Since our partnership began in 2003, over 90 Brothers are serving or have served as Teach For America corps members. Spending two or more years in the classroom provides an experience that allows Brothers to use the values and leadership skills learned in Phi Sigma Pi first-hand.
The following Brothers have been kind enough to share their experiences as a Teach For America corps members, as well as some advice on how to support corps members or become one. You can also read Phi Sigma Pi Alumni Brothers on Joining Teach For America.
- Annie Baer, Alpha Kappa '10, 2010 Corps Member, Phoenix
- Emily Bruegger, Epsilon Zeta '09, 2009 Corps Member, New Mexico
- Kevin Caron, Epsilon Zeta '09, 2009 Corps Member, Chicago
- Jennifer Danowitz, Beta Pi '10, 2010 Corps Member, Greater Boston
- Brittany Guillory, Gamma Theta '08, 2009 Corps Member, Greater New Orleans
- Natalie Klotz, Beta Xi '09, 2009 Corps Member, Nashville
- Courtney Patterson, Alpha Kappa '10, 2010 Corps Member, Memphis
- Pavithra Nagarajan, Epsilon Zeta ’08, 2008 Corps Member, New York
- Andrew Pompelia, Alpha Omega '10, 2010 Corps Member, Colorado
- Tamara Rice, Gamma Gamma '06, 2009 Corps Member, Atlanta
- Sara Stevenson, Beta Alpha '09, 2009 Corps Member, Mississippi Delta
- Brett Wagoner, Epsilon Zeta '10, 2010 Corps Member, Kansas City
- Tracy Weidel, Delta Xi '06, 2010 Corps Member, St. Louis
Annie Baer, Alpha Kappa '10, 2010 Corps Member, Phoenix
Interviewed Spring 2011
Q: What grade and subject do you teach?
A: High School Math
Q: How long have you been a Teach For America corps member?
A: 8 months
Q: Has being a Brother of Phi Sigma Pi helped you to become a better corps member?
A: Being Co-Rush Chair in Phi Sigma Pi helped me build skills of planning and organization that have been
indispensible as a teacher.
Q: What made you decide to be a corps member?
A: I was interested in math education and how we can make it better, and the more I learned about Teach For America the more I thought it would a great fit for me.
Q: After your time in the corps, what ways can Phi Sigma Pi Brothers help a Teach For America corps member?
A: If your school is near a Teach For America location, offer to tutor in their classroom or be a teaching aid. Consider adopting a classroom and fundraising for it.
Q: What are your plans for after your 2 year term is up from the corps?
A: I don’t know yet.
Q: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to Brothers wanting to join the corps?
A: Be honest with yourself. Teaching is incredibly challenging, and if you aren’t sure it is what you want to do, think hard before you decide to make this your life for at least two years. If it is what you want to do, it will change your life in the best possible way.
Q: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to new corps members?
A: No matter how you feel, keep trying new ideas until you find what works for you and your kids. There is a lot of trial and error, but nothing compares to the feeling of making progress with your students.
Q: What is one memorable moment you had while being a Teach For America corps member?
A: Just last week, I was walking around my classroom and one girl said, “You know, math is fun when you get it.” I laughed, but then she continued, “No, I’m serious. It’s really fun when you’re good at it.” Moments like that remind me what an amazing experience I am in the middle of, and what great kids I am sharing it with.
Emily Bruegger, Epsilon Zeta '09, 2009 Corps Member, New Mexico
Interviewed Spring 2011
Q: What grade and subject do you teach?
E: Middle School (6th-8th) special education – I co-teach math, science and social studies
Q: How long have you been a Teach For America corps member?
E: June 2009-Present
Q: Has being a Brother of Phi Sigma Pi helped you to become a better corps member?
E: Both Teach For America and Phi Sigma Pi stress the importance of leadership and being a leader in your communiuty. Because Phi Sigma Pi helped me to think as a leader, I felt more prepared for leadership roles in Teach For America when I joined the corps. Also, both organizations require that you are organized and able to look at “the bigger picture.” Being a Brother has really helped me in those ways.
Q: What made you decide to be a corps member?
E: Growing up in the city of Chicago and attending Chicago public schools, I saw first hand the disparities between minority and white students. I wanted to become part of something that was working toward changing these gaps and so I decided to apply to Teach For America.
