Before Saga said goodbye to its Fellows, we asked them what they learned from their students, what advice they would give to new Fellows, and what were their most memorable parts of their experience. Here’s what they had to say about being an AmeriCorps member serving Saga.

“Working with my students showed me the real benefit of the Saga program. We can make a difference.”
–Darian Bolen

“I learned so much from my students. They’ve shown me complex ways of approaching problems that I’d never considered, helped me discover strategies that help me communicate ideas clearly, and they’ve shown me how much I love helping people and giving back.”
— Hannah Heiden

“My experience as a Saga Fellow is one of the things that inspired me to get a Master’s degree in Education.”
–Lindsay Lopez

“My students showed me that there is no shame in asking questions, and being persistent with those questions is also necessary.”
–Lina Aldadah

“It’s so rewarding when you see that lightbulb go off. When a student understands the concepts and it finally clicks for them, it’s great.”
— Halcyeon Guy

“Every day I recognize the impact that my students have on me. They help me grow and open my eyes to things that I couldn’t have without their help.
–Will Restrepo

“As a retired educator, it has been a positive experience, delivering math in a completely different setting.”
–Victor Samuels

The post Advice for a new Saga Fellow appeared first on Saga Education.

Makala Gage, an AmeriCorps member serving with Saga Education, is back. This three-time tutor served first as a remote tutor at Farragut Career Academy in Chicago, IL, then as an in-person tutor at the same school, and this year, she’s coming back to Little Village Lawndale High School in Chicago to tutor her students in person—again.

Third Time Tutoring is a Charm

“I came back because of the experience I had with my students. I missed them so much over the summer and was excited to continue to teach new students. It was awesome working in-person with the students. I loved seeing their faces every day, getting to know them and connecting with them,” she said.

Gage said that one of the best parts of being a tutor is witnessing “when a student has their ‘aha’ moment, when they get a concept that they previously didn’t get or thought they would never get,” she said.

That’s just one of the reasons why she’s back for more. “I am coming back because I still believe in the help that we provide students, and I enjoy actively teaching in person. I liked the relationships I form with students,” she added.

Building Relationship
From the beginning, Gage said that she focused on building lasting relationships with her students, during a very stressful time in their lives. “I started working for Saga during the height of the pandemic, and I’ve seen what students have had to deal with and how adaptable they are to the constant changes of the world,” she said.

A Leader and a Learner
At the same time, she learned a lot about herself as well. “I learned that I could be a leader during my time at Saga. In my second year, I helped out my fellow coworkers and my Site Director with things like data entry, lesson planning, behavior management, activities, and incentives. We all worked so well together as a team,” she said.

The Joy Factor
As a third-year Saga tutor, Gage wants to “employ more joy factor to make math fun for my students. I want to provide real-world examples to make math come alive,” said Gage. She also said that she wants to use her prior experience “and the data I receive from FSAs and their math grades to cater my lesson exactly to their needs.”

Gage sees a bright future ahead. “For me, I hope I continue to grow as a tutor and gain the confidence to hopefully apply to be a Site Director in the future. For my students, I hope they have a fun year and gain more confidence in themselves and their math skills,” she said.

Makala Gage is an AmeriCorps member, who is serving as a tutor for Saga for the third year in a row.

The post It’s Makala’s Third Time Back as a Tutor, and She’s Even More Fired Up appeared first on Saga Education.

By Hannah Heiden

I joined Saga because I believe high-quality education should be accessible to everyone. I grew up in a low-income area, but I was fortunate enough to have so much support throughout my education that I was able to succeed academically, and I want to be that beacon of support for our students.

It wasn’t what I expected. As a remote tutor, I had some challenges in keeping students’ attention, but I was also surprised by the connections I was able to make with the students and how quickly they grew as students and people.

Looking back, I am happy I worked with Saga as a tutor. Personally, I became a better communicator completely, I think I am much better at listening and explaining ideas. More importantly, I saw so much growth in their abilities as well as in their confidence and excitement about math.

