Why We Must Fund the Knowledge Economy
[image: first.graduate] In his 2012 State of the Union address, President Obama said "higher education can't be a luxury—it's an economic imperative that every family in America should be able to afford." But the hard truth is that it's not. And it won't be until we make some changes and view higher education as an investment in everyone's future. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, over the past 30 years America has slipped from first to 21st in high school completion rates and 15th in college completion rates compared to other nations. Today's... more »
From Teacher to Writer: Why I'm Proud to Be Part of 'Generation Job-Hop'
Five months ago, I packed up my backpack, flicked off the lights, and locked up my classroom. After six years of trying to mold young minds and have my very own *Freedom Writers* moment, I closed the door one afternoon and never looked back. It wasn’t some dramatic episode or run-in with a student that sent me running from my South Central L.A. classroom. After years of teaching plot and paragraph structure; correcting manners and grammar; serving as a confidante, friend, and de facto parent, I’d had enough. I was exhausted and needed a break. At 31, I’m not the first person to ... more »
Will Teach for Food
[image: GOOD 026, Beg Borrow or Steal, Magazine] Whenever I visit my family in Los Angeles, my mother and I invariably gather around the backyard table at my grandmother’s house to correct papers in the late-afternoon sun. As my mom makes her way through a pile of college blue books, I tackle a stack of freshman English papers. Sometimes my grandmother, now 90 years old, comes out to observe our work, admiring the way we scribble comments into the margins and scratch out split infinitives. The sight almost always functions as a cue, prompting her to recite the now-familiar tale of ... more »
Pencil Pushers
[image: GOOD 026, Beg Borrow or Steal, Magazine] When I sent my eldest son, Olinga, off to his first day of prekindergarten in 2005, I imagined I’d spend the next 14 years reviewing his homework, helping with science fair projects, and celebrating stellar report cards. I did not picture myself begging my friends, family members, colleagues, and perfect strangers to buy wrapping paper, poinsettias, magazines, scented candles, scented pencils, cheesecake, cookies, Christmas trees, and every kind of chocolate bar—crispy, crunchy, nut filled, plain, semisweet. After seven long years on... more »
A City Education: The Case for Academics During Spring Break
*[image: camps.1] In our A City Education series, two City Year corps members share their experiences working as tutors and mentors in schools in hopes of closing the achievement gap and ending the dropout crisis.* I don’t remember what I did during my elementary school vacations. I probably hung out with one or two friends and spent the rest of my time watching television or reading. It certainly was a relaxing way to spend my week, but nothing too memorable. My hope, however, is that the 600 students who participated in City Year New York’s Enrichment Week during the recent Febr... more »
Why Is the Secretary of Education Proposing Teachers Receive $150,000 Salaries?
[image: duncan] Secretary of Education Arne Duncan used his SXSWedu keynote address earlier this week to advocate for more professional development and higher salaries for teachers. Duncan argued that teacher salaries should start at about $65,000 a year and range up to $150,000 a year for highly rated veterans. That sounds good in theory—teachers work incredibly hard, staying at their school sites long after students have left the building, taking student work home, and planning lessons on the weekends. Many work second jobs over the summer and pay for professional development eve... more »