After the class discussion about Teach for America, I was thinking more about TFA and whether or not the pros out weigh the cons in deciding whether or not this is something I would be interested in thinking about applying for. I have found an article that talks about the mixed reviews Teach for America has received. http://www.thedp.com/article/2012/02/teach_for_america_receives_mixed_reviews_from_the
_academic_community. After reading this article, I definitely agree on the positive outcomes that come from participating. Getting the opportunity to work with under privileged kids and leaving an impression on them and really influencing their lives would be one of the greatest feelings. I would love to have the opportunity to change the life of a child and I believe Teach for America would give me that opportunity. Some of the negatives said about Teach for America is that it has a high turnover rate. This means that after the two years commitment people leave the profession and never go back to teaching. In class, it was brought up that people just to Teach for America as something to do to that would look good on their applications and then go off to be doctors or lawyers. Yes, I do believe that there are some individuals who do this, but come on who can say they have never done a community service opportunity just because it would look good on a resume, we are all guilty of that. However, anyone who is willing to work with children and especially in under privileged communities has to have some passion for kids. I think Teach for America is a great opportunity and I will be definitely looking more into it.
I'm encouraged to hear that you care about educational inequity! In many ways, it is absolutely the social justice issue of our time.
ReplyDeleteIn regard to turnover, attrition for teachers within the first five years is incredibly high no matter how they end up in the classroom. When I was in college (I walked uphill both ways IN THE SNOW) it was a rude joke that education majors were those who needed a plan B if they earned a B.A. instead of an MRS . . . which, while shockingly offensive, seems to be a holdover from the dinosaur years when women were married off by 20 or considered lost causes. This might also skew or explain the data when teacher attrition gets calculated. So, let's say ONLY for the sake of argument that it is true most teachers who leave within 5 years do so to get married/have children. Is that somehow more acceptable than leaving to become a pediatrician or public defender (which arguably, people love to do as much as some women love being mothers)? I don't have an answer to that, and I'm not saying I believe anything I've put up for discussion, but it's something to consider. When teachers leave the classroom, what sorts of reasons do we forgive and what reasons are unacceptable? Why? "My personal children are more important than a group of 25 random ones" seems potentially just as hurtful as "I feel better suited for a different profession."
If you want to chat more about anything on your mind I might not have covered on Wednesday, grab my email address from Dr. Glassman.
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