I have a class period in which every day the students come in, excited to tell me about what they did over the weekend and trying to be the first one to explain their thinking and putting all their effort into each question, even if they aren’t sure they’ll get it right. It’s just so exciting to see that they feel comfortable in class and to watch them get excited to explain how they got their answers. One of my students told me our class was his favorite class, and I have watched him go from second guessing all his answers to confidently explaining his thinking to the class.

I learned so much from my students. They’ve shown me complex ways of approaching problems that I’d never considered, they’ve helped me discover strategies that help me communicate ideas much more clearly, and they’ve shown me how much I really love helping people and giving back.

This experience has helped me become much stronger in communication, which I think is the most important skill for any job and for life in general. Learning how to ask the right questions and how to explain answers in a clear concise way is a skill that I think has to be learned through trial and error. Working in Saga helped me become more efficient and effective at delivering and receiving information.

I would tell potential tutors to go into each class ready to listen to the students. To be the most effective teacher, you have to listen first. Let them show you what they know and work to guide them to the answer. Even if you have a bad day, go into the next like the bad day never happened!

The part I love most about being a tutor is seeing my students every day and talking with them. They’re so funny and so smart. I’m going to miss seeing my students and my team the most, I love everyone here and am going to miss working with them.

I am really happy I got to work at Saga because, while math isn’t my main passion, it was so fulfilling to give students the extra support they deserve and to show them how smart they are! We were here to help them see that they are more than capable of success in math and life as a whole, and I felt fortunate to be a part of that.

Hannah Heiden is a 21-22 Saga Fellow, serving students online in New York City, NY.

The post What’s it Like to be a Remote Tutor? appeared first on Saga Education.

By Lindsay Lopez

As the school year comes to a close, it’s a great time to sit back, add up all the memories created and sum up the year. Who doesn’t love a good math pun, am I right? I am excited to write this post but also saddened about the idea that it’s time to say goodbye to my students, fellows and the staff at Saga Education.

I wanted to take one last chance to thank all of my students and colleagues for the outstanding impact you all have had on me. My experience as a Saga Fellow is one of the things that inspired me to get a Master’s degree in Education. Working with my students has reignited my passion for education, and I am excited to continue my journey as an educator and student. Although I will not be working with Saga next year, I hope to come back and work for this organization again after I complete my Master’s degree.

It is difficult for me to think of what to write this time because I have so many memories to reflect on from this year. If I tried to list them all, this post would be 15 pages long. Most of all I will miss connecting with my students and team members. To my Learning Coordinator and Site Director in Broward County, Timothy Klohr and Zylia Knowlin, you two truly represent what great leaders look like. Thank you for all the professional growth you have provided to our team. To the other fellows on the team, getting to know you all and collaborating every day to give the best education for our students is something I am going to miss.

While I would love to give a shout-out to each of my students, here are a few of my favorite memories throughout the year:

• Prince–  Thank you for always making me laugh with your funny jokes and drawings of pigs.
• Bryanna and Taylor– The way you both would say “Hellooooo Mrs. Lopez” every day always brought a huge smile to my face.
• Melissa, Kanyra, and Khristian- I am so proud of you all for always trying your best and admitting when you need help. It takes a lot of courage to admit when you are struggling.
• Lucas– Your note-taking and research skills are exquisite! These skills will make you very successful in your future.
• Sabrina– I am so proud of how far you have come this year. Your English has improved dramatically along with your reading, writing and math skills. Thank you for challenging my math and Spanish skills and making me a better bilingual speaker!
• Kimora and Josh– Learning about your future career goals was a pleasure. Kimora you are going to make a great lawyer, and Josh you are going to become a successful private investor!
• Allyssia- You are truly a wonderful student to work with. I was amazed at how intelligent you are, how hard you work, and your communications skills are superb. I was so blessed to have you join our pod this year.
• Faris and Lea- Hearing about your athletic accomplishments was also so exciting. While my students have a passion for learning, it warms my heart to know they have passions outside the classroom as well.