Q: After your time in the corps, what ways can Phi Sigma Pi Brothers help a Teach For America corps member?
E: It seems that the best way to supprt Teach For America corps members is by reaching out to your Chapter alumni in the corps and asking what would be helpful. Each Teach For America placement is so different and each corps member needs different resources to teach successfully that it is really hard to pinpoint one
thing that would help. School supplies and books are always welcome and appreciated!
Q: What are your plans for after your 2 year term is up from the corps?
E: I will be staying at my placement school for at least a 3rd year and I will be getting my MAT in SPED.
Q: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to Brothers wanting to join the corps?
E: I would suggest that prospective corps members do their research befor joining. They should really look through http://www.teachforamerica.org/ and research the mission of Teach For America, the regions, and the purpose of Teach For America. This will will help prospective corp members understand Teach For America and help them make an informed decision about applying.
Q: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to new corps members?
E: Be flexible! Things change all the time in the world of Teach For America and in the world of eduation. The more flexible and understanding you are, the better you will get along with the Teach For America staff, your school and your students!
Q: What is one memorable moment you had while being a Teach For America corps member?
E: At then end of last school year, my SPED students competed against regular ed studnets in a debate. One of my girls made it to the finals and only lost the debate by 2 points. I was so proud of her and she was proud of herself for competing against students against all abilty levels.
Q: What advice would you give Phi Sigma Pi Chapters/Brothers who want to help out Teach For America?
E: Contant alumni in the corps and ask the specifically what they would like help with.
Kevin Caron, Epsilon Zeta '09, 2009 Corps Member, Chicago
Interviewed Spring 2011
Q: What grade and subject do you teach?
K: 9th grade Science
Q: How long have you been a Teach For America corps member?
K: I am finishing my second year. (1.5 years)
Q: Has being a Brother of Phi Sigma Pi helped you to become a better corps member?
K: I believe all my experiences have contributed to what I bring into my classroom. As a member of Phi Sigma Pi, I was in charge of the Scholarship Committee. I also represented my Chapter at National Convention. Both these experiences from Phi Sigma Pi, as well as the role of being a Brother, helped me learn what quality leadership looks like and that anyone can be a successful leader with effective effort. Understanding the power of leadership has been essential to staying motivated and having success as a Teach For America corps member.
Q: What made you decide to be a corps member?
K: When I finished grade school, I was fortunate enough to have parents who could pay for me to go to a high performing private school in my hometown. Though I did not realize it at the time, this put me on a completely different life path than my peers who were not able to attend. Many of my classmates, including my cousin, barely finished high school and never finished college, whereas I was completely prepared for success at a 4-year-university. By no means had this experience revealed the true, savage inequalities of the achievement gap in our country, but it was enough to get me thinking about the implications of disparities in education. My senior year of college I took a class called social entrepreneurship in a diverse society in which we discussed Teach For America as an organization. Soon I sought out friends from college who had become corps members, many who I knew through Phi Sigma Pi. After talking about their experiences I decided to apply.
Q: After your time in the corps, what ways can Phi Sigma Pi Brothers help a Teach For America corps member?
K: Currently, my plan is to stay in the classroom. Obviously, supplies such as pens, pencils, and paper are always needed. Colored paper is something I have found to be very useful for scaffolding work and color-coding things done by certain classes, but it can be expensive. So, efforts to bring in supplies or raise money for them are always appreciated from Phi Sigma Pi. As for opportunities in the classroom, I would say there could be some potential for developing summer volunteer opportunities. I know last summer I could have used some extra help from volunteers coming into my classroom and organizing supplies that are in storage. Most of the equipment at my school is scattered, disorganized, and a lot is outdated. Having extra help with organization would have been very beneficial.
Q: What are your plans for after your 2 year term is up from the corps?
K: I plan to continue teaching. I am applying to several other schools that I believe have more systems in place to support low-income students. I also believe these schools will help me grow and develop as an educator. Currently, I am planning on pursuing a path toward educational leadership.
Q: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to Brothers wanting to join the corps?
K: Go and observe. I would be happy to have potential corps members come and observe me in my classroom, and I think setting up a relationship that would allow members of Phi Sigma Pi to connect with those in Teach For America would be an
excellent step toward making this happen. Becoming a corps member, I had a lot to learn, and I think observing other corps members or at least seeing what being a corps member is like would have been a huge step for me.
