Interview with Daniel Hebert

Daniel Hebert is 23 years old and he is from Hingham Massassachusetts, right outside of Boston. Daniel graduated from the University of Richmond in the spring. Daniel got accepted to the Mississippi Teacher Corps, where he is teaching elementary age students in Batesville, Mississippi.

Q: What is Mississippi Teacher Corps program? How does it make you feel that you got accepted into it

A: “It's a program that is run through Ole Miss school of education. It has existed for 20 years. It started off with Dr. Mullins because he thought there should be an alternate route becoming a teacher. I didnt have teaching as a major in undergrad, I studied leadership and economics.”

Q: Make made you want to apply to this program?

A: “At first I thought I didnt want to apply because rural mississippi wasnt a place I wanted to go. I applied to Teach For America and got denied. Mississippi seemed more appealing after I didn't get in cause I wanted to teach so bad. I like the isolation now and the quiet, seems a lot more appealing to me”

Q: Do you feel any different as a person being able to help underpriveleged children?

A: “ I don't like the word help. They are the same person as you and me. They are great kids. They laugh and have a good time.They dont need help, they just need the same structure as everyone else. It feels really cool to help them. I feel really challenged cause it's hard to be a first year teacher in this enviroment. I work from 5am and plan till 10pm. I don't help them, I get help out of it.”

Q: What is it like being in the south rather than the north?

A: “It's a lot more quiet. It's good, I get to find me and im not surrounded by a large city like what I am use to living in Boston. I have to adapt myself and start saying the word ya'll so that I do not offend any of my students in the class by saying the word guys.”