Getting to know you all and seeing your math skills increase was such a pleasure.

This is not a goodbye to Saga, but a “see you later”. I am excited to come back once I finish school because I believe in the mission and have seen firsthand Saga Education’s impact.

Lindsay Lopez (she/her, they/them) is a Saga Fellow, serving students online in Broward County, FL.

The post Looking Back at my Saga Service Year appeared first on Saga Education.

Jayoni Roman, a 9th grader at Roberto Clemente Academy in Chicago, IL, stops by the Saga Education’s Math Lab every day just to say hi. “I love this class period. Math Lab is my safe space,” she said.

Site Director Anthony Onica said he looks forward to the daily greeting. “Every day, Jayoni makes it a point to say good morning to Ms. (Natalya) Brown. It’s heartwarming to see the mentor/mentee have such a positive effect on each other,” he said. Brown is an AmeriCorps member serving with Saga.

But, in the beginning, Roman was a bit skeptical about the whole idea of math tutoring. “I was kind of upset because I thought I had two math classes, but then I realized I need more help. When I first started Math Lab, it was confusing, but Miss Brown really helped me figure things out,” said Roman.

Mistakes are Normal
Part of what makes Math Lab a safe space for her is that even when she makes a mistake, it’s all part of the learning experience. “The tutors won’t judge you. You just try your best and they’ll help you not make a mistake next time,” said Roman.

It’s important to Brown that her students know that “making mistakes is fine. We’re normalizing errors here. In fact, Jayoni saw that I made a mistake and that it was OK,” said Brown.

Equations and Supports
Roman said that her relationship with Brown is about more than just math. “Miss Brown helps me with math, but she also lets me know I can go to her for personal things, too,” said Roman.

Brown tries to offer practical help as well. “Jayoni has opened up to me about things going on in her life right now. I know that we are one of her safe places, I try to support her, give her resources and find out who else we can put her in touch with,” said Brown.

Onica said that Roman has seen growth in her skills and in her sense of self. “She always tries her best to be a good person and student. She has consistently made use of school support and the support we offer in Math Lab to grow and work on becoming her best self,” he said.

Questions and Answers
The Math Lab begins with a list of practice questions. “After the bell, we work on our ‘Do Now’ problems for four minutes. We discuss our answers. Then work with our tutor in a lesson. After that, we switch to computer work for more practice. If we need any help, our tutors help us,” said Roman.

Roman noticed that she was “asking better questions” to make sure she understood the concepts. She worked closely with Brown and moved up to more challenging levels. “I was understanding the equations more and helping other students more,” Roman said.

Onica agrees. “At the beginning of the year, I think Jayoni struggled with confidence. She was always willing to try when asked, but when it came to math, I think she started this year second-guessing herself a lot. We’ve seen steady growth in Jayoni’s math class grade, and I’m proud to say I see her taking a leadership role in the classroom helping her group mates with problems.”

Eventually, her grades went from a C to an A. “I’ve seen her foundational skills return. She can articulate learning and she can explain her process. Jayoni has really blossomed this year,” said Brown.

The post Math as a Safe Space appeared first on Saga Education.

Meet Goodie. Actually, her name is Gudelia Collins, but everybody calls her Miss Goodie. She’s one of the Saga Fellows, serving scholars remotely. She’s also one of the bilingual Fellows who tells the story of a very special student in South Carolina.

Her student, Jacky, was not happy working with her teachers remotely. “She had a bad experience. She totally shut down by the idea,” said Goodie. It took some patience, some listening and a little bit of a sales pitch to convince Jacky to at least give it a “trial run”.

How can I be a better tutor?
Goodie starts every session by checking in with Jacky to see how she is feeling and what is going on in her life. Then she asks her student “how can I improve as a tutor to better help you?” and Jacky gives Goodie feedback. df

 It turned out that the two have more in common than they thought. They both spoke Spanish, and they both came from low-income households, and they both experienced similar challenges in life. Slowly, they built trust with one another, and Goodie eventually became a mentor and a guide to Jacky.

