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.
|
Straight From the Corps |
 |
Elizabeth Pace
Brown University '09
History
High School MATCH Corps 2009-10 |
What is your background?
I was born in San Francisco, CA but I moved to good ol’ Providence, RI to attend Brown University. I graduated this past June, 2009 with a degree in History.
How did you first hear about the MATCH Corps?
By the time I reached senior year, I knew that I wanted to do something related to urban education after college, but I did not feel ready to manage a classroom of my own right away. I read about The MATCH School in a career fair bulletin and did not have to walk farther than the first table in the room before I was hooked on the idea of The MATCH Corps and began my application process right away.
What made you decide to join the MATCH Corps?
When I came to the school for my on-site interview, the whole building exuded a sense of community and dedication that was apparent immediately. From the minute the students shook hands with the principal and entered the door, the support and love was everywhere. I could tell that the teachers, tutors and administrators had the same sort of support network for each other, which was also very important to me. Ultimately, my decision to join the Corps was all about the kids. The students are witty, curious and well, teenagers, and they need every minute we can give them. It was this sense of urgency and support that brought me here.
Can you describe your typical day?
On a morning when I do not have breakfast duty, I wake up at 7am and am at my computer by 7:30 checking email and prepping for tutorials. The first bell rings at 7:45 and students can enter the building for breakfast and homework turn-in. When first period begins at 8:30, I head downstairs to tutor a repeating freshman in a one-on-one tutorial in Algebra I. From 9:30-10:30am, I tutor three sophomores in English. After that, I have a prep period to grade papers and gather materials for my next periods.
After a 30-minute lunch, I have a Readers Workshop group from 12-1pm where I lead 5 freshmen in an hour of independent reading and reading skill-development. From 1-2pm I have another hour to grade and work on my Administrative Assistant job. Corps members have a “secondary duties” of being either Teaching Assistants (TAs) or Administrative Assistants (AAs) and I am the AA for School Logistics. I am in charge of planning the student, room, teacher and tutor distributions for any classes and events that differ from the normal schedule.
From 2-3pm I work with my sophomore girls again – this time in Geometry and Algebra II. From 3-4pm, I am back with my freshman student to study Fiction and Non-Fiction. At 4pm, I have my last prep period of the day, where I often work with my sophomores again in study hall or plan/distribute logistics information.
From 5:15-7:15, I tutor another freshman student one-on-one in the Student Intervention Program (SIP). Students in SIP are failing one or more classes and are required to stay after school for extra help. At 7:15pm, I mosey on upstairs for food, a run with one of my fellow Corps members (we go cold, rain or snow!), parent phone calls, grading and organizing. Then at around 11:30pm or whenever my brain shuts off – whichever comes first – it’s lights out!
What is the hardest part of your day?
The hardest part of my day is the first hour and the last hour of the day. Once the students are in the building, there is this amazing momentum that carries me (and ideally, them) through the long hours and the hard work. But before my coffee has kicked in and after it has worn off are sometimes trying times.
What do you find most rewarding about MATCH Corps?
The relationships we all put our time and hearts into here are incredibly rewarding. Whether it is the central relationships with our kids or with fellow Corps, teachers or staff, the closeness and the passion that are inherent to these bonds are visible every day. When you know that you can trust your colleagues to help you inspire and teach the students you love, it is incredibly rewarding. Ultimately, though, it is fostering close relationships with the students and watching them grow as a result that makes each day feel rewarding and complete.
Can you describe the atmosphere of the school?
The atmosphere at MATCH is one of urgency infused with love and discipline. The students must complete their work, take notes, ask questions, follow dress code and behave professionally because not a single moment can be wasted. Our mission is to prepare every student to be successful in college and the urgency of that mission is every member of the community’s top priority. That said, the day-to-day pursuit of this goal is balanced by a deep sense of caring and support for the students as they both struggle and succeed.
What has been the biggest struggle you've faced this year?
The biggest struggle for me has been to balance my life inside of The MATCH School with my friends, family and commitments outside of MATCH. Part of the appeal of being in the Corps is how incredibly immersive it is and how much the students and the other Corps members have become my family this year. That said, it is really important to get out of the building and do things like call home, exercise, see friends from college and even travel outside of Boston (crazy, I know). Because there is always more to do here – whether it’s parent phone calls, grading, more prep or paperwork – it is hard to justify getting away. I am definitely still learning to negotiate the appropriate balance of life in and outside of MATCH.
How would you characterize the student body?
The MATCH student body is majority African American and Hispanic. Few come from affluent backgrounds and the majority performs below grade-level academically upon entering MATCH. While it is often a parent decision for their child or children to attend MATCH, students come to understand that value of the MATCH community and the intense push that will give them the tools to pursue a college degree. While the students here are certainly infused a normal dose of teenage-ness, they are engaged, genuine and vibrant in and out of the classroom.
What are your plans for next year?
Next year, I am planning to be a teacher in a No Excuses charter school. I have not always planned to teach, but being at MATCH has proven to me that I feel more engaged with the students, the classroom and my colleagues than I have about anything.
How has/does MATCH Corps prepare you for your future plans?
The MATCH Corps is amazing preparation for literally anything you could possibly want to do with your life. Even being an astronaut. Or a ballerina. Juggling nine students, my logistics job, Americorps hours and teacher training on Fridays and Saturdays has pushed me to be more organized and efficient in everything I do. Every tutor must communicate consistently and professionally with parents, students, teachers and fellow Corps members. Each part of the way we build and sustain relationships to create learning at MATCH will serve me in my teaching career and beyond.
How does the MATCH School experience compare to your own high school experience?
I went to a private high school in Palo Alto, California with a very different student background than MATCH. However, the guidance and support that I received from my teachers have informed many of my own choices to go into education and now, teaching. I have benefited enormously from having my educators as mentors and I channel that support all the time at MATCH. I want to be that kind of support for my kids – or at least show them what that kind of relationship can do for them if they commit to it.
What surprised you most about the MATCH School?
I realize this is a bit trite, but what surprised me most was how quickly and easily I loved my students. I knew that I would get a lot out of my MATCH experience, no matter what, but I was worried that behavior, reluctance and the sheer number of hours spent with kids would get in the way of building a strong relationship with them. It has amazed me is how quickly the urgency and passion for the students has continued to push me to be a better tutor every single day.
You are a part of the MATCH Teacher Residency Program. Why did you choose to apply to Teacher Residency?
While I was not totally sure I wanted to teach when I started looking into the program, the principles and resources of the MATCH Teacher Training program sold me on the idea. MATCH Teacher Training is designed to train us to become unusually effective first year teachers in No Excuses schools. After being at MATCH, I understood that this was the right kind of school for me and the MTT would provide me with the tools I needed to be the best first-year teacher possible at a school like MATCH.
What do you like most about the Teacher Training Program?
This is a tough one because the Teacher Training Program is all sorts of awesome, but I think the thing I like most is the urgency and efficiency of the material and the program itself. The framers of the MTT curriculum were intent on helping us cut out everything that might get in the way of our students’ learning in our first year. One of the mottos of MTT is “tight and legit” – which is the goal for both our MTT classes and our future classrooms. The other amazing component is the constant stream of feedback that we get in the program. Between our coaches, peers and students there is never a shortage of constructive wisdom to help us improve every single time we stand up to teach.
Help erase the achievement gap, one student at a time. Apply Now!
|
|
Past Interviews |
Elizabeth Pace Interview
|
|
