I loved how I got to teach children in a fun and hype setting.
What I wish was different
I wish the camp lasted the entire summer.
Advice
At first, I was nervous to travel hours away from home alone. They make you feel at home and I made connections instantly on move-in day!
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Camp Literacy Fellow
June - July 2023 • Memphis, TN
What I liked
The MTR Camp Literacy program was a great experience for me. The program is a great introduction to what a career in education actually entails, for students deciding if education is the path that they want to pursue. For those considering MTR's residency program, the fellowship was also a great introduction to MTR as an organization, the city of Memphis, and literacy as a civil rights issue. I found MTR to be an incredibly warm, accepting and nurturing environment. I was treated with great respect, as both an employee and a person, by the other fellows, my instructors, and my camp director. By the end of the four weeks, I felt a lot more confident standing in front of a class and teaching. The fellowship also opened my eyes to many areas for improvement, that I can continue to work though even after the fellowship has concluded.
What I wish was different
I did feel like the first several days of camp were chaotic, and would have loved to have been a little bit more prepared with classroom materials and during the day scheduling before hand. This problem is somewhat unavoidable, and I've never worked at a summer camp that didn't have some growing pains over the first couple of days, more could have been done to ensure that we knew what materials we needed to prepare in anticipation of the first day of camp.
Advice
Come to the fellowship with a willingness to improve, learn, and help and you will be provided with the necessary resources to thrive in the position!
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MTR Camp Literacy Fellowship
June - July 2022 • Memphis, TN
What I liked
I love the mission and purpose behind MTR's literacy camp fellowship: equal education matters and we are loving our neighbors through our service of teaching. The students were amazing and the PD provided was helpful in assisting with our students' reading comprehension. We had many learning opportunities within the internship and outside of it where we could grow personally and professionally. All of the grievances that people had during the internship were taken into consideration and changes are going to be implemented next year to ensure that it is a better experience for the next cohort.
What I wish was different
I wish they would be more selective in the process of finding interns for the camp. These interns should want to go into education and/or be interested and want to get some experience before deciding to continue with the career-- there was a good portion of the interns from the program that didn't have any desire to be in education. This hindered their involvement in the planning and execution of the curriculum. I also wish the curriculum that was used was geared more towards the age group we were working with. We had curriculum provided for my group of rising 1st graders that gave examples of 4th grade work- obviously way too advanced for them!
Advice
Be open-minded, assume positive intent, and be willing to educate others (not belittle them). All of the interns are experiencing the same things you are, but everyone has varied prior experience and knowledge coming into the camp-- there is always room to grow as a person and an educator.
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Browne STEM Fellowship
June - July 2022 • Memphis, TN
What I liked
The fellowship was a wonderful experience that I believe will help anyone who is interested in becoming an educator. Throughout the fellowship mentor teachers provide meaningful feedback and advice to better the classroom environment, while also leading by example. As an aspiring educator, I feel that I have effective tools to use in the future because of this hands-on experience. The MTR staff was very friendly and flexible to adapt to the needs of the Fellowship's participants and did a great job addressing possible concerns as well.
What I wish was different
I wish that the scheduling of events would be tighter together to eliminate potential fatigue. I feel like post-camp activities should be pushed up, so there is no downtime to become tired, however I understand the importance of rest.
Advice
Become a sponge and absorb all the advice and feedback given to you. It'll help you to build your confidence and give you new perspectives to think about.
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Browne STEM Fellow
June - July 2022 • Memphis, TN
What I liked
I loved the support and training MTR gave me as a future educator. This experience gave me the opportunity to see what teaching is like, both inside and outside of the classroom. I learned so much from my peers, mentor teacher, other staff members, and even the students. By the end of the fellowship, I could say that I felt prepared to lead a classroom on my own, especially after the opportunity to do so during the last weeks of camp. MTR provided me with the proper resources and opportunities to prosper in the field of education and to this day, I continue to use what I've learned. I also loved the opportunity to connect with the students and make learning fun and enjoyable for them. Outside of the camp day, MTR also taught us imperative information about the city of Memphis and gave us tools to network with one another and other organizations and educators within the city. Overall, I enjoyed my experience working with MTR and I am thankful for all that I've learned.
What I wish was different
One thing about my experience that I wish were different, is housing. Fortunately, as a college student, I had never experienced communal-style living so I had to adjust to the living space quickly. However, I gave my feedback to MTR and they will now be changing the living condition for next year and the years to come. MTR is also making a change to the roommate system. During my fellowship, we were paired with other fellows but not necessarily those of the STEM camp. Now, MTR is making sure that each fellow rooms with those working beside them every day, which I love because it makes more room to build those connections.
Advice
One piece of advice I would like to share is to be a sponge. Watch, listen and be attentive to everything. There's so much great information and resources that will be shared, sometimes at a fast pace, and you don't want to miss anything. Enjoy the moment and allow yourself to soak everything in. Make those connections, have fun, be open to new or interesting things and be sure to take care of yourself! This experience is a great one!