Translating Algebra
Like all Saga Fellows, Goodie’s focus is always on her students and finding ways to teach math so that her Spanish-speaking students could connect with it. This student-focused approach included everything from translating the math content (especially the word problems) from English to Spanish, explaining what the concepts meant, and of course, checking for understanding.

“It’s a whole different world when it comes to explaining word problems. You’ve got to translate the language, explain the definition, what it means, and then the terminology has to be explained and retaught. Even labels on graphs and charts have to be translated and explained,” she said.

The tutors make a point to keep the English wording and the Spanish translations together, so that students can begin to recognize and connect the meanings. By breaking down the concepts in this way, Goodie noticed an extra benefit. Her students improved in their English-speaking abilities.

Reaching out to the parent or guardian
Part of Goodie’s role as a tutor is to reach out to her students’ parents or guardians with updates. In this case, it was especially important to connect because Jacky’s guardian only spoke Spanish, and she had to earn his trust as well. “He didn’t know how to communicate with the school,” she said.

With her Spanish-speaking students and parents, Goodie noticed that they had a tendency not to speak up because they were too “shy, embarrassed or afraid. I see myself as a communication anchor between the student and the teacher and the school administration,” she said.

One day, Jacky’s guardian called Goodie with a problem. “He reached out to me about something that happened at home, and Jacky confided in me as well. I felt good that she felt safe to talk to me,” said Goodie.

Goodie found out what services were available at the school and was able to connect Jacky with people and resources in the school and the community that could help her. Meanwhile, she kept a close eye on the student. She also checked in with Jacky’s teachers and Saga’s Learning Coordinator and Site Director. “I asked them if they noticed anything different about Jacky. Things like body language can tell you a lot,” she said.

Challenges and Strides
Jacky still has her good days and her bad days, but Goodie reminds her that “she is not alone, and that it does get better,” she said. “In fact, the advice I give her, I have to live by myself,” she said. “I let her know that I’m grateful for her and that she gives me the strength to keep going,” said Goodie.

“Now, Jacky is one of my best students,” said Goodie. “She’s intelligent. She’s grown so much as an individual,” said Goodie. “I see students like Jacky who are shining so brightly. It shows me that this program really works. I’m proud to be part of Saga,” she said. In fact, Goodie has signed up for another year of serving with Saga.

The post Meet Goodie appeared first on Saga Education.

As a new Saga Fellow, I wondered about how much support I would receive inside and outside the classroom–especially since I work remotely. To my surprise, Saga offers more support than I could have ever expected. From continual communication within the classroom, to the after-hour professional developmental series, Saga provides support whenever you need it.

The post How Fellows are Supported at Saga appeared first on Saga Education.

What does it take to be a star? For ninth-grader Genora Gray, who attends Anacostia High School in Washington, DC, the answers are down-to-earth. Show up, work hard and show respect. “I listen, I pay attention, I do my work, and I’m respectful while doing it,” said Gray.

The “Saga Superstar” Award recognizes students who have made progress throughout the month – whether it is actively participating, showing commitment to their learning, helping their peers, or showing improvement in their grades.

This time, it was Genora Gray. Her hard work and perseverance paid off.

A Commitment to Learning
“Genora was awarded the Saga Superstar award because she always comes to class ready to put in the effort and learn. She takes ownership of her learning by always staying focused and asking questions. She is starting to realize her potential and as a result, is putting in the effort to try problems on her own and stick through with it even when things get challenging,” said Sharanya Balasubramanian, her Site Director.

Richard Donahue, an AmeriCorps member serving with Saga, said that Gray is focused on doing the work, and it shows. “Genora is making good progress. Math doesn’t come easy to her, but she gives it her best. Her confidence has increased. She’s a good student,” he said.

