taken two years to teach in low income areas? How would our polices change? How would our values change? How would priorities as a nation change? I would like to believe that we would become a society where we put students first. I would like to believe that we would become a nation where income of a community doesn't determine the quality of education our students receive. Because that is the way we have to look at this situation. It isn't these students, in these low income areas. It is our students, in our nation.
Then I go onto thanking the instructor and the class for their time. I totally believe the message that I gave, but there are days where I am not a fan of the classroom. So, what do I do? I keep going to school, because that is the right and necessary thing to do. I refuse to quit on our students. Leave some love out there. Lord knows I need it.
My big presentation included the following:
Hi, my name is Carey Ma. I am a 2005 NYC corp member. I teach English and social studies to middle and high school students in Harlem. Teach for America strives to end what is called the achievement gap. What is that? It is the staggering reality that students in low income areas are not doing as well, academically, as their high income counterparts. What this looks like is a 9 year old in a low income area is reading 4 grade levels lower than a 9 year old in a high income area. This means that the 9 year old in the low income area is struggling with Sesame Street books, while the high income 9 year old has mastered Harry Potter. We have to make this the issue our generation is committed to overcoming.
Teach for America's goals are two-fold. First in the short-term, TFH is committed to finding students like yourselves to infuse low income areas with your leadership, your knowledge, and your expertise. And in the long-term we hope that after the commitment, TFH alums will take their experience to whatever profession they ultimately end up in. Because what would our society look like if all of our politicians, business men and women, doctors, journalists, and economist had taken two years to teach in low income areas? How would our polices change? How would our values change? How would priorities as a nation change? I would like to believe that we would become a society where we put students first. I would like to believe that we would become a nation where income of a community doesn't determine the quality of education our students receive. Because that is the way we have to look at this situation. It isn't these students, in these low income areas. It is our students, in our nation.
Then I go onto thanking the instructor and the class for their time. I totally believe the message that I gave, but there are days where I am not a fan of the classroom. So, what do I do? I keep going to school, because that is the right and necessary thing to do. I refuse to quit on our students. Leave some love out there. Lord knows I need it.
posted by Carey at
1/24/2006 11:16:00 PM
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