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Browne STEM Fellowsip
June - July 2022 • Memphis, TN
What I liked
I appreciated the support that MTR provided for aspiring educators; I learned so much from not only my mentor teacher, but all of the mentor teachers that were working on-site. I felt prepared for each lesson, especially the lesson that I lead on my own by the end of camp. I LOVED the 'camp' experience and how it was designed to make learning fun for the students. Aside from camp, I appreciated their support when it came to meals in the evening, especially the catered meals!
What I wish was different
I wish the housing situation was different; as an introvert the housing situation was a little difficult for me. However, MTR has used that feedback to change where fellows will be living next summer--a change that I a, excited for. Another change that MTR is making that I wish was different for the summer I was there, is a meal stipend for lunch instead of groceries provided.
Advice
Soak up everything! There is so much to learn in this program, be ready to soak it all up. Not only that, but there is so much joy & new experiences to be had, so don't miss it. Also, take moments to yourself to recharge--there is a lot going on in short time, so take time to refill so that you can continue to pour out.
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Resident Teacher
June 2019 - May 2020 • Memphis, TN
What I liked
MTR is a top-notch teacher prep program. Just check out the results: https://memphistr.org/results/. With high teacher burnout as a reality in urban education, MTR equips its teachers to have excellent methods and supports inside and outside the classroom, which will help them face the inevitable difficulties of teaching. Most importantly, though, MTR seeks to restore dignity to communities by expressing Christian love through equal education. As MTR sends out more teachers each year into Memphis schools, more students are receiving excellent, dignifying education. Now is the time. Memphis is the place.
What I wish was different
This program is tough. It's tempting to wish that the workload of the residency year was easier, but teaching is hard. Period. MTR makes sure they give us purposeful, meaningful work that prepares us for leading a classroom on our own.
Advice
Be an owner, not a critic. If your heart isn't in the right place coming into this program, you will either drop out or find yourself in a constant state of complaining about how hard your life is. The neighborhoods we are serving have a lot of systemic problems that cannot be fixed with one good teacher, but they can be changed with one good God. If you choose to be the hands and feet of Jesus, you will own this experience, and find that your sufferings are incomparable to those around you. Own this experience, and you will thrive.
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Resident Teacher
May 2019 • Memphis, TN
What I liked
All students deserve a quality education. This organization seeks to make that a reality in Memphis, a city where many kids are not getting the educational opportunities that they deserve. MTR is based in the idea that all students have inherent dignity, and so deserve the time, resources, and effort it takes to give dignify them through education. They train and support people to be effective teachers in the classroom through Masters classes, feedback on your teaching from the classroom, a mentor to train you, a coach to support you, and a cohort of other teachers for a community. The support offered through this program is unparalleled. It's not only the ideals or theories of what teaching should look like, but they get down into the practicals of what the responsive, student-centered classroom can look like and feel like. I can't imagine going into the classroom without having had this year of training and the ongoing support I will receive for the next 3 years! A vision-led organization. Single-minded (dignifying students through equitable education). Also, the community I gained from this organization is so large and so intimate.
What I wish was different
As practical as it was to be participating in Master's classes while in the classroom (I could apply everything I was learning as I learned it), it was SO HARD. Balancing teaching, school, and being a human felt like an impossibility many days.
Advice
If you want to teach in Memphis, do MTR. You will not regret it.
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Resident Teacher
June 2019 - May 2020 • Memphis, TN
What I liked
I love the MTR community. You immediately feel welcomed into this family that is fighting for equal justice with a Christian based love mindset. I have felt supported and pushed to become an effective teacher in Memphis TN.
What I wish was different
I wish I would have spent more time during the summer getting to know the city of Memphis. This place has so many places to explore and the summer is the best time to explore them. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by I wish I would have told myself to grab a friend and go explore something new.
Advice
This work is hard but so worth it. The information I learned this past year has changed my understanding and passion for education that I didn't even know existed. Learn as much as you can during residency year because MTR has fantastic professors who want you to succeed and pushing you to be the best teacher you can be. Give yourself grace and keep pushing forward.
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Resident Teacher
May 2019 • Memphis, TN
What I liked
The community at MTR is unlike any I have ever experienced with other organizations. I got married the same weekend I started MTR, and my husband and I felt welcomed into the MTR family immediately. I have some of my closest friends due to MTR. I also feel more prepared to teach not only in Memphis classrooms, but any classroom that I may teach in in the future.
What I wish was different
Although the residency model is designed to give you experience in the same classroom for an entire year, I think this hinders other opportunities to be trained in the range of grade levels and contexts of teaching that we may end up being hired in. I think it would be valuable for both elementary and secondary residents to have the chance to spend half a year in the lower and upper grade band that they will be certified for.
