About
Hello,
My name is Kwame Sarfo-Mensah and I'm the Founder & CEO of Identity Talk Consulting, LLC. Through my company, I provide professional development & consulting services to K-12 educators, school districts, colleges/universities, and educational non-profit organizations. Outside of working with schools and educators, I also offer math tutoring services to secondary level students (i.e. middle & high school levels) who need extra support in Math. Before making the transition to educational consulting, I worked as a middle school Math teacher for nine years in various schools throughout Philadelphia and Boston.
As a young boy, I loved going to school! I enjoyed learning most subjects but my favorite subject has always been Math. Math has always been a subject that has come naturally to me. Sometimes, I would not study for a test and still end up getting an ‘A’. My favorite topic to learn and teach in Math is Algebra. Algebra is my favorite Math topic because it always challenges me to think hard and critically about a problem. The thrill that I get from solving a linear equation is a feeling that is indescribable. In many ways, Math is a metaphor for life in the sense that it forces you to persevere through a difficult problem and think of multiple ways to solve it. Math, in general, is fascinating because it is all around us!
My love for Math would inspire to complete my education at Temple University where I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics and a Master's degree in Elementary Education. As a math teacher/tutor, my goal is to create a safe and respectful classroom environment where students can freely express their ideas and take academic risks without the fear of being teased by their peers. I believe when this environment is created, students will be actively engaged and ready to receive knowledge. In order for students to be successful, they must first believe that they are capable of being successful. Over the years, I have had many students enter my classroom with the belief that "Math is not their thing" or "they are not good in Math".
Although the process of changing that mindset can be challenging, it is a task that can be achieved through means of consistent positive reinforcement. The more students feel that WE, as teachers, are fully invested in their quest to be the best mathematicians they can be, the more they will push themselves to overcome their fears of numbers, variables, and equations.
That is the ultimate goal I have for every student I tutor!
If you would like to learn more about my work, you may click on the following links below:
Company Website: https://www.identitytalk4educators.com
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kwame-sarfo-mensah-76142482/
Thank you!
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
Usually when I work with a new student, I have them write a mathography, which is basically an autobiography of their personal experiences in Math. This information allows to learn more about who they are as a math student, and more importantly, as a person.
Then, I will administer a diagonistic math test to identify their areas of strength, as well as the areas where they still need to grow. From the results of this test, I co-create a learning plan with the student, which will prioritize the specific Math skills where they need the most support.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics from Temple University and I worked as a middle school Math teacher for nine years.
How did you get started teaching?
During my time in college, I worked as a tutor and mentor for the YMCA After-School program and that was my initial entry into teaching. Upon graduating from college, I started working for EducationWorks, an AmeriCorps program focused on providing high quality educational programs to schools in the Greater Philadelphia area. Since it was a non-profit governmental organization, I knew the pay wasn’t great, as non-profits are often not very well-funded. In spite of the low pay, I knew it was a great opportunity because I earned an education award of $4,725, which covered my entire first year of graduate school.
Furthermore, I was adamant about entering the education field because I wanted to serve as a role model for the Black and Brown students who yearned to have teachers who looked like them. This burning desire propelled me to be a student of my craft and absorb as much knowledge as possible from the different mentors I have had in my career, as well as learning from any single mistake made in the course of my growth. I could care less about the money!
My main goal was to become a classroom teacher by any means necessary. Yes, that meant spending two and a half years working as a full-time teaching assistant at various schools during the day and going to graduate school in the evenings. That also meant taking multiple certification tests to qualify for my initial teaching license and paying off every single penny of my entire graduate school education out of pocket. I also sacrificed personal time with friends and family all in an effort to focus more attention on my growth as an educator.
Did I experience any bumps along this journey? Absolutely!! In fact, countless!! However, the undeniable passion I have for this work gave me the momentum to keep pushing forward. I didn’t have a Plan B. The ONLY option for me was teaching because that was what was in my heart! To this day, it is still the ONLY thing that makes perfect sense to me.
What types of students have you worked with?
I love working with students who are committed to growing and learning. As an proponent of student voice, I love students who take ownership of their learning by asking questions, challenging ideas, and taking academic risks without the fear of making mistakes.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
The greatest advice I can give to students is to seek out a teacher who is passionate about learning and is fully invested in your growth as a human being.
Unfortunately, there are some teachers who approach this work as a job and, as a result, their heart isn't fully into the work. You don't want to work with someone like that.