The MATCH Corps is our innovative, one-of-a-kind residential tutoring program that provides more than 300 hours of tutoring yearly to each student in our school. For more information, click here, or read an interview with a current MATCH Corps Tutor below.
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Straight From the Corps |
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Nedra McLaughlin
Princeton University '07
Economics
MATCH Corps 2007-08 |
What is your background?
While I'm originally from Southern Pines, North Carolina, in June I graduated from Princeton University with a degree in Economics.
How did you first hear about the MATCH Corps?
At the end of senior year, I was still looking for a job; specifically, I wanted to work in the non-profit sector, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to do an urban education program. While I was passionate about education, I was not sure if I wanted the full responsibility of teaching. At the Princeton Non-Profit Career fair, MATCH had a table and the Executive Director gave me all the information about MATCH and would not let me leave the table until I signed up.
What made you decide to join the MATCH Corps?
Coming to the school and meeting the kids and administrators definitely made me join the MATCH Corps. The children were amazing--intelligent, funny, curious--even though they didn't know me on my campus visit, they embraced me with open arms. The passion of everyone in the administration, from the Executive Director on down was inspiring--though they held students to a high standard, they did it with love. After meeting everyone, I knew this was a place committed not only to education but to changing children's lives for the better.
Can you describe your typical day?
I am usually up by 7 am eating breakfast, prepping my material for the day (grading papers, catching up on reading, etc.) and checking emails. From 8:30-9:30 I tutor three freshmen in English—this ranges from reading aloud with them the novel they are reading to helping them edit and revise their essays. Because my freshmen are in Algebra 2, from 9:30-10:30 I have more prep time when I am either grading papers or preparing materials for my sophomores.
From 10:30-11:30 I tutor my sophomores in either Algebra 2 or Geometry, mostly working through problems related to what they learned in class. After a 30 minute lunch, I tutor my sophomores in English during fourth period, either discussing their novels or writing essays.
During 5th period, because I am one of the teacher's assistants (TAs) for AP Calculus, I sit in on Calculus class so I can have a feel of how comfortable students are with the topics we are studying in class. On Mondays and Wednesdays I have 6th and 7th periods free to grade papers and come up with materials for Calculus tutorials. On Tuesdays and Thursdays the other Calculus TA and I run tutorials during 6th and 7th period in which students can work on their homework and get help with example problems done in class.
I have freshmen math tutorial every day during 8th period in which my students and I work on problems related to the topics they worked on in class. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, I run an afterschool homework lab with the AP Physics TA, so seniors that want homework help in either class can come and work with a tutor. After 7:15, I am found either on the third floor making parent phone calls, grading papers while eating dinner, watching basketball or Grey's Anatomy, or sweating it out at the gym a few blocks from MATCH.
What is the hardest part of your day?
The hardest part of my day is definitely senior homework lab; the combination of having restless students coming for help on difficult subjects is a potent mixture. While there are times when students can be very engaged and we make major breakthroughs on topics, other times students are less engaged and tired from their long day and their productivity is very low.
What do you find most rewarding about MATCH Corps?
The passion each person--parent, tutor, administrator--puts into each student is what continually rewards me while working for MATCH Corps. Everyday, each person is pushing/pulling each student to get the skills they need to not just survive in college and beyond but to thrive. These skills range from how to take notes, to how to form homework groups, to how to build long lasting friendships.
Can you describe the atmosphere of the school?
There is always urgency in the air at the MATCH School; each tutorial period and class period has strict expectations for students, teachers and tutors. In order to carry this out, everyone must be focused on the goal ahead--college. The knowledge that there is so much for students to learn and so precious little time for them to learn it infuses everyone with a sense that each moment must count.
What has been the biggest struggle you've faced this year?
I have definitely struggled with balancing work and taking time for myself. Living on the third floor can make it very difficult to "get away" from work, even during breaks--there is always a parent to call, a student to help, and a paper to grade. To cope, I try to get away and visit friends, and when I do go away, I even try to get a day to not talk about my students (at least not too much).
How would you characterize the student body?
The student body is majority African American and Hispanic and very very few students come from affluent backgrounds, economically, socially or academically. But all students have vibrant personalities and very strong opinions and they are not afraid to express them. Almost all students have strong beliefs about who they are and where they want to go, although at times they may be at odds with what their parents, teachers and tutors want!
What are your plans for next year?
Right now I do not have any idea what I would like to do next year. Before starting at MATCH I was almost certain I would be going to law school, but I have enjoyed my time at MATCH so much I am thinking about staying another year or going back to school to study education.
How has/does MATCH Corps prepare you for your future plans?
My organizational skills have increased tremendously since joining the MATCH Corps. There is no way I could keep track of all 5 of my students and the work of all of the AP Calculus students if I was not very organized. More importantly the communication skills I have honed at MATCH will help in any career I choose. I have learned how to effectively communicate with students, parents, and administrators in a variety of ways that are directly transferrable to the professional world.
How does the MATCH School experience compare to your own high school experience?
I attended a residential public magnet school geared toward students strong in science and mathematics and the curriculum was very rigorous. In that respect, MATCH reminds me of my home high school very much. Socially, MATCH is much more "hip" than my school--science and math majors often found interesting ways to amuse themselves.
What surprised you most about the MATCH School?
I am continually surprised with how entertained I am, by students, teachers, and other Corps members. We are all committed to learning, but most importantly we are committed to doing it with a smile.
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Past Interviews |
Nedra McLaughlin Interview
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