Over the past few years I have had several opportunities to work with children of various back-grounds. The more recent experiences include my roles as an English Teacher and Advisor, a Special Education teacher, a Program Facilitator at a summer camp and as a Faculty Member at a theater conservatory. With the youth I have encountered, before I teach them anything else, I stress that they have to first learn what it means to bring what is genuine to a world that severely lacks it. This involves accepting and understanding themselves first and then, through education, developing what they have to offer society. To me, the most saddening experiences have been working with children that have been let down or abandoned by authority figures, like teachers, and have put up emotional barriers that pre-vent them from learning.

Sadly, this phenomenon disproportionately affects poor communities where quality education is some-times lacking. Neglect, poverty, and policy have left our nations public schools lagging behind in a perpetuating cycle of underachievement. In my few short years as an educator, however, I am beginning to understand what is effective in alleviating this problem at the individual level. I strive to create a classroom that is a safe place for positive self expression where there is a joy in learning. More importantly, I strive to be a stable and supportive authority figure for youth who have, in the past, been let down.

Currently, the achievement gap dictates that the quality of ones education is determined by their place of birth. However, there is hope and, more importantly, there are solutions to this national crisis, every child has the ability to achieve if given the opportunity. Therefore, a successful teacher will not only attain positive results in terms of increased test scores, but will also teach their students to think critically, lead effectively, and unapologetically strive to achieve their goals.

The quality of the American public school system does not have to continue to decline; throughout my experiences I have witnessed teachers awaken within their students desire to learn, an appreciation for education, and a confidence to take bold risks. These experiences have given me a desire, with the tools Teach for America provides their corps members, to help make each student I encounter a more self-aware and self-assured member of a world community that celebrates discovery.