Job Opportunity for Spanish Community-based Learning Students


Sandra Mazuera never took a Spanish community-based learning course, but she wrote about it.

After returning from her year abroad in Barcelona, Sandra continued to explore many of her interests, including writing and drama. I knew that she was a talented writer because of the interesting e-mails that she regularly sent from Barcelona (and now from Boston).

She wrote an article for the Daily Illini's Buzz about my Spanish in the Community course and students' work at the Refugee Center. It certainly did generate buzz, which was great for the course.

After graduation last May, Sandra moved to Boston to work at the MATCH Charter Public High School. Through her e-mails I have seen how meaningful this experience has been for her. Now, she and the others at MATCH are recruiting. Sandra sent this message:

Here's a little information about the MATCH Charter Public High School:
The MATCH school employs 40 recent university graduates from all over the country to live in the school in a dorm-style residence on the top floor. For one academic year, we meet with 5 or 6 students, paired with them at the beginning of the year, and tutor them every day in their classroom subjects like Algebra, Non-Fiction Literature, and US History. The student body is exactly like the average Boston Public School... almost entirely African American and Latino minorities... and our school mission is to erase the racial achievement gap that afflicts so many urban high schools in the nation. Because of the MATCH Corps tutors, our students are very high achieving. We recently ranked #1 in the state in the MCAS math proficiency test among state-wide 10th graders, and were given a special report on ABCnews in New York City.

I greatly recommend this program for students education and teaching, as well as anyone interested in doing a service year and addressing one of the most glaring social issues that faces our nation today. All majors are welcome... especially Spanish and Spanish Education. =)

Please feel free to read the ABC news article about MATCH and spread the word to your fellow students.

Thank you so much for your support with the MATCH mission!

I asked Sandra a question that I thought my Spanish students would like to know.
Ann: Are there opportunities to use Spanish in the school and neighborhood?
Sandra: Siempre hay oportunidades para usar el español aquí, sea ayudar a la maestra de Español o ayudar con llamadas telefónicas a los padres Latinos (los que no hablan bien el inglés). Este año empezamos un nuevo currículo de Español Nativo (para los estudiantes Latinos) y creo que necesitaremos mas apoyo del Español con el año que sigue, siendo que esta clase es muy nueva.

Interested? Contact Mr. Ross Trudeau (ross.trudeau@matchschool.org), Recruitment Director. Or contact Sandra (sanjomaz@gmail.com) for questions about her own experience at MATCH.

Students: If you apply for this job and have done community service learning in a school, be sure to mention that and use vivid examples from your experiences there!

Good luck, Sandra. I hope this helps interested students hook up with MATCH.

Ann

P.S. As always, I love to get e-mails from my current and former students. E-mail me, and if you give me permission, I'd love to write about you on this blog.

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