I started my career in education with a non-profit organization known as Breakthrough. This nationwide organization believes that all young people should have access to quality education and a clear path to college. They provide support for students from 5th-12th grade. And the location I joined was at the SF Day School, just down the street from my alma mater, the University of San Francisco (USF).
After I changed majors, I took it upon myself to find some way to gain experience teaching. I was looking for teacher aid jobs, private tutoring, but nothing I could find online really fit my needs. I didn’t know where to look. USF’s School of Education (SoE) held an on-campus resource fair for their students to network. Unfortunately, I missed every networking event for the SoE, fraternities, and other on-campus organizations. Being an off-campus transfer student was pretty tough.
Luckily, a program assistant from the SoE sent out an email with links to the various non-profits and organizations looking for students to work with. Every link asked for an essay, transcripts, recommendations, and various other requirements that were needed well in advance to complete their application by the deadline—some deadlines I had already missed, on top of missing the on-campus resource fair. In retrospect, I was probably too disorganized to meet any of these deadlines, but it felt like the world kept throwing me curveballs.
Breakthrough San Francisco was the only organization with open enrollment, volunteer-based, and had the least amount of requirements. I sent in an email and was soon after invited to interview with the program director. I’m sure it was surreal when I joined, but everything happened fast. I ended up at an orientation that trained all the tutors ranging from first-year high school students to college seniors and even parents. There was a minimum commitment of tutoring once a week. Over time I dedicated more of myself from one to three times a week.
At the time, my parents were upset that I was dedicating so many hours after school to volunteer instead of focusing on my studies or putting in more hours at work. But I wanted to immerse myself in the closest possible classroom setting I could get into before I got too deep into USF’s Dual Degree Teaching Program (DDTP). I did not want to regret my choice again. I fell in love with my tutees, or my students rather, than the actual act of tutoring. So much that even other students wanted to be a part of my tutoring group.
Breakthrough had done mid-semester check-ins with their tutors. And I think at this point, it was clear to the admin team that I was one of the few students who came from USF’s SoE/DDTP program. I remember some of the directors proposing the idea of their summer teaching fellowship to me. They suggested I apply, but I was not sure how committed I was yet. Come January, I had an interview with one of the directors for the fellowship, and informed me that applications were due that week.
As I dug through my emails and looked at my 2015 tutoring application. My responses show the attraction and love I had for the Breakthrough community. By Summer 2015, I found myself teaching in an intense nine-week program. One of the most challenging things I have done in my life. It was a full six weeks of teaching, planning, meetings, and organizing student life. You check out the fun captured in this recap video I made of that summer.
October 2021, I had the pleasure of reconnecting with the executive director of Breakthrough SF to be highlighted as one of their teachers for their annual report. It was a pleasure to reminisce and update an old friend on my growth and progress as a teacher. It was interesting to see how much I’ve changed as a teacher since I joined their program. Breakthrough SF set me up for success as a new educator. It gave me the field experience I wasn’t getting at school. It gave me the confidence to become a teacher. Read about our chat together here on Breakthrough SF’s website.
Breakthrough has had a larger impact on my life than just preparing me to teach. The lives I have taught remain connected to me today. It’s an honor to see some of my tutees in college now, making a difference in the world. Or running into them as we lead our lives. I’m blessed that Breakthrough gave me a chance. If it was not for them, I don’t know that teaching as a career would have played out as it did.
Balasbas Says 