Found myself feeling rather defensive about posters comments re: Teach for America.  Sat for 25 minutes and threw out a defense - found on InsideEd posting about Baltimore City's increase in Teach for America teachers in 2010:

I know I shouldn't engage here, but I feel obligated to address a few points. You do clearly have a perspective about TFA, but I think you may be over-simplifying the organization. Would it be fair to say that every teacher at X school is ineffective because many of them are? Is it fair to say that a non-profit in 32 (I think) cities operates the exact same way even though each one has a different executive director and program staff? Is it fair to think that a 5-week professional development program has the capability of completely breaking down individuality for individuals who have demonstrated an ability lead in their undergrad careers? If your answer is yes to all of these questions, then I understand your premise. If not, I think it's a bit too generalized to make such bold claims about a huge cohort of individuals, each of whom have their own styles, hopes, career paths, callings, etc.

Many take on TFA careers afterwards? There are 4-5 program director positions, and maybe 4 TFA career jobs after the 2-year commitment. Of a class of 95, assuming that every job gets filled by a post-two-year corps member from a city, that means about 8.4% go on to a TFA career track. I think it's difficult to say that's "most."

In your comments you make it seem as though each corps member has intimate knowledge about the inner-workings of the organization. I don't think this is true, this coming from a corps member who has no idea how TFA operates on a national scale.

I can't tell you how many TFA emails I get as an alumnus that urge us to consider opportunities in school leadership (as a teacher-leader, assistant principal, counselor, or principal). The alumni magazine is completely filled with advertisements of schools trying to attract alumni to teach , not to oversee other TFA teachers. Anecdotal evidence, yes, but evidence nonetheless.

Looking at TFA in the teaching-only realm completely misses the point of the organization. I've written this before, so sorry for the duplication, but TFA admits (1) it's not the solution, (2) teacher retention is critical to sustainable ed reform, and (3) the educational achievement gap is too significant for educators to address it in a silo. The only way that major school reform will take place will be if many, many sectors turn their attention to education to make it a national priority. This takes policy makers, lawyers, doctors, community activists, non-profit operators, construction developers, scientists, etc to accomplish. The mission is not, "Every school will have great teachers." Rather (and unfortunately I know this phrase all too well), the mission is, "One day all children will have the opportunity to have an excellent education." That takes great teachers, but it also takes money, political will, great facilities, good health care, technological integration and development, and many other advancements. A person limits TFA's mission by evaluating the two-year teaching commitment alone.

What evidence do you have that TFA manipulates data? Individual teachers? The WHOLE ENTIRE organization fabricates data? Independent researchers not funded in any way by TFA sources are collectively involved in this conspiracy to only provide good numbers?

Data is important for all teachers, first year and beyond. Sometimes it is overwhelming, and TFA's mission pushes corps members to adopt the need to motivate/engage students to achieve at least 1.5 grade levels in one year, assuming that the majority of students being taught are at least 2 years behind their more affluent peers. To know whether this is happening, data is critical. Challenge the process and the data-collection methods, but challenging the need for data seems a bit misguided if we're willing to admit that students in rural and urban districts are generally in fact at least 2 years behind their peers who attend public schools in more affluent zip codes.

I really think it's a shame that you think TFA degrades the profession. TFA is failing if that's the message embraced by the majority of those not affiliated with the organization. However, given endorsements by the newly elected President, the U.S. Secretary of Education, many superintendents, and significant numbers of principals in Baltimore, I think that impression is not widely held. There's no question, I could be completely wrong. And if I am, TFA and it's corps members are failing.

TFA's mission/curriculum goes to great lengths to challenge assumptions corps members may have coming into the organization about race, diversity, poverty, generational gaps, etc. No question, it could do better, but it absolutely does not "teach[] members to believe that veteran teachers [] don't care about children." In fact, corps members are strongly encouraged to engage veteran teachers to learn from them and their more rich experiences. Because a few corps members may choose not to do so does not mean that the organization as a whole subscribes to the ideas you've conveyed (sorry for the double-negative).

Quick fact addressing the race issue: TFA was the single biggest employer of Spelman College graduates this year. Similar was the case for a number of other HBCUs in 2009. Say what you will about the racial diversity of the organization, but this fact alone should lead credence to the idea that the organization relentlessly pursues a diverse corps.

Should TFA not empower its members to believe that they can have a part of a mission to affect educational reform? What would you rather the organization do? Tell them education is a lost cause, do what you can for 2 years, and get out? The fact that the organization does empower corps members, and keeps tack of them after the two year commitment, I believe, is evidence that the organization hopes to keep focus on a problem that can be addressed (and, I don't think it requires a revolution - it just requires an incredible amount of attention, dedication, and major shift in national priorities).

TFA is not at all perfect, and it's not the end-all. It's a lever that's helping to nudge public attention to major educational problems in our country. It won't be the remedy, but it will be a powerful force in influencing reform agendas.

Could it be more effective? Yes. Does it constantly reform itself as an institution to strive to do so? Absolutely. The data isn't used merely to increase corp members' placement locations, it's used to change the organizational structure and mechanisms - for instance, from what I hear institute this upcoming summer is significantly different (and better) than it was for me in 2005 (this knowledge comes from a friend/alumnus who taught at Calverton for 2 years and KIPP one year and who's using the Baltimore experiences he acquired to revise the national institute curriculum to address some of the issues you've mentioned).

It's a shame that you don't like the organization (I don't want to put words in your mouth), but I hope a few things I've written slightly broaden your perspective as to the purpose of the organization.

I wrote way too much, sorry. Clearly, I think TFA has a place in ed reform, even if I agree that externalities to its expansion may result.

Today was the first full-day of interviews for the Network candidates for the City Schools.  I'm not exactly sure of the total number, but it was a fair amount.  The experience was incredibly motivating - there are some absolutely awesome people that are interested in serving in leadership roles.  The City Schools absolutely will benefit from these individuals' expertise, motivation, diversity, and willingness to be a part of this new process for the district.

With that said, there were a few discouraging moments at the end of the day.  The central office has a clear divide among those who are new and those who are less new.  I imagine this is the state of bureaucracy in most government offices.  However, in the City Schools, the gap is wide, and the constituencies' desires and priorities are very different.  The discussion of potential candidates couldn't have made that more clear.  Ultimately, I desperately hope that we get all of the great individuals into the system.  If a balance is necessary, then fine, but this is an important opportunity to nudge the ship in the right direction.

Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake met tonight with TFA alums to discuss her views on education and the future of the Teach for America movement in Baltimore City.  TFA sponsored the evening to springboard into its new plan to encourage more social and political activism amongst its corps in the City.  TFA clearly wants alums to start running for office, and this was the first big push to make the request overtly public (in Baltimore at least).  Overall, pretty decent event with a large turnout.  We'll see what comes of it.

Starting this new site.  We'll see how it goes.

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