Today we’d like to introduce you to Allison Fisher.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Allison. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I moved to Atlanta from New York City. Prior to moving south, I was a full-time musical theatre actress and my husband worked in advertising. While living in NYC, we would always say how perfect things would be if I booked a Broadway show and if he could be working at a prominent ad agency. Well, those dreams came true when I was cast in “Chicago” on Broadway and in 2015. And while it was an incredible experience and one I am very grateful for, we quickly realized that dream wasn’t making us very happy. We both had our “dream jobs” but we never saw each other and we’re both struggling with feeling fulfilled by our perspective jobs. So, we took a leap of faith. We both quit our jobs, packed our apartment into a U-Haul and drove down to Atlanta seeking a fresh start. While figuring out what the future would look like long term, I began teaching at a performing arts studio. I taught kids from the age of 4 all the way to 18 and absolutely loved it. I suddenly learned the joy of helping others succeed and grow and I couldn’t get enough of it. Working at the studio was incredibly fun and rewarding, but I felt a strong pull to be doing more for my Atlanta community. I applied to the Teach For America program and was placed at a Title 1 school in West Atlanta teaching 1st grade. The next two years were the most challenging, exhausting, and exhilarating of my whole life. As I taught my students to read and subtract, they taught me resilience, patience, and love. My students have so little, yet their hearts and spirits can’t be contained. My time with TFA opened my eyes to the systemic racism occurring in our school system and across our communities, as well as the resiliency of children and the power of education.
During my two years with TFA, I also pursued and completed my MAT in Special Education. My goal is to one day open up literacy centers across Atlanta to help end illiteracy among low social-economic communities as well as instill a life-long love of learning in as many children as I can. When I’m not busy teaching or being a student myself, I still perform with theaters in the Atlanta area. Performing continues to be what fills my spirit and gets me through long days of teaching. The theatre community here in Atlanta is filled with incredible people and has become like a second family for me. It is an incredible outlet for me to express myself, create with friends, and be fulfilled in only the way live theatre can fulfill someone. Theatre keeps me inspired and continues to reignite my hope in humanity.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Nothing about being a performer or a teacher is easy. As an actor you go to countless auditions and hear “no” on a regular basis. Often, I would get to the final round of an audition process only to be left feeling inadequate when told I hadn’t booked the gig. But the determination and grit it takes to make it as an actor prepares you for any challenge. I thought beating out hundreds of dancers to book a Broadway show was hard, but nothing will ever compare to the challenge of being a new teacher teaching in a failing, title one school. There were days I spent more time breaking up fights than teaching. There were days I wanted to crumble into a ball and cry right in front of my students. Teaching is hard no matter where you are, but Teach For America sends their teachers into some of the most challenging schools in the country. Schools were there is no parent involvement, students are numerous grade levels behind, and poverty is a way of life. But as with any challenging experience, the rewards you reap make any and all struggles beyond worth it. Being able to make genuine connections with my students, helping them feel safe and believed in, showing them they are capable of anything, that is better than any amount of applause.
Tell us about your work – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I specialize in teaching students with disabilities, specifically learning disabilities such as dyslexia. I pride myself in offering students a multi-sensory approach to learning that is systematic and personalized for each learner. As a performer I had to learn to never give up, no matter how many times I struggled or failed or heard “no”. This is the same grit I try to instill in my students. I encourage them to keep trying and if one avenue isn’t working, we try another. My goal is that every student feels confident in who they are and how they learn, no matter what level they may be at. This past school year, I taught first grade. Only one of my students was on grade level for reading at the beginning of the year. By March, when sadly school shut down due to COVID, 80% of my class was on grade level in reading. I am immensely proud of that and even more proud of the confidence my students were exuding and the love they had grown for learning.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success cannot be quantified. For me, I measure my success based on the effect I have on others. As a performer, I hope to give the audience an escape from their lives for a few hours. I hope to inspire them and tell a good story, to share our humanity with one another. As a teacher, I hope for the same things. Education is the key to all success, whether we receive that education in a classroom, from our family, on a job, or simply walking down the street. Our education system loves to put numbers and a “pass/fail” on our success but it is about so much more than test scores or college acceptance rates. If a student leaves my class feeling loved, feeling safe, and feeling confident, I have succeeded. If a student learns to love learning, I have succeeded. If a student is kind and accepting, I have succeeded. And hey, reading at a higher level is great too.
Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