Q: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to new corps members?
K: Surround yourself with people who can keep you motivated and stay positive. One of the biggest challenges for me has been slipping into periods of frustration and depression. In my school and throughout my experience, there are times when I am surrounded by a lot of negativity. At first, it was easy to brush off, but over time it wore down on me, and I became negative myself. However, if I surround myself with people who are able to stay positive, I can push through. Also, make sure to take some time out for yourself. Exercising regularly has been essential to me feeling good about myself and thus feeling good about the work I am doing. When I stop exercising, it is much easier for me to slip into negative mindsets.
Q: What is one memorable moment you had while being a Teach For America corps member?
K: On the first day of class this year I was calling out names to take attendance a find out who people are. I read the last name on my roster of my last class: “Robin Williams?” A tall, outspoken girl looked up and said, “That’s my name! Google me, I’m famous”. I thought it was pretty humorous, but perhaps you had to be there…
Q: What advice would you give Phi Sigma Pi Chapters/Brothers who want to help out Teach For America?
K: Apply to join.
Jennifer Danowitz, Beta Pi '10, 2010 Corps Member, Greater Boston
Interviewed Spring 2011
Q: What grade and subject do you teach?
J: High school English and English as a Second Language (ESL)
Q: How long have you been a Teach For America corps member?
J: One year
Q: Has being a Brother of Phi Sigma Pi helped you to become a better corps member?
J: My knowledge of Teach for America originally came from my interactions within Phi Sigma Pi. The awareness Phi Sigma Pi spreads of this very powerful cause — allowing a solid education to be achieved no matter the socioeconomic background — is incredibly supportive for the Teach For America movement itself and for the students who rely on Teach For America.
Q: What made you decide to be a corps member?
J: I wanted to work in human rights issues, and nothing struck closer to home than the educational inequities in my own backyard. I am from Greater Boston originally, and it was heartbreaking to know that there were young adults my age not graduating from college, but continuing to live in a cycle of poverty because they did not have the education necessary to break that cycle.
Q: What are your plans for after your 2 year term is up from the corps?
J: Continue working in human rights related issues, specifically children’s rights
Q: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to Brothers wanting to join the corps?
J: Know why you are thinking about joining…and believe in this. Teach for America is not a job one can do just to have a job — to make a difference, a Brother has to entirely believe s/he can do so and be willing to give everything s/he has to make it happen.
Q: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to new corps members?
J: Same as above
Q: What is one memorable moment you had while being a Teach For America corps member?
J: When one of my high school ESL students had developed enough English language to tell me she “didn’t like all the work in class, but she loved me and knew I wanted her brain to grow.” It was incredible — she is an at-risk for drop-out student, and this year has made her want to stay in school longer to learn more English.
Brittany Guillory, Gamma Theta '08, 2009 Corps Member, Greater New Orleans
Interviewed Spring 2011
Q: What grade and subject do you teach?
B: Third grade, self-contained
Q: How long have you been a Teach For America corps member?
B: This is my second year.
Q: Has being a Brother of Phi Sigma Pi helped you to become a better corps member?
B: I believe that having the leadership opportunities and the relationship building that Phi Sigma Pi offered me, helped a lot. Without them, I might struggle in those areas as a corps member.
Q: What made you decide to be a corps member?
B: I am a second generation corps member - I had Teach For America teachers in high school. I’ve always been invested in our mission.
Q: What are your plans for after your 2 year term is up from the corps?
B: I am applying to work for staff- to train teachers or recruit new members to the corps. I am also strongly thinking about staying in the classroom.
Q: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to Brothers wanting to join the corps?
B: It is a hard process, but one that is very worth it. You have to have leadership experience, organizational ability, show that you can build relationships, and lead a group to outcomes. We are looking for leaders who are willing to be trained.
Q: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to new corps members?
B: Being a new corps member is all about learning. The learning curve is very steep. You have to adapt, be your own advocate and teacher, and seek the help of others. Take each day in stride. No matter how much effort or energy one day might seem to need, there is always something good you can take from it. Find the joy.
Q: What is one memorable moment you had while being a Teach For America corps member?
