Antonio Garcia, TAC, History/Social Studies

FACTS: Antonio is an educator and community organizer concerned with revolutionizing public education. He has dedicated most of his young professional career to communities in Los Angeles and New York, including work in various youth development capacities in the Bedford-Stuyvesant, South Bronx, Harlem, Boyle Heights, Crenshaw District and Watts communities. "I love interacting with young people and I love the process and exchange of learning. I am also concerned with the disproportionate number of inadequate teachers and schools in poor, working class communities." On the challenge presented by TEP, Antonio adds, "The program seeks to accomplish in a year, what many programs do in two full academic years. There is a lot of balancing to be done. Harvard is also a place where it is necessary to push the envelope on critical examinations of urban education. Ultimately, I am in this program because I want to empower young people through teaching."

Antonio enjoys photography and traveling and is currently researching the efficacy of small schools and community based schools in increasing student academic achievement and empowerment.

INSIDE SCOOP: Education and teacher education programs are not immune to political pressures and realities. The ability and practice of reflection is essential to becoming a strong teacher. Schooling is a socializing endeavor and I want to make sure that it liberates, not cripples a young person to becoming an active and responsible world citizen.

This program is fitting for a person who knows they want to teach, especially for a person who has not been exposed to teaching and education. It does focus strongly on foundational principles. The best part of this program is teaching and interacting with students. It would help to set goals or create questions you have about teaching or education and explore them during the Summer Academy.