Why did you join the Mississippi Teacher Corps?

I wanted to try my hand at teaching in a place where I knew I'd be needed. There are many places that would fit that requirement, but Mississippi was by far the most alien to me. As for the program, MTC seemed like the "local & organic alternative" in terms of alternate-route programs, which spoke to the hippie in me.

What has been the biggest challenge?

It's been difficult figuring out how to fit my personality into the demands of the job. I'm not a particularly tough or confident person, so the job, especially classroom management, can feel like a performance. And I'm not always sure how to employ the wackier sides of my personality in the classroom.

What has been the biggest reward?

I love seeing the way middle-schoolers change when given responsibility. It looks like they age five years, instantly. They want so badly to grow up, and it's a great feeling to help them do that, even if it's only temporary.

 

The Mississippi Teacher Corps is the most competitive teaching program in the country. The two-year program, designed for non-education majors, recruits college graduates to teach in the Mississippi Delta and offers a host of benefits, including teacher training and certification, a full scholarship for a master's degree in education, job placement that includes full pay and benefits and, most importantly, the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of students in one of the poorest areas of the country.