A blogger at Feministe writes:
But teaching is one of those careers that doesn’t lend itself to career switching. It’s one of those careers where the longer you do it, the better you get at it (though I’m sure there are limits to this, depending on the person). And, unlike, say, a job as a copy-editor or an architect or an art dealer, when you are a teacher it really matters that you be good at what you do, since there is no one to catch and correct your mistakes before they’ve poisoned your students’ learning experiences in some way or another. If it is your job to make sure that a bunch of six year olds learn basic reading skills, and you fail, you may have just seriously fucked some six year olds. Maybe most of them will catch up in the second grade, but maybe some wont (especially if their second grade teacher is also straight out of the pre-service training…). If it is your job to make sure a bunch of 19 year olds understand basic math concepts well enough to pass a high school exit exam, and you fail, some of those students might never go back and graduate.I’m not saying any of this to overstate the importance of teachers in the lives or their students or to freakout any first, second, third, or fourth year teachers about their individual failures (myself, obviously, included). Every new (and veteran) teacher is allowed to make mistakes. Further, I’m not saying that teachers are obligated to stay forever in shitty work environments with principals and administration that treat them badly, or in careers that they don’t find satisfying. What I’m getting at is that there is something wrong with a system that floods poorly performing schools with inexperienced teachers who leave just as they are becoming experienced teachers.
Which is why I hate Teach for America.
3 responses so far ↓
Michelle // August 27, 2008 at 7:51 pm |
A problem, of course, is that everyone starts out inexperienced, and the only way to get better is to keep working and become more experienced. And I agree that it’s unfortunate that often a new teacher can only find work at some of the poorer schools (comparatively poorly funded, less support for teachers, etc.). I do think it might be a mistake, however, to believe that simply a teacher is new (pre-service teachers being those who aren’t actually teachers yet) might not be able to undo at least some of the damage done by previous teachers. (I didn’t go through TFA; I’m a career-changer new teacher who got state-certification with my undergraduate degree (which wasn’t in education). I have had the experience that I was able to explain some of the material in such a way that several of my students understood the material better than the seasoned veteran, who had less patience than I, in one case; and who didn’t go through a teacher education program as I had, in another case.)
mastap // September 7, 2008 at 1:39 am |
Teaching is without a doubt one of those professions where the learning curve is steep and mistakes, like in any first year profession, take time to overcome. It is easy to bash an organization without truly taking the time to understand it. You are quick to point out that first year teachers struggle, and that placing them in under-resourced schools adds to the difficulties. That will be the case with any teacher no matter how well trained, rather as an education major right out of college, someone with a masters degree, a member of the Teaching Fellows, or someone from Teach For America. T he obstacles are across the board no matter where you teach, where you received your education, and whether or not you are affiliated with an organization.
Teach For America is an organization looking to partner with teachers, educators, and administrators in bridging the nation’s most pervasive problem, not one looking to damage students. For those who are quick to criticize that it leaves poorly trained teachers in precarious situations, consider that most first year teachers face the same challenge. Teach For America, however, helps to fill a fundamental shortage of teachers in low income communities. Too often, even experienced teachers jettison underperforming schools for the suburbs. It is my understanding that Teach For America seeks to partner with Teaching Fellows, and those dedicated teachers (not to say those who leave are not committed) in servicing the lower income communities to the best of their abilities. Few if any first or second year teachers are as successful as they want to be, but every day the vast majority of Teach For America corps members show up with energy, enthusiasm, and attempting to use innovations or similar techniques as experienced teachers. Teach For America is a data-driven organization, which means it is constantly evolving, analyzing, and finding ways to better prepare its teachers to make an immediate impact, and although that is not always the case each year their corps members enter much more prepared.
In response to your criticism that corps members often leave after beginning to become effective and after having a significant amount of time invested into training them, I cannot disagree entirely. However, I would like to point out several facts that you are quick to overlook. Over 60% of Teach For America’s alumni stay in education. A large number of these people may never have even considered teaching or education before being recruited by Teach For America. This creates a legion of devoted teachers who continue to learn and add to their schools after their two year commitment is complete.
The purpose of debate and open public discourse is always to seek to share information and enlighten. I cannot deny that I am biased as a second year corps member teaching in the South Bronx. That being said, I cannot hide certain biases as well. However, as someone from part of the organization and who has undergone the training I can tell you that corps members deeply care about their students and are well aware that their failures as teachers affects much more than their pride, but the lives of their students. Few first year teachers are successful, but that does not mean that all Teach For America’s are unsuccessful. Over 30% achieve Significant Gains, a term reserved for building students’ reading levels by over 1.5 years or having the class master over 80% of their objectives. A greater percentage has Solid Gains in their students, which also seeks a strong movement forward in the academic ability of their students. Again, this does not mean all are successful, but a substantial portion are not screwing uptheir students’ lives.
As mentioned, I am a second year corps member, and I am currently mulling the difficult decision of whether or not to continue teaching. This is not an easy choice, especially after seeing drastic improvements in my own craft only a week into my second year. Part of the tenet of the Teach For America mission is that the achievement gap is so persistent and widespread that it requires committed individuals in different sectors with direct knowledge of these challenges. Which teachers would not want to see people in finance, consulting, lawyers, nonprofit employees, and politicians, who shared their growing pains wanting to help them and supporting education? I know if I do not end up teaching (something that I did not consider before joining Teach For America) that my experiences will go with me in any profession, and I will do my part whether by giving time, mind power, networks, or financial support to help all teachers battling the achievement gap. The reality is that inner city schools need teachers. Teach For America provides that. Career teachers who are in the trenches could benefit from support outside of their schools and corps members and alumni are looking to provide this in the future. We are all in this together and should spend time trying to work together rather than criticize.
I hope this helps provide more insight into the organization that you are quick to attack.
sell // February 17, 2009 at 9:01 pm |
You hear more and more that we need to reform education, but we don’t. We need to reform America and its culture that it has adopted. Parents no longer want to parent and the worst parents seem to reproduce the most despite their usual low economic output,dysfunctional culture, and level of intelligence. Teachers should just refuse to take jobs in these communities- what would America do then? (besides expand Teach For America)
I say let it all burn down.