Education, social justice, Christ-centered, equity, MEMPHIS!
With these five themes, Quinn Kathrineberg, a junior major at 91短视频, recently attempted to spark interest among her fellow classmates about (MTR).
In true MTR Camp fashion, she might have asked the group to yell those words out loud.
MTR Camp brings undergraduate students of all majors into the city to serve at 聽summer enrichment camps. While the day is structured, there鈥檚 plenty of emphasis on fun, engaging activities 鈥� and lots of chanting and dancing 鈥渢o get kids excited about learning,鈥� Kathrineberg says, adding that one of her fondest memories will be 鈥測elling 鈥業 love to learn鈥� at the top of my lungs every day with my fellow staff members and about 80 kids.鈥�
Learning for All
With a co-teacher, Kathrineberg taught math to about 20 first through third-graders. Students eat breakfast and lunch on site and are instructed in math, reading and artistic enrichment.
When the students leave at 3 p.m., the staffers, who were housed in the dorms at the Memphis College of Art, prep for the next day鈥檚 classes. On evenings and weekends, the group participated in planned activities that often delved into topics of race, vocation, community and biblical context. They visited community development organizations, went on Sunday morning outings to different churches and had time to explore Memphis.
Founded in 2008, MTR sponsors a post-baccalaureate program in which students complete a tuition-free master鈥檚 degree in urban education and teaching credential with housing and a living stipend provided; in return, they pledge to work three years in Memphis high needs schools afterwards.
The enrichment camp, which provides teaching opportunities to undergraduate students, is in its third year, Kathrineberg says, and expanded from one to three schools this past summer.
The goals of聽MTR Camp聽are to reduce summer learning regression, promote a love of learning and expose college students to urban education, says camp director Candace Obadina. The organization鈥檚 mission is 鈥淐hristian love expressed in equal education.鈥�
Around the Country
Kathrineberg, who hails from Salina, Kansas, learned about the program during her sophomore year at Hesston College. She worked from early June to mid-July in Memphis and then moved north to Virginia to start her junior year at 91短视频, indelibly changed by the experience.
Teaching is a way to help work against educational injustices, to play a role in breaking the cycles of poverty, violence, mass incarceration, drug and alcohol addiction, she says. Ultimately, though, 鈥渢eaching is how I want to fulfill the gospel of loving my neighbor.鈥�
That became clear during the last day of camp, when she and her co-teacher wrote individual notes to each student. When there was extra time, the students asked their two teachers to read their notes to them.
鈥淲hat came next was this beautiful, organic time where my co-teacher and I got to actually tell each student how important they were and how much they had grown in five short weeks.鈥�
Watching the students glow under that special attention was something Kathrineberg says she鈥檒l never forget. The sharing of love back and forth between students and teachers 鈥� 鈥渢hey knew that was something special.鈥�
What else did Quinn learn?
Sharing just a few “take-aways” from her summer experience was tough, but here’s a few:
- One鈥檚 zip code shouldn鈥檛 determine the quality of education.
- Small moments or actions that don鈥檛 seem meaningful may greatly impact a student.
- It is important to hold all students to high expectations because everyone is capable.
- Students know more than we think they do about themselves and what they need to learn best.