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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Jonathan Blum
MIT '06
Computer Science
MATCH Corps 2007-08 |
What is your background?
I grew up in Ringwood, NJ and graduated from MIT in 2006 with a major in computer science and a minor in psychology.
How did you first hear about the MATCH Corps?
I’ve been involved with MATCH since my sophomore year of college. The financial aid office sent out an e-mail about Summer Academy, MATCH's orientation/academic boot camp for incoming ninth-graders. I was cynical; I'd been involved in tutoring programs before, and they had all amounted to glorified baby-sitting. After just one day of training and meeting some students, however, I knew MATCH was serious about both its mission and its methodology. At the end of my second year with the program, Bob Hill, the director of the Summer Academy, recommended the Corps to me.
What made you decide to join the MATCH Corps?
After I graduated, I didn't have a clue what to do next. I'd watched my friends disperse across the country to a range of software and consulting positions, but I knew I wasn't ready to resign myself to life as a code monkey. For lack of a better plan, I created a small online business to raise some funds and spent the next several months backpacking across Europe—the stereotypical twenty-something vision quest. While there, I reflected upon my college days, and my summers at MATCH kept popping up in my head as the most rewarding experience. When I returned to the States, I applied immediately.
Can you describe your typical day?
I generally try (though often fail) to get up around 6:30 am. The 3rd floor has a great atmosphere before dawn, with early risers making coffee, planning the day, and generally just enjoying the quiet darkness. At 8:15, I head down to the chemistry lab, where I spend my first two periods sitting in on chemistry classes taught by two amazing teachers, Chris Dupuis and Joanna Khalil. Every member of MATCH Corps has a secondary position in addition to tutoring, and I serve as the chemistry TA. I have the unique opportunity to observe Chris and Joanna's different teaching styles while grading quizzes and observing potential sticking points for the kids.
During 3rd and 4th periods, I tutor an extremely talented sophomore in geometry, algebra, and English. He can typically cruise through the day's assigned math materials in twenty minutes, so we sometimes spend time working on challenge problems or drawing connections to the classes he'll take later in his academic career.
For 5th period, I tutor two juniors in AP U.S. History. It's a challenge, and I'm usually grateful for my prep periods that follow. I use this time to grade chemistry, log demerits, read tests aloud to students who receive accommodations-or anything else that pops up. There's really no such thing as a "typical" day at MATCH!
Although the school day officially ends at 5 PM, many students stay after, by choice or by contract, for extra help. I run a homework lab for juniors along with the pre-calculus TA. It's a great chance to get to work with the students in a more relaxed setting. In fact, one of my favorite things about being the chemistry TA is the ability to work with the entire junior class in addition to my personal tutees; it helps me feel more connected to the school as a whole.
When after-school tutoring ends at 7:15, I usually try to get to the gym as quickly as possible. It forces me to get out of the building and provides a great release for the accumulated stress of the day. Then it's back to MATCH for prep and maybe a little 3rd floor wackiness before bed at midnight.
What is the hardest part of your day?
The hardest part of each day would definitely be my 5th period history tutorial. The two juniors I tutor have very different learning styles and levels of motivation. It's always a challenge to utilize the time so that both feel engaged and productive. Furthermore, they've had two periods of history class right before our tutorial, so they're generally not enthusiastic about the prospect of yet another hour devoted to the Whigs or Reconstruction. Some tutorials run smoothly, others only leave me drained. I take a deep breath at 1 PM each day; I never really know what I’m about to walk into!
What do you find most rewarding about MATCH Corps?
Is it the knowledge that as hard as I may be working at any given moment, I could look around and see teachers and staff members going even further above and beyond? Maybe it's the look on a student's face when she rushes up to excitedly tell me about her A on a math exam? Could it be the shock of seeing the contrast between an incoming freshman and a graduating senior, and knowing that I contributed, in some small way, to that growth?
I'll go with "all of the above."
Can you describe the atmosphere of the school?
To me, the atmosphere at MATCH can be best observed by walking through the hallways in the middle of a period. Unlike in most high schools, they're empty and quiet—yet not completely silent. A teacher rushes off to the photocopier. A tutor sits in a corner, working on the floor with her tutees. A student rushes back to class from the bathroom. (Maybe he doesn't necessarily want to rush back to class, but he knows the consequences if he's out too long!) There's a constant buzz of activity and intensity from the moment the doors open to when the last students are literally herded out at 8 PM.
What has been the biggest struggle you've faced this year?
It may sound clichéd, but I've finally had to learn to ask for help. Due to the sheer number of different responsibilities we shuffle, sometimes there are conflicts. Sometimes we cover for each other. Everyone helps out everyone else at times on the 3rd floor, and it took me a while to swallow my pride and open up to it.
How would you characterize the student body?
It's hard to generalize about the students at MATCH, simply because the school's completely open admission brings in an enormous range of abilities, motivations, and personalities. Still, some things are shared. The vast majority have been let down by their former schools and are, at least initially, skeptical of MATCH's mission. However, even if most would never admit it, they love the structure, support and community that envelop them as soon as they walk in the door each day.
What are your plans for next year?
If the opportunity presents itself, I would love to stay on at MATCH as a member of the Corps Staff. The tutors I see around me every day are some of the hardest-working people I've ever met, and being able to support them in a professional capacity would be a sincere joy.
How has/does MATCH Corps prepare you for your future plans?
I don't yet know exactly what my long-term plans are, but I've grown so much during this year that I can't imagine doing much of anything without the skills I've gained in the Corps. The ability to convey complicated information in a variety of audience-specific ways—the foundation of tutoring—is one of the most invaluable skills out there. I've also, out of sheer necessity, become more organized. Finally, as many Corps members have remarked to each other (only half-joking), this experience will make us all better parents...eventually.
How does the MATCH School experience compare to your own high school experience?
I attended a regional public school that served three small towns in North Jersey. The students were primarily white, and for many, college was simply never even a consideration. Though my school did offer college prep and AP classes, I don't remember having much homework that couldn't be hastily scrawled down during the ride to school. I honestly don't know if I would have been mature enough in high school to handle MATCH's rigor and emphasis on personal responsibility.
What surprised you most about the MATCH School?
I'm constantly surprised and impressed by what a brilliant, supportive group of coworkers I have at MATCH. Like most people, I was initially drawn to the school because of its students, but every day I find myself lucky to work with people who are not only immensely talented but genuinely kind and thoughtful. It's an all-too-rare combination, and it's easy to see that blend of talent and heart in everything that goes on inside the building.
Help erase the achievement gap, one student at a time. Apply Now!
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Past Interviews |
Jonathan Blum Interview
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