I've considered Teach For America for about a year now. I can't recall the first time I ever heard of it but when I did, I thought to myself that this seems like a great opportunity to get involved with at risk children and young adults. I've wanted to be a teacher when I was younger but as I grew up, I became undecided in what I wanted to do. For about two years now, teaching has kind of came back. It's an option again however, school counseling is primary right now. I just know that I want to work with youth, hence the double minor in youth development and education.
When the guest speaker came in Wednesday to talk about Teach For America, I was excited to get to hear more. I had only heard negative things really. What had bothered me were that the negative articles or blog posts I read about Teach For America were from the corp members themselves. Like she said, some people do get into Teach For America for the wrong reasons, so maybe those articles were from those type of people. Of course they would only have negative things to say if they weren't truly dedicated to the cause and unhappy. I do believe that most people go into it wanting to make a difference. Maybe it's not so much about the teachers as it is about the organization? But then I think, if it's doing such a terrible job, why is the program still around, growing, and showing some good results?
I've started my application about a month ago but I don't know if I'm going to complete it because I don't think I'd get in anyways. Maybe I'm not cut out for it because I've always questioned my ability to teach. I've also started my City Year application and I'm definitely going to complete that one and I really hope I get into it. Ironically, I received an email yesterday from the Director of Mobilization for Teach For America's Northeast Ohio office inviting me on a free trip to find out what being a corp member is like. I think I may take this opportunity to help decide if I should complete the application or not.
Here is an article from a corp member listing pros and cons of Teach For America: http://thinkevolutionary.hubpages.com/hub/Is-Teach-for-America-making-an-impact
I think it'd be a good idea for you to complete your application. If anything, it might help you decide if teaching's really for you or not. Plus, it sounds like it would be a good experience to go through! Good post!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your insight, and personally believe that there are a number of ways adults can have a positive impact on children's education. City Year, school counseling, and even volunteering at local schools would be incredibly cool for the people you would impact.
ReplyDeleteSince you didn't ask NOT to receive unsolicited advice, I'd encourage you to learn more about the program through your opportunity from the Northeast Ohio region! There are several application deadlines, so definitely take the time you need to figure out what your personal goals are. If you have time, you might also look into shadowing a City Year fellow and nearby school counselors (is that a part of your degree?) before you graduate. Remember, too, that anything you choose for yourself should be an opportunity that comes with the support you need to develop as a professional.
And feel free to get a hold of me through Dr. Glassman if you want to talk!
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