"From Where I Sit" Video Series

Tiago's Story — Video Transcript

Growing up in Oakland was the tough part because there was a lot of warfare going on. You know, crack cocaine came in. So you seen a lot of people dying. And, um, it was either, you know get away or be a part of what was happening in the environment. I think after I got to junior high everything was just like, just spinning out of control. And that's where I got lost. I just got lost, you know, lost in the, in the system. And then you didn't really have anybody to, um you know, to kinda pull you up and, you know, give you advice.

You know, I didn't read. I just hated reading. My mind wanders. You know, I'm not good in testing. I mean I was, I was always fighting in school, always fighting, always getting sent out. So you kind of get away from what you're there for because I was always told by educators that I wouldn't amount up to anything, that I wouldn't be anything. I used to pray, you know, I didn't think I was gonna make it past 21. You know, especially, especially us being African American. You know, you got it's a lot, a lot of things that's against you. I didn't think I was gonna make it. I knew I had to make a change. My God parents gave me that opportunity and I moved out of Oakland and got away from the environment. I had somebody that was in my corner that believed in me.

I found out I had a learning disability in my late 20's. I was in Job Corp and I noticed when I was getting really the one-on-one, um, lessons with the teacher's and stuff, I was learning more.

You know, after dropping out of high school, not really having that self-esteem, I felt I couldn't do anything. But I was around the right people that gave me encouragement every day. My Godparents, um, worked with me so that when I had the, the foundation it was okay to say, "Hey, you know, you learn differently. Oh, okay. Yeah, you're right."

What made me think I could be a teacher is, once that foundation was really solid, I figured I can do anything.

Going to college was totally different from high school. And it was really up to you to do what you had to do. And, and I noticed just by being in college it made a lot, a lot of things easier for me because I stayed behind and talked to that professor or called up the professor or shot an email to the professor... "Like, I'll be at your door at 10:30 in the morning". I just need some help and some ideas. And I think a lot of instructors, instructors and professors buy in to that. Like "okay, this student is not trying to BS me. "This student is really out to get some help".

I remember taking a test. It was a multiple-choice test. Did a lot of erasing... a lot of erasing... and, um I turned in my test to the teacher and the teacher accused me of cheating. And I was like "I didn't cheat." "Well, you erased too much." So I had to go down and find a counselor who remembered me when I was there to kind of vouch for me. Talking to the professor and letting him know the disability, then I was able to pass the class with a, with a A. But you know, I prefer, like, presenting. If I can present, no problem, something that I, that I worked on. But, just sitting down, taking a test... I'm, I really struggle with that, even today.

I took a course and it was mainly like a lecture course and I just couldn't, couldn't get it down. I just couldn't do it. So, um, I went to the professor at the, after the first couple of classes and asked to do some extra credit and the professor turned me down. It was like, "No, we're not doing any extra credit. You can't do any, uh, other projects." So, I ended up failing that class.

When I took a college class in math, it was on video and that was like the best thing for me because even though it had 13 video tapes of Algebra, Algebra1, I was able to pause it. I was able to stretch. I was able to go back to it. I was able to rewind it. I was still able to move around and get it.

It was really good to know my professors. I mean, I would stay after work, after class, every day... every day and just helping that professor come up with solutions... like I would so this... I would do that. Not trying to get an easy ride, but just letting them know this is the way I learn.

I think I had one teacher. I enjoyed going to his class is because he, he taught in a way I think he was teaching for everybody... wasn't a lot of lecture class. You know, he gave you an assignment and he made sure he had that one-on-one.

If the teachers, instructors, professors, can teach the generation that is coming in about teaching, just to teach not one way, but many ways. Education can made a huge impact in gang violence. Um, keeping the kids in school. Because a lot of these kids get recruited when they are not in school. Breaking that cycle. Once these kids are in our schools and just trying to meet their needs. If a teacher would've gave me that chance, I would have graduated from high school. So if we can adapt, uh, the way we teach and have open ears and an open hearts, you know kids are gonna do good.

And I think, too, we label. We get a label on somebody and we don't let it go. Student can't read. Student can't write. Student drop out. Go back to the hood. You know, go to jail.

It starts with education. That's like pretty much the bottom line. So, I figure getting into teaching will help a lot of kids... a lot of students. I want to be a guy that says, "Look, I'm from here. This is what I went through. I made it out. Now I'm coming back."