B: Every day with my scholars is memorable, but when my students take on my mannerisms and sayings, I am inspired and thrilled that they want to meet our goals as much as I do. Every time I see one of them smile because they have increased their reading level, I know that I’m making an impact.
Q: What advice would you give Phi Sigma Pi Chapters/Brothers who want to help out Teach For America?
B: BE ADAMANT AND KEEP ASKING! Often as teachers, we would love help and support, but are so busy we have a hard time remembering to use our resources. It’s a vicious cycle. Ask, and you shall be able to help!
Natalie Klotz, Beta Xi '09, 2009 Corps Member, Nashville
Interviewed Spring 2011
Q: What grade and subject do you teach?
N: 9th grade, Algebra 1
Q: How long have you been a Teach For America corps member?
N: 2 years
Q: Has being a Brother of Phi Sigma Pi helped you to become a better corps member?
N: It certainly taught me to take responsibility and follow up with things I say I will do.
Q: What made you decide to be a corps member?
N: Hearing speakers at National Convention in Nashville in summer 2008 really helped finalize my decision to apply.
Q: After your time in the corps, what ways can Phi Sigma Pi Brothers help a Teach For America corps member?
N: Providing opportunities to inform Phi Sigma Pi Brothers of educational inequity in our country. I think it can be really difficult to grasp while in college if you have not experienced it firsthand. Teach For America is becoming more and more prevalent in major cities so I think it’s possible for Phi Sigma Pi to get involved in classrooms and get firsthand experience.
Q: What are your plans for after your 2 year term is up from the corps?
N: I will continue to be a teacher in Nashville, potentially at a charter school.
Q: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to Brothers wanting to join the corps?
N: It truly is a life-changing experience that you cannot fully prepare for. You need to be completely dedicated to the cause and come in open-minded because you will experience new things no matter what your beliefs or experiences are.
Q: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to new corps members?
N: Be prepared to be challenged and work harder than you ever have before – not necessarily because it’s intellectually challenging, but because it will test you emotionally and physically. You will be pushed out of your comfort zone regularly, particularly the first semester. You will experience many things beyond your locus of control. However, if you stick with it, you will become committed to the cause and want to have an impact on education the rest of your life.
Q: What is one memorable moment you had while being a Teach For America corps member?
N: I’ve had many memorable experiences over the past year and a half – both good and bad. I think my most memorable moments happen at tutoring. I have 35 students in an overcrowded classroom without enough desks for each student so it can be difficult to work one-on-one with every student. However, at tutoring I get to interact with students individually. I think when students experience the “ah-ha” moment when they understand a concept you have been teaching for several months in unlike any other situation. You get excited, they get excited about their education, and you want to continue the work you are doing. Little moments like that help keep you motivated to put in the 13 hours each day.
Q: What advice would you give Phi Sigma Pi Chapters/Brothers who want to help out Teach For America?
N: The most help someone can offer is time. While money is extremely beneficial, having people who are willing to work one-on-one or in small groups with my students who are struggling is invaluable. I do not have time to work on basic concepts with every student on a daily basis and having someone there who can show students basic multiplication or adding fractions is so crucial. I think that is often overlooked and people want to give money but I would prefer students offering their time in my classroom.
Courtney Patterson, Alpha Kappa '10, 2010 Corps Member, Memphis
Interviewed Spring 2011
Q: What grade and subject do you teach?
C: Algebra I, 10th-12th grade
Q: How long have you been a Teach For America corps member?
C: I am in my first year
Q: Has being a Brother of Phi Sigma Pi helped you to become a better corps member?
C: I gained leadership skills in Phi Sigma Pi as a member of the Executive Board that help me be a leader in my classroom.
Q: What made you decide to be a corps member?
C: I had always been interested in teaching, and as I learned more about Teach For America it seemed like a great opportunity.
Q: After your time in the corps, what ways can Phi Sigma Pi Brothers help a Teach For America corps member?
C: My students have not been exposed to college much at all, and they aren’t really sure what it takes to get there, or what you do as a college students. If Brothers could share their experiences through skype, email, and letters, my students would really benefit—and it’s free! Also, a lot of the schools we work in don’t provide a lot of resources for our classroom, so fundraisers to buy classroom supplies would be a huge help too!
Q: What are your plans for after your 2 year term is up from the corps?
