teacher for america

By Jhester Naval

Lisa Bhattacharji is experiencing many changes in her life, from moving to California from the Big Apple and being a new teacher at Yerba Buena High School amid a pandemic.

Before coming to California, Bhattacharji taught at The City University of New York and New York English Academy. She was raised in New York and describes it as very fast-paced and vivid compared to California.

Bhattacharji recently joined a non-profit organization called Teach For America. The admission process was very extensive and she had to do lengthy interviews and essays.

She joined the organization because it disturbed her to see how many students did not have education opportunities.

Bhattacharji: “I wanted to work with younger people and really show them and give them beliefs in themselves to have better opportunities and to know what those opportunities were and to not limit themselves….”

Teach For America has now given her the chance to empower students in underserved communities and help them reach their potential. Teaching as a part of the organization has been much more than a career for her.

Bhattacharji: “It’s a huge emphasis on helping youth, bringing about social justice, empowering students and that’s why we are there. Not just to teach a subject, but to give youth the chances that they need.”

Bhattacharji is really grateful to be part of this organization. She is appreciative of their vision and their incredible commitment to social justice and equity.

Bhattacharji: “It's an extremely progressive, very supportive organization. They really provided excellent education support systems, a community, and they really have an incredible desire and will to help the youth of this country, to educate those people who do not have the same opportunities that many Americans do have.”

The organization has also given Bhattacharji the chance to get another Master’s degree in Education from Stanford University.

Bhattacharji now teaches social sciences at Yerba Buena High School. Her experience at Yerba Buena has been amazing, and she appreciates how the administration and teachers have been so supportive of the students and her.

Bhattacharji: “It’s just such a refreshing thing to see how much they care about the students here, that was not my experience growing up.”

However, all of these changes have also come with a lot of challenges. Balancing school with work has been one of the hardest things that Bhattacharji has done. It gives her little time off and she has to make it for herself.

Bhattacharji: “It’s been a real juggle. But it’s also made me realize a lot more what my students are going through, many of whom are working as well.”

Even through all these challenges, Bhattacharji sees the bright sides and believes that these challenges have taught her how to become a better teacher.