Joel and Suuad all smiles after sharing life as a teacher in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Education in America can vary depending on the state, city, and neighborhood. Is it any wonder why there is a lack of consistency in the expectations of what it means to be a successful student and teacher? To gain a better perspective on what teaching is like elsewhere, I sat down with two young Cincinnati teachers to discuss the demands of its educators. I discovered the expectations as a teacher are the same, but changes based on whether it is a private, charter, or public school. They shared the cultural challenges they face teaching primarily African-American students. Despite these challenges, they were able to find a connection allowing their students to discover their own voices within. For both Joel and Suuad, who came out of the University of Cincinnati teaching program, they found the path to teaching differently. Their insight in being reflective of their teaching practices has helped them become more aware about the impact they have standing in front of the classroom.
Joel is part of Teach For America and continues to teach Science to middle-schoolers in the Cincinnati Public Schools. He is currently spending his summer in Miami teaching a summer coding camp with the Kode With Klossy program. Suaad Hansbhai teaches 4th-6th grade Language Arts and Social Studies at North Avondale Montessori School. She is working with other teachers on a curriculum to help teachers understand trauma in the classroom. The goal is to address the racial biases that arise when dealing with classroom management. She is also rewriting the Social Studies curriculum to be more reflective of the diversity among her students. Both will begin their third year of teaching in the Fall.
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