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Looks like they want people with a BA Degree in any subject. I wonder if those teaching posts are being flooded with applicants who actually went to college to become a teacher? If not, what's the problem. A motivated teacher is better than no teacher.
If they can't find traditionally trained teachers, that's one thing. But TFA has been taking slots where there is not a teaching shortage. The way they work is TFA contracts for (example) 30 teachers. The school district pays a finder's fee not top of salary, but the slot is definitely going to a TFA recruit and no one else is eligible for that position.
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Originally Posted by ocnjgirl
Teach America still requires a bachelor's degree. All teachers don't have a degree specifically in education. Math teacher for instance can have a degree in math, English teachers in English, and still teach. It's not like you can just be a high school grad, take the 5-week course and teach for them.
You still have to have a specific set of courses geared toward educational theory, techniques, and adolescent/child behavior. TFA teachers are not required to have them. If you don't think those courses are necessary, that's one thing. The problem is the state requires these for all potential teachers, but is giving positions to TFA and ignoring the requirements.
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Originally Posted by Momma_bear
I believe you have to have a degree to enter TFA so it's not like the teachers are completely uneducated.
No one said they were uneducated or were not good people. Just saying that they are being given special favoritism at the expense of fully qualified teachers who went through the requirements.
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Originally Posted by toobusytoday
My daughter was in a school with TFA people. All of them were Ivy league grads and in NYC had to get NY certification. She said that they actually had more support and on-site training than any of the other new teachers. That said, burn out was a bit faster even with the support and more of them dropped out before the year was out compared to the other newbie teachers. The thing is TFA teachers are put in usually urban schools that are hard for any teacher. My understanding is that they are not paid for by the school district so there a big savings for cash strapped urban schools. I'm not a fan of TFA.
They are actually paid by the school district, but it's cheaper to pay a first or second year teacher, than it is to pay a veteran teacher. But TFA also has a finders fee for each teacher (between $2,000-$5,000) normally. So that doesn't seem to be a good deal. Honestly, I think TFA is robbing taxpayers and several people have caught onto it. But it will take time as TFA has a $300 million dollar war chest and plenty of lobbyists.
No one said they were uneducated or were not good people. Just saying that they are being given special favoritism at the expense of fully qualified teachers who went through the requirements.
The OP seems to think that a bachelor's degree is not necessary for TFA.
The OP seems to think that a bachelor's degree is not necessary for TFA.
Maybe. But she should be angry that she has to major in a specific subject (or two depending upon the state she's in), complete two semesters of student teaching and education related courses before going through the dog and pony show known as certification while a TFA corp member can be given "highly qualified" certification status after five weeks of training while having a BA or BS in whatever.
The OP seems to think that a bachelor's degree is not necessary for TFA.
I'm sorry if the post came across like that, I know that TFA candidates need a BA or need to be ayear away from receiving one. That's why I said that I don't believe all are incapable. I do have a prejudice against them because the few TFA teachers I have had have been completely awful.
The teacher I mentioned in the OP had a BA in engineering and was a social studies teacher- I often had to correct him on some things, and he openly said that the only history courses he took were the required courses for his BA which is typically HIS since and From 1877; he said the rest was from the book. It was evident that he had never had to deal with behavior issues, and was quite frankly awful with his students. He often made comments about "those student" in regular level classes to my honors level class. In my opinion he was completely ill prepared to be in a classroom.
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Maybe. But she should be angry that she has to major in a specific subject (or two depending upon the state she's in), complete two semesters of student teaching and education related courses before going through the dog and pony show known as certification while a TFA corp member can be given "highly qualified" certification status after five weeks of training while having a BA or BS in whatever
THIS. Starting next semester (Spring freshman year) I will begin observations, and will continue observations until I do my full time Student Teaching during my senior year. I will have 2 full semesters of student teaching. And I will have 36 credits of a concentration in addition to like 80 credits of teaching courses; i.e the teaching classes, I take 3 each semester; 3 psych courses, etc.
Our hard-core ghetto school has 3 of the 4 TFA teachers who started out last year. None is expected to stay an extra year. The students know when the TFA crew come that they have no interest in anything other that getting their student loans forgiven and getting padding for their resume. One teacher in particular has made no bones about declaring that he will be in law school next year. In the meantime, he sees himself as the Great White Hope come to Rescue the Children.
TFA teachers come, then they go just as quickly. They are quality people, but they have no classroom management skills which are crucial for handling the near-constant disruptions. One of ours was nearly dismissed after a student was seriously hurt in a classroom disruption. The students are not reluctant to say that they are all in over their heads when it comes to basic teaching skills.
After 21 years in the ghetto, I have the street cred and connections with the students' families that make my classroom management situation more bearable. You can't get that in a year or two. I taught many of my students' parents, and I joke that I will be around to teach their children too. Who knows, I may just make it another 15-20 years.
Looks like they want people with a BA Degree in any subject. I wonder if those teaching posts are being flooded with applicants who actually went to college to become a teacher? If not, what's the problem. A motivated teacher is better than no teacher.
You still have to have a specific set of courses geared toward educational theory, techniques, and adolescent/child behavior. TFA teachers are not required to have them. If you don't think those courses are necessary, that's one thing. The problem is the state requires these for all potential teachers, but is giving positions to TFA and ignoring the requirements.
I don't know how it is in another places but in NY you are given a "transitional certificate" and then you complete your M.S. within five years (though, if you're in those programs, it's two years) where you take all of these classes. You sit for the same exams.
I don't necessarily think it's fair but to say that all people who go through teaching programs will automatically teach better than those who have no teaching experience is also untrue. Everyone at the place I was at who was a top scorer (meaning, had the most students who passed required exams) was from a TfA/TF program, not a traditional teacher. But most people are right---most of them are in awful schools and inevitably, most of them bail. (And yes, definitely some nice resume padding---the ones I know have left for medical school, vet school, etc.)
I don't know how it is in another places but in NY you are given a "transitional certificate" and then you complete your M.S. within five years (though, if you're in those programs, it's two years) where you take all of these classes. You sit for the same exams.
I don't necessarily think it's fair but to say that all people who go through teaching programs will automatically teach better than those who have no teaching experience is also untrue. Everyone at the place I was at who was a top scorer (meaning, had the most students who passed required exams) was from a TfA/TF program, not a traditional teacher. But most people are right---most of them are in awful schools and inevitably, most of them bail. (And yes, definitely some nice resume padding---the ones I know have left for medical school, vet school, etc.)
Who said that all traditionally trained teachers automatically teach better? The point is that TFA is given special exceptions. As for having the top test scorers in class, that only verifies my position that TFAers are spending too much time teaching kids how to bubble in a test rather than teaching proper techniques, critical thinking and love of learning.
Does no one else have a Lateral Entry Program into teaching in their state?
Do you mean other alternate certifications? In this state (and most I believe), you can get a professional certificate if you have a bachelor's degree. It's at least one year of education courses and 1-2 semesters of supervised student teaching.
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