When I came to Boston University, I was impressed with how many people balanced a job on top of school and extracurriculars. From working events at our local arena, to picking up shifts at the on-campus Starbucks, it felt like everyone had such a unique experience. One person in particular stood out: Galilee Baron.Â
Galilee is a friend I met online before coming to BU, and she happens to be in one of my classes. Upon getting to know her better, Galilee mentioned that she works as a tutor for preschoolers. I found this super impressive, as many students I’ve talked to didn’t directly work with children or the Boston community. With this in mind, I wanted to interview her and understand more about her job as a tutor.
Q: What is your job?
A: I work as a tutor for preschoolers. I tutor in the south end at IBA preschool which is a bilingual preschool for English and Spanish, and the job itself is under Jumpstart.
Q: When did you start working?
A: I started working in September.
Q: Why did you choose this job?
A: I chose this job because I enjoy working with kids.
Q: When did you realize that you had a passion for helping children/teaching?
A: I realized I had a passion for helping children when I entered high school. I attended a title-1 elementary school which means it’s largely funded by the government because a large majority of the population come from a low-income background. I didn’t have the same opportunities as everyone else and realized that I wanted to do everything I could to help children who were in similar situations. I’ve always had a heart for children because many are put in situations where they’re unable to help themselves in all facets of life, and if there’s anything I can do to support them, I will.
Q: Are there any specific moments from this job that stand out to you?
A: There was one moment where I was having a very stressed out day, and we’re assigned a book to read every Monday and Wednesday and we sort of pick a group of kids to read to. However, on this day, there was this one girl, named Annika, who ran up to me and hugged me and asked if I could read to her. I thought about it for the rest of the day, and it just made me so happy to form a relationship with these children who I see twice a week.
Q: What is the importance of your job?
A: It’s important to help kids who come from low-income backgrounds with their literacy skills. It’s important to fight for education equity.
Q: Could you explain, in your own words, what education equity is?
A: Education equity is the opportunity for all children to have access to an education. It’s offering the same support, opportunities, and resources to all children who are unable to have access to one or more of these. Education equity is setting the same foundation for all children who come from various backgrounds.
Q: How has this job impacted your life?
A: After working for Jumpstart, I have realized that my passion for helping kids has only grown immensely. I’m considering switching my major to education. I’ve realized that there’s nothing more that I enjoy than working with children and being able to support them. Whenever I have a bad day, and I’m able to go into the classroom with all these familiar faces, my mood instantly gets better, and for that I’m forever thankful.
Galilee Baron is a prime example of giving back to the community and doing so in the way she knows best: teaching. Through her experience, Galilee teaches us that change can start with any level of experience, as long as you have the passion to create change. Education equity is a substantial issue in today’s society, and I feel inspired learning about Galilee’s journey to fight it.
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