C: I’m honestly not sure. I think I would like to stay in education and continue teaching for another couple of years before going into school administration or opening my own charter school!
Q: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to Brothers wanting to join the corps?
C: Talk to at least 2 or 3 corps members to find out what their experience is like to see if it is something you would truly be interested in. It is a great job, but it is incredibly difficult, so do a lot of research to make sure it is for you! Corps members can also give you advice about the application process.
Q: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to new corps members?
C: Reach out to other corps members for help and advice, and collaborate as much as possible! It will save you so much time. Also, try really hard to make some time for yourself. You will spend almost your entire first semester working, but it’s okay to occasionally take a Saturday off to do something fun and not feel guilty about it!
Q: What is one memorable moment you had while being a Teach For America corps member?
C: Oh gosh, I’ve had lots of memorable moments. My favorite moments are when students tell me that they used to hate math but now they think it’s fun because they understand it. I love changing students’ minds about Algebra!
Q: What advice would you give Phi Sigma Pi Chapters/Brothers who want to help out Teach For America?
C: Contact the regional staff in regions near you (contact info on the Teach For America web site) or reach out to your campus recruiter, or any alumni who are corps members. They will tell you what they need specifically, and there are probably a lot of creative ways to get involved!
Pavithra Nagarajan, Epsilon Zeta ’08, 2008 Corps Member, New York
Interviewed Fall 2010
Q: What grade and subject do you teach?
P: I am currently in my third year teaching sixth grade mathematics in an all-boys public school.
Q: How long have you been a Teach For America corps member?
P: After finishing the Teach For America 2 year corps commitment, I remained on teaching at my placement school. I am mid-third year teaching.
Q: Has being a Brother of Phi Sigma Pi helped you to become a better corps member?
P: Being a corps member relies a lot upon your ability to connect with the community you serve and have a sense of possibility about the work that you do. Being a Brother can help with that in the sense that you are continually working toward your own leadership as well as your service commitment. Building that mindset that you are part of something larger and that you have a responsibility to your community is something that continually helps me.
Q: What made you decide to be a corps member?
P: In college, I was heavily involved with Phi Sigma Pi and also Colleges Against Cancer (an affiliate of the American Cancer Society) and I did not want to lose the part of me that loved to lead and also to give back to my community. Additionally, I was a sociology major and the Teach For America experience provided me the opportunity to connect both my academic pursuits and my broader social interests.
Q: After your time in the corps, what ways can Phi Sigma Pi Brothers help a Teach For America corps member?
P: The best way to help a corps member is to donate directly to their classrooms. Corps members teach in classrooms and schools that are under-resourced. Speaking directly to a corps member about what specifically their needs are is the most direct and helpful way to help a Teach for America teacher. If you don't have a direct tie to a Corps Member, that's ok! You can also go directly onto donorschoose.org and connect with several different teachers with projects that they need funded.
Q: What are your plans for after your 2 year term is up from the corps?
P: The last 2 + years have been a great experience: I've had the great opportunity to grow as a teacher and meet and work with so many young individuals. In the future, I'm looking to go back to school for my PhD in sociology so I can do more research about why there is such a large gap in resource allocation in our school system.
Q: What is one memorable moment you had while being a Teach For America corps member?
P: Wow, it's hard to narrow to just one memorable moment. One that comes to mind is a student that struggled all year my first year teaching.
He came in with skills at the 2nd or 3rd grade level. He could barely add or subtract without counting on his fingers. We worked together every day during class and one-on-one after school. He had a terrible attitude at first, but by the end of the year he was doing advanced skills proficiently just like everyone else in his class. He wrote a letter to me at the end of the year that said "Before I came here I thought I would have to drop out of school because I didn't know anything and no one would help me. Not only did you teach me math but you taught me to believe in myself. I never knew I could do anything before your class, but now I can do anything that I want to do"
Q: What advice would you give Phi Sigma Pi Chapters/Brothers who want to help out Teach For America?
P: First and foremost, if you are at all interested in becoming a Teach For America teacher, I encourage you to apply. You can also volunteer on campuses or beyond to flyer for Teach For America or help publicize to attract good applicants. Another way is to donate to Teach For America directly through the website at teachforamerica.org or to a Teach For America teacher through your own connections or donorschoose.org.
