Teach for America

During my decision about what to address this week I was initially struck with absolutely nothing to say. Brainstorming a list of options brought me to the clear truth that there is too much out there to need to address and discuss that it is intimidating at first simply to decide on one topic. There is much more to discuss but the empty blog page is always a little frightening to start just as a blank notebook page is.


I stumbled across an article which struck me as very interesting. The article was found on Education Week and it was written by the Associated Press and titled “More College Grads Join Teach for America.” Teach for America (TFA) is a very interesting organization. Wendy Kopp’s brain child has grown in popularity and respectability since its conception in 1990 as a masters’ thesis. Kopp’s success in this program is based on her understanding of how the education system works. TFA is basically a job corps for recent college graduates willing and passionate about working with high risk students. This corps provides training (5 weeks of extremely rigorous training) during the summer and places teachers in the fall in high risk areas such as inner city environments. These new teachers are typically the best of the very best and often prove to be extremely good educators.
The article by the Associated Press addresses the plethora of applicants for this noble cause. This year there were 4,100 applicants accepted out of a pool of 35,000. Not only are the numbers alone daunting but the criteria is rigid as every year and this is still drawing quite a response. There is much to be said for the reputation preceding TFA. The reputation is definitely the largest factor in drawing new applicants. This is the first year that they have turned away some individuals meeting their extremely high expectations. Why turn away these incredibly well qualified, passionate potential educators? Budget. Economy. Of course, budget and economy reasons seem to be mimicking every movement made. Even though 500 more positions were made available through TFA, there are many people who normally contribute to organizations like this one and are not doing so at this time because of the economy.


I recently read Relentless Pursuit: A Year in the Trenches with Teach for America .This book leads the reader through a year of preparation and execution of the TFA program in the roles of a few first year TFAers. It was an extremely interesting, if a bit dry, read detailing the new teacher fears and extreme circumstances. The information regarding the TFA organization was very detailed and created a deeper understanding and respect for Kopp and her quest.