But it didn’t start that way. “Genora started the year greatly lacking confidence. She needed validation after every step of a problem and would stop working if the tutor went to support another student,” said Sharanya Balasubramanian, her Site Director.

Let’s Break it Down
It wasn’t until Donahue began to break down the lessons in a way that complements Gray’s learning style that she began making progress. “Mr. Donahue knows how I receive help. He knows that I’m a visual learner, so he writes everything down for me, and he explains it piece by piece,” said Gray. “Sometimes I get stuck, but Mr. Donahue knows how to explain it to me, and I’m able to keep up with the rest of my group,” she added.

Confidence in Skills
With hard work and persistence, Gray is showing improvement in her math skills. “I started getting more confident in my work, so it just became easier,” said Gray. When she won the Saga Superstar Award, “I was very surprised and happy,” she added.

Gray’s confidence and independence show in the work she does every day. “Genora is willing to try problems on her own and write down what she knows, even if she is unsure if it is correct or not. She recognizes the growth in herself and that has, in turn, increased her self-confidence,” said Balasubramanian.

That confidence shows up when she’s able to help other students with their work. “It’s nice to be able to help people, now that I’m understanding things,” said Gray.

Her class starts out with some “do now” practice questions, or math warm-up problems, but Gray said her favorite part is the actual lesson, where she and the other students get to use whiteboards and take notes.

At this point, Gray hasn’t quite decided what she wants to do when she graduates high school. She sees herself using math in practical ways—like being better with money and budgeting.

“My hope for Genora is that she continues to believe in herself and stay confident and motivated. She will end the year strong if she does so. And I hope she carries this confidence with her into future years of high school math – it will greatly help her succeed even when math gets challenging,” said Balasubramanian.

The post What Does it Take to be a Star? appeared first on Saga Education.

Saga Education sat down with Lindsay Lopez, an AmeriCorps member in Broward County (FL), to talk about what it’s really like to serve with Saga.

Why did you want to be an AmeriCorps member with Saga Education?

I was drawn to Saga’s mission of helping underserved students succeed academically, because there is inequity throughout the education system. Saga provides tools and technology never before used in a classroom setting that give these students a chance to succeed academically and emotionally.

A lot of students that I knew struggled in the last two years due to COVID, and had challenges with remote education. I was able to adapt to online platforms and strive in my classes. Serving for Saga allows me to give back to students and use technology in positive ways to enhance learning.

What’s a typical day like?

A day in the life as an AmeriCorps member is truly what you make of it. Saga offers both in person and online service programs, which makes it unique. I serve students online in Broward County, tutoring the same students throughout their school day through Saga’s online classroom, Saga Connect.

This is a full time service and gap year opportunity. My typical day starts with my alarm going off at 6:30 am every Monday through Friday. I have to admit, I hit snooze a few times before I get up! My supervisor calls us “The A Team” because she takes pride in how well our team collaborates and communicates with each other to best serve our students. We are like a puzzle, each of us our own piece, that makes the picture whole. We identify our strengths to create unique lessons for our students that cater to their interests and needs. The A Team starts their day by expressing our Saga pride and wearing our Saga T-shirts or pins. Today was chilly so I opted to wear my fuzzy pajama pants to work. This is one of the perks of being a remote!

How do you prepare for the day?

At 7:20 am, The A Team joins Zoom to discuss today’s activities and continue working on professional duties to prepare for class. After getting ready, I will usually spend 45 minutes making any touch-ups to my lesson plans, checking my email or calendar, and preparing my notes for the day.

When does the day begin?

Class begins around 7:40 with the start of the morning bell. I log into Saga Connect, where I meet in small groups of two or three students. Each class is split into two sessions that last 45 minutes.  I alternate between two schools every other day and tutor about thirty students in total.  We have one planning period and a 30-minute lunch break. Another perk of this job is I never forget to bring my lunch.

How do you develop relationships with the students?