There have also been multiple opportunities directly through Phi Sigma Pi such as the backpack drive for Hurricane Katrina victims -- all of these projects go to directly helping Corps Member Classrooms and are a great way to give back.
Andrew Pompelia, Alpha Omega '10, 2010 Corps Member, Colorado
Interviewed Spring 2011
Q: What grade and subject do you teach?
A: I teach 7-12 grade math (Math 7, Math 8, Pre-Algebra, Algebra I, and Algebra II).
Q: How long have you been a Teach For America corps member?
A: This is my first year.
Q: Has being a Brother of Phi Sigma Pi helped you to become a better corps member?
A: Yes.
Q: What made you decide to be a corps member?
A: My older sister did the program.
Q: After your time in the corps, what ways can Phi Sigma Pi Brothers help a Teach For America corps member?
A: Brothers can help by providing financial support for classroom supplies.
Q: What are your plans for after your 2 year term is up from the corps?
A: My plans are to secure a job in finance or lobbying.
Q: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to Brothers wanting to join the corps?
A: Observe other corps members if you live in a region with Teach For America. If not, research it heavily and speak directly with a current corps member.
Q: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to new corps?
A: It is the hardest thing you will ever do.
Q: What is one memorable moment you had while being a Teach For America corps member?
A: I've met amazing people.
Q: What advice would you give Phi Sigma Pi Chapters/Brothers who want to help out Teach For America?
A: Please consider sponsoring a classroom. I have no funding for anything!
Tamara Rice, Gamma Gamma '06, 2009 Corps Member, Atlanta
Interviewed Spring 2011
Q: What grade and subject do you teach?
T: I currently teach 2nd grade, but will be moving up with my class next year to teach them 3rd grade.
Q: How has being a Brother in Phi Sigma Pi helped you to become a better corps member?
T: Phi Sigma Pi has helped me because I try to incorporate the organization's ideals into my classroom. My students exhibit scholarship, leadership, and fellowship everyday. They are reaching their goals (scholarship), tutor each other and take ownership over their own learning (leadership), and have sustained a culture of community (fellowship). If I wouldn't have internalized these values in my self as a Brother in Phi Sigma Pi, my students may not have learned these qualities.
Q: What made you decide to become a corps member?
T: I decided to become a corps memeber because I believe EVERY child CAN learn. Regardless of circumstances or situations, all students should be afforded the opportunity for a good education. The students in the community I serve have been deprived of an education that is rightfully theirs. I became a corps member to give them more than that. I wanted to prepare them for life, not only academically, but also socially. I am confident that my students will become productive citizens of society.
Q: Based on your experiences as a corps member, what ways can Phi Sigma Pi Brothers help Teach For America corps members?
T: The school drives that some Chapters do are wonderful. Many students in our school lack basic supplies that will help them be successful. If there are Brothers that are interested in becoming teachers, they should volunteer in corps members classrooms to see what a great impact we have on students. If there were some kind of connection/communication between Chapters and corp members, that would be wonderful!
Q: What are your plans after your 2-year commitment to Teach For America is completed?
T: I am going to stay in the classroom for a 3rd year to continue the mission of Teach For America. Following that, I would like to take a staff position with Teach For America to gain more leadership opportunties. In the years to come, I will explore opening a charter school.
Q: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to Brothers wanting to join the corps?
T: I think the biggest piece of advice is to let your passion for education come through in your interviews. Know about the achievement gap and be able to share your opinions on it. Additionally, during the in-person interview, make sure to make a simple lesson plan that you can get through smoothly within the time frame given. Complicated is not necessarily better!
Q: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to new corps members?
T: For new corp members, my biggest piece of advice is to focus only on what you have control over. You can't get caught up in the things you cannot change. Ultimately, you are responsible for your students' success. Keep your ideals throughout this process because you will learn that while everyone at your school is an educator, everyone doesn't share your views and some don't agree with Teach For America's method of teaching.
Q: What is your most memorable moment as a corps member?
