Every summer, we welcome our new corps members to Chicago Summer Training: a rigorous, hands-on experience that combines intensive training with immersive teaching practice and coaching. This year, a staff member and a 2019 corps member will be blogging about their on-the-ground experiences! This first post comes from Adam Mogilevsky (Eastern North Carolina '15), a high school history teacher in Chicago. During institute, he'll be coaching teachers on teaching English Language Arts, and helping them develop their instructional skills. 

Currently I am sitting in my classroom, reflecting on my year with my beautiful students. I finally was able to relax after we administered our finals. In my four years of teaching, I would say this was one for the books. After doing the corps in Eastern North Carolina, I moved back home to Chicago and got to face so many new situations both in and outside the classroom. In so many ways, this year opened up my eyes to the vast amount of inequality that students face.

There is so much to understand in both rural and urban education, which is why I have spent my time growing and learning by working at regional and national institutes. I have held a variety of roles, and each year I continuously learn new styles of teaching as well as pedagogical philosophies. This year, I decided to join the Chicago Summer Training team as a way to further grow and learn as a teacher leader, and also to help corps members be the best teachers they can be. I do this work because place matters, and the individuals working in the communities we serve make a substantial and profound impact on the future generation.

The next few days of Summer Training are a crucial time to soak up information, but also to take a moment and understand we are a part of a greater movement. This work cannot be done alone, but rather through a collective. Almost like a chain, we hold each other together, and even through the toughest situations, we are interlocked and stronger for it.

I love institute because it reminds me of my time in the corps. The relationships I made during my institute experience are unforgettable! We struggled together, we pushed one another, and ultimately we succeeded side-by-side. To those who are prospective or new corps members, I want to take a moment to tell you that your lives are about to completely change. You are going to meet your students, your fellow teachers, and you are going to begin your work as the next generation of transformational leaders.

Stay tuned for more updates from Chicago Summer Training from Adam and a '19 corps member.