We start class with an icebreaker, such as, “what are your future career goals?” I ask these questions to get to know my students. I learn about my student’s wants, needs and interests in order to give them the tools they deserve to be successful in life. We review skills they are learning in their regular algebra class by creating a virtual, interactive lesson space. The class continues with a “do now” question, a critical thinking task, practice problems, and a ticket to leave. The “do now” question and ticket to leave are mini quizzes we give in the beginning and end of class to measure student comprehension. We also design our lessons to cater to social and emotional goals, such as having students talk about their answers or explain their thinking processes.

What are some of the ways you help students tap into their own potential?

High-dosage tutoring has proved to increase math skills and long term goals of getting students to pass their end of year exams and graduate from high school. We discuss real-world topics by using icebreaker questions and having students set goals for themselves. Our students take a skills assessment quiz five times throughout the school year. I track their growth and review their scores with them after each test so they can see their progress and set goals for the next assessment.

Another strategy we use in the classroom is to tap our students into thinking in a math mindset. Many students admitted they have poor math skills or have trouble learning math. With a math mindset, we teach our students that mistakes are essential to learning, and it is important to ask questions when learning new material. Math is about creativity, making sense, forming new connections, and improving our forms of communications. Our students have adapted to these mindsets which have helped them grow in many different ways.

Can you give some examples of how your students  have shown increased self confidence?

My students provide feedback on every lesson and activity we do in class. Most feedback is positive, such as, “this lesson increased my understanding of geometric sequencing.” I ask students, “how could this lesson be improved to help you further understand the material?” Students have suggested more hands-on activities and asked how this subject can be used in real life. Students have also provided feedback on how the class has increased their self-confidence. Many students say their math skills have increased and others take it a step further by saying their communication and technological skills have improved dramatically.

Most students were unsure of this class at first because it involved using a great deal of technology and having to communicate with others through online platforms. Students struggled with learning remotely last year due to COVID, so they had apprehension about this class and its effectiveness. Most students did not want to even  turn on their camera or come off mute at first.  To their surprise, some of my students say this is their favorite class now, and they utilize their time to participate, ask questions and improve their math skills.

How do you create an atmosphere of belonging in your classroom?

For some of our students, English is not their first language. One of my teammates and I both speak Spanish as a second language so we create Spanish-translated lessons for our Spanish speaking students. We also provide Spanish versions of assessments and parent information flyers. We promote collaboration in the classroom. Our students meet in small groups to challenge each other and help gain further comprehension on subjects we are reviewing in class.

How do you keep the students engaged?

Some days, we chose group activities such as Jeopardy games and discussion forums. We are also in the process of creating virtual field trips for our students. I frequently ask students for feedback on their assignments and ways to make class more engaging.

Some of my students recently told me they would like to cover topics about mental health, budgeting, finances, college, and careers. Our team is currently implementing these ideas into our lesson plans. We collaborate on lesson planning and analyze student growth as we provide our students with innovative learning technology.

So when does your day end?

Our day is  over after we submit daily reports, attendance records, input grades, attend meetings, and update other important documents we use within our classroom. Saga  provides professional development seminars and other activities Fellows are welcome to attend after school hours. I have attended budgeting seminars and joined the Saga Book Club to keep my brain engaged even when I am not in the classroom.

How do you take care of yourself?

Sometimes I water my garden, cook, start a fire in my fire pit, or just go outside with my dogs  to breathe fresh air and soak up sunlight. Stretching between classes or sitting outside on my patio for class are other ways I stay proactive.

What are the best parts of your job?

Every day I notice how being a Fellow is making me a better version of myself. I witness dramatic increases in my student’s math, communication and technological skills. It is heartwarming when I read feedback from students and see how much they enjoy the activities we do in class.

What’s it like to work remotely?

Working remotely has been a technological revolution resulting from this pandemic. Being an AmeriCorps member with Saga allows me to have the same impact on my students and the education system everyday by using technology in innovative ways to enhance learning systems and promote equity in education.