Advice
This has by far been the most challenging year of my life thus far. That being said, it is not impossible. Don't sacrifice self-care for the sake of being a workaholic. It will seriously save you during this crazy year.
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Resident Teacher
May 2019 • Memphis, TN
What I liked
I loved the community aspect of MTR. They help cultivate and keep a close-knit community that is unlike any other. I also appreciate their 100% placement rate for jobs for the following year! Made me feel very confident that I would receive a job after my year of residency!
What I wish was different
You are paired with a mentor teacher for the year you are obtaining your master's degree, and some of these mentors had gone through the program and know what to expect, and some have not. I wish all mentor teachers were required to have gone through the program, this would make it easier on both the resident and the mentor.
Advice
This year is hard! But it is not impossible! There are many things that keep you motivated and going, and honestly, I cannot believe my year is already coming to a close!
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Resident Teacher
June 2019 - May 2020 • Memphis, TN
What I liked
When I finished student teaching during my undergraduate degree, I faced the reality that if I wanted to be the best teacher I could be, I needed to pursue other learning opportunities before entering the classroom on my own for the first time. I found MTR. The thing I love the most about MTR, is being able to learn from an experienced teacher for a whole year while being more than a student-teacher, pushed out of your comfort zone, given weekly feedback, and grad school work to further my practice and skills. I love the community that I have gained from MTR. I truly feel confident to step into my first year next year knowing I am equipped with the skills to do it on my own. While also knowing I will have support even when I struggle for my next three years as a teacher. It is truly something that is unheard of in the field of education.
What I wish was different
I wish I could have gotten more observations in other classrooms once I found out the position I was teaching next year. Honestly, that is primarily due to COVID than MTR.
Advice
The residency year is a lot of hard work, time, and energy. As long as you are willing to put in the work, it will be worth your time.
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Resident Teacher
May 2019 • Memphis, TN
What I liked
I like that we are provided with a lot of support through our residency year and then in our first three years as a teacher. MTR works hard to build a community that is centered on a common mission and love for Christ and others, which made the transition to Memphis much easier. Having a living stipend and housing provided was amazing. I have become a better teacher because of the experiences that I have had and the classes that I have taken.
What I wish was different
I wish that I would have been able to observe more in different schools in the Memphis community so that I could get a better feel for the different schools throughout Memphis. COVID- 19 had a large impact on our experience, and I wish that would not have changed our year so much.
Advice
Make sure that becoming a teacher is what you want to do because even if you have a passion for teaching the intensity of the program can begin to make you question your commitment.
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Teaching Resident
May 2019 • Memphis, TN
What I liked
Love the community and skill set offered to teachers
What I wish was different
Having more connections with people there before going
Advice
Step outside of your comfort zone and do it!
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Resident Teacher
May 2019 • Memphis, TN
What I liked
The residency year with MTR is extremely supportive--you won't find a better teacher prep program, and you definitely won't find a better one with the same price tag. Your residency year is split between a graduate classroom and a classroom in a high-needs school. That is, you get plenty of opportunities to apply what you're learning immediately, which was a big shift for me from undergrad.
What I wish was different
I wish I had spent more time over the summer term of the residency getting authentically plugged into Memphis. It can be hard to enter the school year without building up a good network of organizations to be involved in beforehand.
Advice
MTR is HARD--live up the first summer, as that will be the easiest part of your first year. From August until May, there are constant things to do. They are all things to make you a better teacher, but it is a true challenge.
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Summer Reading Teacher
June - July 2018 • Memphis, TN
What I liked
I enjoyed being in a place I'd never been before. I had a great time, and I hadn't spent much time in the South before. I also had some fantastic co-interns who made the entire experience a bunch of fun.
What I wish was different
I think that the organization I worked for could have done a better job with communicating what was expected of us. I also think that there were tons of differences among me and my fellow interns that we should have discussed further to make the environment more understanding and appreciative.
Advice
I would advise anyone interested in working as an educator to be sure they are truly interested in teaching, because it's hard.
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MTR camp Intern
June - July 2018 • Memphis, TN
What I liked
I loved the Christian outlook that MTR possessed as they promoted interns and teachers that saw the kids they were teaching as image bearers of God. This program goes beyond urban teaching experiences like Teach for America. Memphis Teacher Residency provides a supportive community and a long term preparation for teachers to seek equal education form minority communities. This internship exposed and educated me more about Urban and unequal education while also learning about the MTR graduate program. I loved that the statistics and the stories we here about urban education became real and tangible relationships as the interns grew close with the young kids in the community.
What I wish was different
I wish that I was able to do the program longer. Additionally, I wish that I had really read and understand the expectations for the internship. I loved the internship but needed a couple of weeks to adjust to the requirements and expectations of the internship.
Advice
If you want to get a hands on experience on urban education or just urban studies I would highly recommend this program. I learned more about teaching during my time in Memphis than I had ever learned in the classroom here at Wheaton. I also got hands on experience in learning more about our countries history with segregation and education for minorities.
