Meet the Next Generation of Changemakers: Why One New Corps Member Chose the Classroom
Max Ntalamu
EVERY GREAT TEACHER STARTS WITH A STORY
Every summer, Teach For America’s incoming corps members step into Practicum and Pre-Service with a shared goal: preparing for the first day they’ll lead a classroom. Through coaching, practice, feedback, and community, they build the skills needed to create classrooms where students feel challenged, supported, and seen. For many new teachers, the journey begins with a deeply personal reason for saying yes to education. For Max Ntalamu, an incoming Teach For America Greater Chicago–Northwest Indiana corps member, that reason is his younger brother.
Growing up in Jefferson City, Missouri, Max loved school. His younger brother did not. While he excelled academically, his brother often struggled—not because he lacked ability, but because he needed patience, understanding, and support that he didn't always receive. As one of the few Black students in a small, conservative community, his brother frequently encountered assumptions that shaped how teachers responded to him.
"When he got frustrated because he didn't understand something, instead of trying to understand why, teachers often sent him to the office or in-school suspension," Max said. "He was never a violent kid. He just needed someone to listen." Everything changed when his brother met a teacher who did exactly that.
“I want to be the teacher kids like my brother need and deserve.”
"She listened first. She was patient, adaptive, and most importantly, she saw his potential." That belief transformed his brother's confidence and future. He graduated from high school, earned an associate degree in grounds management from one of the nation's top technical schools, and, years later, that same teacher sat beside his family cheering him on at graduation.
"Watching my mom hug her and thank her for everything she'd done—that was the moment I truly understood the impact one teacher can have on a student's life," Max said. That experience sparked his own interest in education policy, eventually leading him to earn a master's degree in public policy with a specialization in education policy. But before pursuing systems-level change, he wanted firsthand classroom experience. "I want to be the teacher kids like my brother need and deserve."
Preparing for day one
This summer, Max is joining fellow incoming corps members in Practicum, where new teachers rehearse classroom routines, strengthen instructional practices, receive coaching, and prepare to meet the evolving needs of today's students. While he's eager to begin teaching, what excites him most isn't standing in front of the classroom—it's building relationships. "I'm most excited to build strong relationships with both my students and their families," he said. "Instruction is important, but if students and families don't trust you, it becomes much harder for students to engage and thrive."
That focus on relationships reflects a core part of Teach For America's summer training: helping new teachers establish classroom communities where students feel safe, valued, and ready to learn from day one. Like many first-year teachers, he also acknowledges the challenges ahead. "As a people person, classroom management makes me a little nervous," he admitted. "But I know that's something Teach For America is preparing me for, and with practice I'll get there."
Finding community before the school year begins
For many incoming corps members, one of the biggest surprises during Pre-Service is discovering they're not beginning the journey alone. "The people have made the biggest difference," Max said. "We've been incredibly supportive of one another, and we're always looking for opportunities to spend time together—even outside of training." Surrounded by peers who share a commitment to students and communities, he's already found a strong sense of belonging. "These people are motivated, kind, passionate, and excited to learn. Watching them grow every day is inspiring. I know we'll always have each other's backs."
“These people are motivated, kind, passionate, and excited to learn. Watching them grow every day is inspiring. I know we’ll always have each other’s backs.”
Carrying his family's story into the classroom
Max’s commitment to education is rooted not only in his brother's experience but also in the example set by his mother. Raised by a single mother of four in a low-income household, he says her determination shaped who he is today. "My mom worked incredibly hard to make sure we had what we needed," he said. "I'm here because of her sacrifices."
Although he often felt different growing up—both as a Black student and as someone from a low-income family attending a more affluent school—those experiences helped him understand how important it is for classrooms to be places where every student feels welcomed and respected. "Teachers set the tone. If students see a teacher treating someone with respect and care, they're more likely to do the same."
Today, those lessons guide the kind of educator he hopes to become. As a member of Generation Z entering the teaching profession, he's part of a growing group of educators choosing service, leadership, and community impact at the very start of their careers. This summer, as he prepares alongside fellow corps members, he's building the skills—and the relationships—that will help him create classrooms where every student feels seen for their potential.
Because for Max, teaching has never simply been about academics. It's about making sure every child has someone who believes in them before they believe in themselves.