Teach for America vs. Alternative Certification

[rockymtn]

Originally Posted by plummagic

The five week summer institute is not a crash course in your certification process- it is an opportunity to learn specifically about your roles and responsibilities as a teacher and give you the tools you need to be successful in your position. You will also be teaching summer school in the region you are accepted to during this time period. Once the school year begins, you will be taking your own classes towards certification. This is not a quick fix.

5 weeks isn't a crash course/quick fix?

TFA must have an awesome Zero to urban hero program.

[TabulaRasa]

I think the point was that the 5 weeks are designed as an intro...not teacher boot camp.

There is no teacher boot camp. Even people who do the traditional certification route with the requisite semester-long practicum experience aren't getting a "crash course." You learn as you go when you are a new teacher. This is true for alt cert teachers, it's true for TFA teachers, it's true for those who went through traditional bachelor's/certification programs.

You never "learn how to be a teacher," whether it's in a high-risk urban or rural environment, a well-funded district with plentiful resources, or a nontraditional alternative school or private agency, until you JUST DO IT, have your successes and your failures, stumble, fall, do and re-do, and stick with it.

[rockymtn]

Originally Posted by TabulaRasa

I think the point was that the 5 weeks are designed as an intro...not teacher boot camp.

There is no teacher boot camp. Even people who do the traditional certification route with the requisite semester-long practicum experience aren't getting a "crash course." You learn as you go when you are a new teacher. This is true for alt cert teachers, it's true for TFA teachers, it's true for those who went through traditional bachelor's/certification programs.

You never "learn how to be a teacher," whether it's in a high-risk urban or rural environment, a well-funded district with plentiful resources, or a nontraditional alternative school or private agency, until you JUST DO IT, have your successes and your failures, stumble, fall, do and re-do, and stick with it.

I hear what you're saying-I miss read the previous post. I need to stop posting after midnight, my eyes start to cross and the brain decelerates.

[marie5v]

I wouldn't bother with TFA. Once your time with them is up, are you even qualified to teach anymore? Alternative certification is permanent, and you can choose your own school and not bother with TFA politics or their extensive interviewing and application procedures. If you get certified in special ed or something like that there is probably still a market for you - I know there is where I live. Just check your local district to make sure before you spend the money. It's even better if you work in the school system as a sub or aid or something as you complete the certification. I did that and had a job waiting for me when I finished.