TEACHER VOICE: Trump wants to axe the program that allowed me to serve my country and its highest-need children
A Denver teacher worries about the proposed defunding of national service programs
I wish my teacher knew I don’t have a friend to play with me,” a student in my classroom wrote one year.
The little girl who penned those words struggled with profound shyness and anxiety that made it difficult for her to connect with her peers.
Reading those words reinforced my belief that educators are not only tasked with teaching reading and math, but also creating a classroom environment where kids feel safe and supported.
By the end of the school year, that shy little girl was given an award from Denver’s mayor for modeling leadership skills, showing strong character, and supporting her peers.
This is my fifth year as a third grade teacher in a Denver public school where nearly 90 percent of my students live below or very close to the poverty line. My journey began when I was 20. I wanted to serve my country, so I joined AmeriCorps, working at City Year, a program that places diverse teams of AmeriCorps members in urban public schools full-time.
As a City Year AmeriCorps member, I collaborated with teachers to provide support to students who needed it most, planned volunteer events, and ran extra-curricular activities. After giving a year of service, I left with a passion for education and a mission to become a teacher in the highest-need schools in my city.
My pathway into teaching is not unique. Many AmeriCorps alumni choose to go into the education field after their service year, creating a robust and diverse supply of teachers prepared to help students achieve at high levels, grow as learners and graduate from high school, prepared for college and career success. Like me, many AmeriCorps alumni are helping to build a brighter future for all of our students.
AmeriCorps has emerged as a critical pathway to teaching. It provides an additional assistance for those interested in becoming teachers: the Eli Segal Education Award of nearly TEACHER VOICE: Trump wants to axe the program that allowed me to serve my country and its highest-need children - The Hechinger Report:
AmeriCorps | Teach For America - https://www.teachforamerica.org/node/16483