T: My most memorable moment as a corps member is with a student named Keontae. He was on an Early Kindergarten reading level at the beginning of this school year (second grade). In four months, he grew .75 years in reading, which put him on a late Kindergarten, early 1st grade reading level. His confidence has grown, he participates in class, and gets excited about learning. I remember in the beginning of the year, he told me, "I like reading. I like looking at the pictures. I want to read the words too. But, I'm not a good reader like everyone else." I asked him, "If I help you become a good reader, do you think you could do it?" He looked me in the eyes and said, "Yes." From that moment on, we have been working hard to make him the good reader that he wants to be. I'm so excited to test him at the end of this year to find out how much growth he has made. I can't wait to continue teaching him, along with the rest of my students, next year in third grade! They have done amazing things this year and it will be great to continue our work together!
Q: What advice would you give Phi Sigma Pi Chapters and Brothers who want to help out Teach For America?
T: Contact Teach For America teachers or regional offices. They can give you specifics on what they need. Also, if they are interested in volunteering in the classroom, in any capacity, that would be great. We always need extra help, even if it's just grading papers.
Sara Stevenson, Beta Alpha '09, 2009 Corps Member, Mississippi Delta
Interviewed Spring 2011
Q: What grade and subject do you teach?
S: I teach 5th grade science.
Q: How long have you been a Teach For America corps member?
S: I’ve been in the corps for 2 years.
Q: Has being a Brother of Phi Sigma Pi helped you to become a better corps member?
S: Phi Sigma Pi made me aware of the program during my sophomore year of college. The leadership positions I held at the Beta Alpha Chapter (University of Michigan) made me a more viable candidate for the program.
Q: What made you decide to be a corps member?
S: The following is the essay I submitted as my letter of intent to the organization. It documents thoroughly the reasons why I joined the movement:
My single mother makes less than $15,000 a year. Four of the five public schools in my district have earned the title “dropout factory” because less than sixty-percent of freshmen make it to their senior year (“Dropout Factory,” 2007). By statistical standards, I am an educational rarity: I graduated valedictorian and currently hold above a 3.9 GPA in my senior year at the University of Michigan (UM). The humbling reality is I did not realize I was an anomaly until I encountered achievement-gap statistics in my junior year of college. It was at this time I decided I wanted to apply to Teach for America (TFA).
Teach for America corps members create for their students the environment my mother created for me, one of high expectations and belief in every individual’s capabilities. Additionally, TFA and my mom understand the importance of education. My mother sacrificed monetarily to place me in a parochial elementary school with smaller classes and higher state-testing scores. Later, she enrolled me in a college-preparatory high school—the fifth and only district public school not deemed a “dropout factory.” My mother single-handedly created opportunities that combated the educational disadvantages low-income communities and minority students disproportionately face. These opportunities fostered my success and, subsequently, paid for a college education I would not have been able to afford. Because of my achievements and my financial need, I was competitive for and received many scholarships/grants from UM. This college education informed me of my own atypical educational triumphs and the need for educational reform.
TFA utilizes the opportunities I have had to create the same opportunities for those facing similar obstacles. As a corps member, I would foster learning in and outside of the classroom. I will have one-on-one meetings with students, as I believe personal investment in children’s education reinforces their investment in themselves. In addition, I would establish an extracurricular activity (e.g. SAT/ACT test-prep) that encourages continued education. Such activities allow students to support and challenge each other to achieve their goals.
Teaching in a low-income community will allow me to develop unique skill-sets that will be useful in my aspirations to be a clinical psychologist. Namely, to be an effective teacher I will need to learn to break down difficult material into digestible chunks that are accessible to all of my students. These communication skills will be necessary in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness.
Most importantly, TFA recognizes the educational system and low standards are the problem, not the students and their families. I want to implement high standards in my own classroom. With TFA’s framework, I will set above state-level proficiency as a goal, assess current proficiency levels, and plan backwards to get from the latter to the former. In the process, I want to instill in my students the benefit of setting high personal goals.
Ultimately, I want a system that does not create anomalies because of its deficits. I want to contribute to the elimination of educational inequity.
Q: After your time in the corps, what ways can Phi Sigma Pi Brothers help a TFA corps member?
S: The backpack supply drive is tremendously helpful as are the grants. Lack of school supplies and funding are two of the easiest ways for Phi Sigma Pi to continue to help corps members.
Q: What are your plans for after your 2 year term is up from the corps?
S: I will be a trainer at a medical software company.
Q: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to Brothers wanting to join the corps?
S: Make sure that you are committed to the children and education and not applying just because you don’t know what to do after college or you think the program will look good on your resume. Teaching is hard. You have to love the kids and the cause in order to survive.
