For many college students, finding a job that is manageable with classes and extracurriculars is nearly impossible. Teach For America Ignite is one option that is structured to solve that problem. It is a paid, part time, virtual tutoring fellowship that connects college students with K-12 students.
Ignite is a program part of Teach For America, a national nonprofit known for placing teachers in low-income school districts. Teach For America asks participants to teach full-time for at least two years, but Ignite is a smaller commitment. Fellows for Ignite tutor online for 14 weeks, which is one semester, with support from experienced teachers.
The program is open to students of all majors, and fellows don’t need to study education or plan to become teachers. According to Teach For America’s website, the experience is meant to build skills in communication, leadership and mentorship that apply to any career path.
Arya Pandya, a seventh-semester marketing major at the University of Connecticut and an Ignite Ambassador, described the teaching content as foundational.
“Very basic math, very basic English is what we teach,” she said, but that those short sessions can shape how a student feels about learning and their commitment to coming back. Her sessions run about 30 minutes and happen several times a week.
Fellows complete 10 hours of virtual training during the onboarding process and are matched with an experienced educator who will support them throughout the semester. After that, fellows tutor small groups of students in math, reading or higher education access. Sessions take place on an online platform designed for virtual learning, so there is no commute. A laptop and a quiet place are more than enough to participate.
Fellows work three to five hours per week and commit to attending every session. Tutoring takes place during K-12 school hours, but fellows can choose times that work around their class schedules.
The placement of fellows changes every semester. Fellows are matched with a new group of students, sometimes at a different school, and they are not allowed to contact students after the term ends. Pandya said even despite the short window real bonds form, with students who are reluctant at the start often feeling sad when the semester comes to an end.
Fellows receive $1,000 per semester at the end of the term. There are two $100 bonuses; one for perfect attendance and one if a fellow returns for another semester.
Ignite also offers a path into the Teach for America Corps. Fellows who complete one semester of Ignite are fast-tracked to the final interview if they decide to apply.
Teach for America also allows fellows to support children and families facing systematic barriers and the ability to collaborate with people from different backgrounds.
Pandya joined Ignite as a transfer student before becoming a campus ambassador. She said the most rewarding part of the job has been seeing the impact of relationships on learning.
“Progress isn’t always about getting the right answer immediately,” she said. “Sometimes, it’s a student feeling comfortable enough to ask a question, trying again after getting something wrong or becoming more confident in their own abilities.”
The work has also shaped how she thinks about her own major and work. As a marketing major, she is used to thinking about audiences and messaging. Tutoring added a more personal point-of-view to that. “When a student doesn’t understand a concept the first time, you have to listen, adjust and find another way to explain it”, Arya explained.
“Communicating effectively isn’t just about explaining something well,” she said. “It’s about understanding the person you’re communicating with.”
She also said that explaining ideas to young students made her a stronger communicator in general, because it forced her to break complex ideas into simple terms. She added that Ignite made her value her own education more.
Applications are for the fellowship due Wednesday, Nov. 18. Students can apply through the Ignite page on the Teach For America website, at teachforamerica.org/ignite, which provides more details on the process.