Teach For America Rio Grande Valley works in partnership with local districts and charter schools to expand educational opportunities for children. Founded in the Rio Grande Valley in 1991, Teach For America recruits and develops a diverse corps of outstanding leaders who make an initial two-year commitment to teach in high-need schools and become lifelong leaders in the effort to end educational inequity. Since 2003, through its sponsorship of the organization, Magic Valley Electric Cooperative has supported educators who teach within our service area.
Here is a deeper look at one of those current teachers.
Brief Bio
Logan Hardy (Teach For America Rio Grande Valley ‘22 Corps) teaches 9th Grade Biology at PSJA Southwest Early College High School in Pharr, Texas.
What motivated you to apply to join Teach For America and choose to teach in your region?
After working a warehouse job and feeling like I wasn’t utilizing my college degree, I wanted to do something better with my talent. I enjoyed training people at my previous job, so I decided I wanted to teach! Without a teaching degree, I looked for alternate routes to become a certified educator. In addition to being a pathway into education, TFA’s mission of pursuing equitable education for all drew me in. Educational equity is something I hold dear to my heart. I believe all children deserve to gain a meaningful education that will help them in their future. TFA was the perfect fit for me.
What has been one of the most surprising things you’ve come to learn about education during your time as a classroom leader?
Something shocking about education is how different every day can be. One reason I pursued teaching was for the variety in each day, but it is more than I imagined! From the subject matter to the students, every day presents a new challenge that keeps me and my students interested and engaged. In biology, we can learn new things almost every day. As I prepare lessons for my students, I am also learning things along with them. Being able to share the discovery with my students makes teaching much more fun.
If you could change one thing for your students, what would it be?
If I could change one thing for my students, I would change the school lunches. I would make them more nutritious and appetizing. The number of students I see after lunch who don’t eat because they ‘don’t like it’ is staggering. That’s the biggest struggle I have with the kids. If they are not fed, they are not ready to learn.
What lessons are you learning now that will help you continue to work toward educational equity in the future?
Something I am learning now that will help me continue my work toward education equity in the future is the importance of encouraging students to earn their high school diploma. Some students feel they don’t need education to be ‘successful,’ as they define success as having money and see many ways to earn money without a high school diploma. However, these routes are often unstable and unsafe. I work to help students understand that a high school diploma can change their lives. As time goes on, I hope to continue a career in education that can improve the value students see in graduating high school.
Can you share an anecdote or personal experience from your classroom or school?
After every STAAR test and benchmark, it is such a joy seeing my students light up when they exceed their own expectations. Some students struggle to see their own potential, so when they see they perform beyond their expectations, that gives them extra motivation to accomplish great things outside of school. I help my students set realistic educational goals and work with them to create pathways to achieve those goals. Experiencing the sense of accomplishment upon reaching those goals serves as a powerful motivator for success beyond the classroom. As students enter the real world, I hope they are motivated to set personal goals, knowing the satisfaction that comes with their achievement.
