{"id":26665,"date":"2016-01-22T11:38:44","date_gmt":"2016-01-22T16:38:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/?p=26665"},"modified":"2016-11-10T10:53:08","modified_gmt":"2016-11-10T15:53:08","slug":"an-internship-in-memphis-last-summer-gave-this-future-teacher-the-opportunity-to-share-her-love-of-learning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2016\/an-internship-in-memphis-last-summer-gave-this-future-teacher-the-opportunity-to-share-her-love-of-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"An internship in Memphis last summer gave this future teacher the opportunity to share her love of learning"},"content":{"rendered":"

Education, social justice, Christ-centered, equity, MEMPHIS!<\/p>\n

With these five themes, Quinn Kathrineberg, a junior English education<\/a> major at Eastern Mennonite University, recently attempted to spark interest among her fellow classmates about Memphis Teacher Residency<\/a> (MTR).<\/p>\n

In true MTR Camp fashion, she might have asked the group to yell those words out loud.<\/p>\n

MTR Camp brings undergraduate students of all majors into the city to serve at \u00a0summer enrichment camps. While the day is structured, there\u2019s plenty of emphasis on fun, engaging activities \u2026 and lots of chanting and dancing \u201cto get kids excited about learning,\u201d Kathrineberg says, adding that one of her fondest memories will be \u201cyelling \u2018I love to learn\u2019 at the top of my lungs every day with my fellow staff members and about 80 kids.\u201d<\/p>\n

Learning for All<\/h3>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

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A scrapbook brings back fond memories to Quinn Kathrineberg of the Memphis schoolchildren she worked with last summer, who have inspired her to continue her plans to teach in the future.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Founded in 2008, MTR sponsors a post-baccalaureate program in which students complete a tuition-free master\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The goals of\u00a0MTR Camp\u00a0are to reduce summer learning regression, promote a love of learning and expose college students to urban education, says camp director Candace Obadina. The organization\u2019s mission is \u201cChristian love expressed in equal education.\u201d<\/p>\n

Around the Country<\/h3>\n

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 EMU, indelibly changed by the experience.<\/p>\n

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, \u201cteaching is how I want to fulfill the gospel of loving my neighbor.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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Quinn Kathrineberg is a transfer student from Hesston College. This summer, she moved from Kansas to work in Memphis for the summer, then headed to EMU in Virginia to start her junior year.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWhat 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Watching the students glow under that special attention was something Kathrineberg says she\u2019ll never forget. The sharing of love back and forth between students and teachers \u2013 \u201cthey knew that was something special.\u201d<\/p>\n

What else did Quinn learn? <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Sharing just a few “take-aways” from her summer experience was tough, but here’s a few:<\/p>\n