What have your students taught you?

I have learned more about the education system as a first-year educator, than I learned as a student. This is mainly due to my students. I regularly ask them about how their day is going. Some of my  students do not have a regular Algebra teacher right now. The pandemic has caused a shortage of in-person teachers and students are being directly affected by this. Some even sit in their auditorium for half of the day because teachers are out on quarantine. They are not receiving the education they need and Saga is providing resources that have not been provided in schools pre-pandemic. I have learned that I can help these students in ways never done before. I build strong relationships with my students and celebrate their wins with them, small or big.

Acknowledging a student’s achievements improves their confidence on different levels of their emotional, social and academic growth. It comes to putting your students first. I plan differently for every student I tutor by asking “How will I challenge them today?” Sometimes, a student may not be in a math mindset. It is my job to focus on giving a positive learning experience in class and on personal growth, rather than forcing them to work on a problem they are not going to retain. I show them how thinking in a math mindset does not require us to always have to solve a math problem but real-world problems that affect us everyday.

Lindsay Lopez (she/her, they/them) is a remote Fellow, working in Broward County, FL

The post A Day in the Life of a Fellow appeared first on Saga Education.

As a Saga Fellow, we go through an extensive training program focused on the best ways to teach and build relationships with our students. What I didn’t expect was that I would learn four key life lessons from them.

1. What Real Work Ethic Looks Like

As a student, I always heard that the key to success was hard work. However, this statement never made much of an impact on me. It was not until I began working with my students at Sullivan High School in Chicago, IL that I saw what hard work and determination look like. Despite the remote setting, each one of my students came to Math Lab with a goal that they had set for themselves. I watched as they worked through each goal and solved problems through trial and error while pushing aside any frustration or doubt. Their work ethic never failed to surprise me, and I find myself following their example when I am faced with a difficult task.

2. How to Time Manage

Time management was a skill I always found myself lacking. In this day and age, the amount of distractions are endless, and prioritizing tasks was difficult for me. My students showed me that it is possible to make time for important obligations without sacrificing self-care and enjoyment. The majority of my students had family, professional and religious obligations outside of their academics. Despite their busy schedules, their assignments were almost always completed on time, and to the best of their abilities. If they had issues, they always communicated any delays to me. I try to incorporate their time management skills whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed with tasks or distracted.

3. Never Be Afraid to Ask 

As a soft-spoken person growing up, I always felt ashamed or shy to ask questions on topics I was struggling with in school. I realized that this timidness was putting me at a great disadvantage, and knew that it was something I wanted to change about myself. My students at Sullivan not only showed me that there is no shame in asking questions, but being persistent with those questions is also necessary at times. Speaking up about concerns and troubles they were experiencing and applying the answers was the key to their growth. The lesson I learned was that I didn’t have to struggle on my own, and reaching out to someone is a great tool to have.

4. Setback or Opportunity? 

The last, but most valuable, lesson I learned from my service year was the importance of optimism. The majority of my students had immigrated to the United States to seek better opportunities. Some had moved as recently as the year before, and others had moved when they were in younger grades. Regardless, making a big transition like immigrating can be very hard on a young person especially during these crucial developmental years. However, my students never brought anything other than a positive and optimistic attitude to the table. I always felt such joy from speaking with them, because these students saw setbacks as opportunities. Now, I try to see things that don’t go as planned as lessons and opportunities to better myself for the future.

When I began my service year, I did not want to set any expectations for how the year might turn out. My main goal was to be of help in any way that I could; whether it was for the students, my team or the other teachers at school. But in the end, I realized that the students I served were the most inspirational and helpful in my journey. These young people taught me lessons that I will carry with me throughout the rest of my life.

Lina Aldadah (she/her) is a law student studying at New England Law School in Boston, MA. She served as a Saga Fellow at Sullivan High School in Chicago, IL from 2020-2021.

The post Four Lessons I Learned from My Students — Saga Education appeared first on Saga Education.