Changing life trajectories, ending educational inequality

Walking down Amsterdam and Broadway Avenues as a Columbia student, I observed two different worlds. On one avenue, there was a world of affluence—nice restaurants, fresh produce in markets, university students walking to class. The other avenue held a different world—fast food restaurants at every corner, bodegas with no fresh food, families struggling to make ends meet. It shocked me that these two worlds could exist in such close proximity. In 2004, my senior year, I anxiously wondered about what would happen next in my life. I was a premed student, so I was considering going straight to medical school after graduation. Another option was to work for a year or two before medical school. Ultimately, I chose to become a fifth grade math, science, and social studies teacher via Teach For America, so that I could work directly with communities to eliminate educational disparities. The educational achievement gap between students in low-income communities and their more affluent peers is one of our nation’s most pressing problems, and Columbia graduates have the opportunity to play an important role in the movement to solve it.

Teach For America is quickly becoming one of our country’s top employers of college graduates. Last year, Teach For America had a record applicant class of 46,000 people, including 10 percent of our very own Columbia Class of 2010. Teach For America’s national corps attracts the best and brightest from public and private universities nationwide, from 20-somethings to career changers. Because of this and my experience as an educator, I am proud to be affiliated with Teach For America.

For too long in America, demographics and zip codes have defined destiny—just as in the two worlds I described above. As a teacher, I spent my days in the classroom engaging a new generation of bright young minds. Thanks to Teach For America’s summer training, ongoing professional development, and on-the-job experience in the classroom, I have grown in my skills and confidence as an educator. Teach For America has instilled in me the fundamentals of excellent teaching, and now I am utilizing these principles in the work I do. Although I am no longer a classroom teacher (I currently work in the field of public health), my experience as an educator has only enhanced my capacity to reach and educate communities.

As a classroom teacher, I worked in one of the most under-served areas of Houston, Texas. I learned very quickly that, when students know that their teacher truly values their education and genuinely wants to learn about students’ interests, students will grow in their desire to learn. Teaching is one of the most difficult jobs I have had thus far, but it was incredibly fulfilling to know that, at the end of the year, my students had grown academically. In my three years in the classroom, my students had some of the highest statewide math exam scores in the school district. It’s gratifying to know that your hard work translates to students’ success on state tests, but it’s even more rewarding to know that you have instilled in your students the desire to learn and succeed academically. That desire lasts well beyond the school year you spend with your students. That desire is eternal.

While Teach For America’s corps is a two-year commitment, it is an experience with a lasting impact. My fellow corps members and I have become part of our schools’ communities, bringing together parents, administrators, and community members in the pursuit of excellence for our students. Two-thirds of Teach For America alumni are still involved with education. Some of this country’s biggest innovators in education started with Teach For America. Others, like me, have gone on to other important fields like public health, law, and government. Alums in any field will agree that this experience forever impacts how you look at the world.

Columbia seniors have the opportunity to change the academic and life trajectory of students by working as classroom teachers, a role in which they will work to solve the civil rights issue of our time—educational inequity. Teach For America’s next application deadline is Dec. 17. One simple choice in a sea of options can make a world of difference. For me, choosing to join Teach For America was the best decision I could have made.

Linda Baffo is a member of the Columbia College Class of 2004 and a member of the Teach For America Houston Corps of 2004.