Q: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to new corps members?
S: Achieve a work/life balance. You will not be effective for your students if you are not, yourself, healthy and happy.
Q: What is one memorable moment you had while being a Teach For America corps member?
S: There are too many to list.
Q: What advice would you give Phi Sigma Pi Chapters/Brothers who want to help out Teach For America?
S: If any of your Brothers have joined the movement, send them words of encouragement, especially in their first year. Tell them how awesome they are or how they shaped your Brother experience in some way. Corps members need to feel competent when they constantly feel like they are stumbling over their own feet and words in their classroom.
If the Chapter has any extra funds, all teachers could always use classroom supplies (ESPECIALLY PENCILS).
Brett Wagoner, Epsilon Zeta '10, 2010 Corps Member, Kansas City
Interviewed Fall 2010
Q: What grade and subject do you teach?
B: I teach High School Math.
Q: How long have you been a Teach For America corps member?
B: This is my first semester in Teach For America.
Q: Has being a Brother of Phi Sigma Pi helped you to become a better corps member?
B: Yes, I think so, but it is more like apples and oranges to compare the two of them. As Vice President, I was more managerial, which has helped quite a bit to being in the corps.
Q: What made you decide to be a corps member?
B: Truly believe in the cause. I have a strong interest in education and it was a path I wanted to follow. I was not keen on engineering. A few of my friends and Brothers (about 6-8 of them) went to the corps.
Q: After your time in the corps, what ways can Phi Sigma Pi Brothers help a Teach For America corps member?
B: That’s kind of tricky, since each person and region has diversity of needs. Contact the region and talk to the regional team. Ask what the region might need. Additionally, using Donorschoose.org to support projects and supporting grants for text books.
Q: What are your plans for after your 2 year term is up from the corps?
B: I’m currently pursing my Master degrees through Teach For America. As for the future, I’m undecided right now. All of my focus is on my students.
Q: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to Brothers wanting to join the corps?
B: Make sure you are passionate about this and it is something you believe in for 2 years. It really is a difficult job and a lot of work. It doesn’t sink in until training just how challenging it will be.
Q: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to new corps members?
B: Stay disciplined and organized. Be creative on where you find things.
Q: What is one memorable moment you had while being a Teach For America corps member?
B: I just finished up the semester on Friday and had a student who only needed a half credit of geometry to graduate, she was sad after she passed the class because it was one of her favorite classes and gave her hope.
Tracy Weidel, Delta Xi '06, 2010 Corps Member, St. Louis
Interviewed Spring 2011
Q: What grade and subject do you teach?
T: I teach 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Communication Arts.
Q: How long have you been a Teach For America corps member?
T: I have been a corps member for 1 year.
Q: Has being a Brother of Phi Sigma Pi helped you to become a better corps member?
T: In some ways. Phi Sigma Pi definitely helps foster leadership skills, which are necessary to be in Teach For America.
Q: What made you decide to be a corps member?
T: It was a very long, involved decision that spanned many years for me. Ultimately, I wanted to make a difference, see firsthand educational inequity in this country, and make a change in my own life.
Q: After your time in the corps, what ways can Phi Sigma Pi Brothers help a Teach For America corps member?
T: Networking, continued support in the classroom, continued support of public education.
Q: What are your plans for after your 2 year term is up from the corps?
T: I’m currently unsure. I will likely return for a 3rd year of teaching.
Q: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to Brothers wanting to join the corps?
T: Observe classrooms and read Teaching As Leadership.
Q: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to new corps members?
T: Don't give up.
Q: What is one memorable moment you had while being a Teach For America corps member?
T: Too many to name... Sometimes I just gaze at my students while they are working on a writing assignment and I just feel so proud of them. I feel I have little to do with their hard work and achievement, but I feel lucky to be a part of their lives, and I really can see their bright futures.
Q: What advice would you give Phi Sigma Pi Chapters/Brothers who want to help out Teach For America?
T: Reach out to corps members!!! We need all the help we can get. Also, do as much legwork as you can if helping us... we are so busy it is ridiculous. Don't assume if you don't hear back that we aren't interested... we are just way way way overwhelmed and overloaded.
To support these Brothers and other Brothers serving as Teach For America corps members, please email tfa@phisigmapi.org.