Julian Vasquez Heilig recounts the story of a graduate of his university who reported plans to enter Teach for America.
The University of Texas, he says, sends more students to TFA than any other university.
This young person was filled with idealism and hope about making a difference.
Two years later, Julian received a letter, which he reprints in this post.
She said she felt unprepared; she did not get adequate support from TFA; she was isolated; she felt shame; and ultimately, she felt burned out.
Why shame?
Shame has a terrible place in this organization. I never believed that shame would become a motivator in my Teach for America experience, but shame holds onto the necks of many Corps members. Placing young college graduates in some of the toughest teaching situations with 5 weeks of training has negative repercussions on the mind, body, and soul of Corps members. The message is “If only I were stronger, smarter and more capable, I could handle this. I would be able to save my students.” Unfortunately, TFA intentionally or unintentionally preys on this shame to push Corps members to their limits to create “incredible” classrooms and “transformative” lesson plans. Would these things be good for our students? Of course. Is shame a sustainable method for creating and keeping good teachers in the classroom? Absolutely not. It is defeating and draining.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
“Unfortunately, TFA intentionally or unintentionally….”
Um, that would be the former. The only solution is to band together and refused to be shamed. One of the biggest services former TFA members can do is talk to current TFA members about their experiences, including and especially the shame. Isolation fosters shame – everyone thinks they’re the only one. But coming forward and speaking out defeats the shame because it becomes obvious that it’s a shared experience, which means it must be systemic, not personal.
What these proponents of TFA seem to do is to tap into youth and idealism. They are used to working hard and seeing their success as evidenced by their grades, etc.
There have always been those who look at education and believe that they have “the answers”…but it is through teaching that we come to realize that we don’t have all the answers. And the answers are differet for each child and each subject and each teacher and each community.
TFA teachers are victims of false expectations. The quick formulas and solutions offered by these creative lessons that take much more time to prepare than to deliver don’t work and are exhausting.
I feel like many of the changes in education have burned people out. It is the same level of exhaustion that occurs when you spend days preparing a Thanksgiving feast. Then it may or may not turn out as planned and it is over in a half an hour with cleanup left in its wake.
An unending demand for constant dog and pony shows wears teachers out physically, emotionally, spiritually, and academically. The results if the efforts are frequently not worth the effort. Everyone is worn out and disappointed.
I have noticed that often the progam s we are forced to embrace are written byv”experts” with about 3 years of experience on the classroom who then “share” their expertise via a moneymaking educational program that eventually is found to be ineffective if followed. That certainly happened with the math, science, and writing programs our district shoved down our throats.
TFA is yet another marketed panacea that will contribute to further division year by year. It will leave broken lives all around …the students and the young adults will be the victims. Teachers who have been shoved out won’t be able to puck up the pieces.
The powers to be did not plan this program well at all. Many of out TFA,s suffer through the first few years then leave They are not trained properly I spent four years and worked hard for my certification. This program is totally unfair. My district continues to hire them,. It’s money in the district pocket for more technology, heck with the teacher units or teacher support. Makes me crazy!!!
Does anyone independently vet TFA’s claims on their selection/application process? How do we know how many apply, what the acceptance rate is, what the average GPA is, etc.?
I ask because I have a 23 year old daughter and she says solicitations for TFA everywhere ( online job boards, etc.)
Is the program really as selective and competitive as we are told?
If it is, that’s fine, but is all of this stuff simply self-reported by the organization or conventional wisdom or based on TFA’ers from a decade ago? I’m just curious if everything I read about them comes exclusively from the organization itself. I don’t really consider that reliable.
As someone who has excelled at the academic game as a naive college student, I can tell you no, a B plus in a social science at a second tier university is not competitive.
The backers of TFA believe that teaching should not be a profession where teachers are on a par with doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc. No, they believe it should be a short term job like fast food, retail, temping, etc. In order to make a profit from the ultimately privatized education industry that they eventually plan to run, they need to lower the “overhead” costs, most prominently the line item of salary, benefits, retirement. You can only do that when schools are staffed by short-term temps with no collective power—i.e. unions—fighting for decent salary, benefits, retirement, etc. In essence, the TFA organization also functions as a scab organization to bust local teachers unions one at a time.
Indeed, when a TFA teacher is in trouble—from a harassment from an administrator; disruptive students out to the break the teacher; or whatever—they are barred by their TFA supervisors from going to the one source who could help them… that school’s teacher union representatives.
The TFA-ers are also programmed to attack the veteran, unionized teachers with whom they work. Check out this comment from Jeff Austin, a TFA member—also a member of an astroturf teacher group called E4E—goes at veteran teacher Mike Fiorillo on the issue of lowering class size.
NOTE: the TFA party line, as dictated by funder Bill Gates, is that class sizes should be increased… even though Gates sends his own kids to schools with small class sizes:
http://seattletimes.com/html/dannywestneat/2014437975_danny09.html
ALSO NOTE: Austin starts by saying, rightly, that the veteran teacher has “no idea who I am or what I’ve accomplished” as a teacher, as they are strangers from different states blogging to each other
Fair enough.
But then watch as he then immediately claims that he, on the other hand, possesses the power to “know” that the veteran teacher with whom he debates is a sucky teacher. Indeed, check out Austin’s Kreskin-like clairvoyance in being able to divine with absolute certainty that this veteran teacher—again, with whom Austin has ZERO first-hand knowledge or experience—
— is a “failure”,
— “cares less about your students so you can keep a job that you’re think entitled to… ”
— “complains about class size because it let’s you blame someone else for your failure.”…
— needs to realize that “anyone who knows anything about education knows that class size is hardly the biggest reason for our failing education system.”
And then he ends with “Congratulations on your mediocrity…. find someone else to blame for your failure.”
Note the TFA corps member’s total absence of irony—not to mention self-awareness—in blathering “you don’t know what I’ve accomplished” followed by his own bizarre belief and certainty that the veteran teacher is “a failure” and a “mediocrity” who “blames someone else for (his) failure.”
This spiel is all word-for-word the TFA programming at the institute and throughout their tenure… DOUBLE-CLICK on the hyperlinks in his brain that says, “lower class sizes” or “how to debate unionized veteran teachers” and, with word-for-word automaticity, out spouts this drivel:
—————————————-
JEFF AUSTIN: “You think I’m naive simply because i don’t agree with you. You have no idea who I am or what I’ve accomplished. I guarantee its far more than what you’ve accomplished bitching on comment pages about lowering class size. If you want to take the gloves off, fine.
“The fact of the matter is that you’re backing a failing system just so you can keep a job that you think you’re entitled to….
“Half of the time its people like you who could really care less about our students who complain about class size because it let’s you blame someone else for your failure.
“Anyone who knows anything about education knows that class size is hardly the biggest reason for our failing education system.”
“… Congratulations on your mediocrity. When I’m done meeting with these policymakers and actually get them to do something to improve education you can thank me. Or find something else to blame for your failure.”
———————————–
Sure Jeff…. whatever you say. I like the veteran teacher’s response:
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MIKE FIORILLO: “Wow, I’ve never realized that my sixteen years teaching in a high- poverty NYC public school, and a foot-thick file of thank you letters from current and former students, makes me a failure.
“Thank you, Jeff, for showing me the error of my ways. I now realize that, after all these years, I don’t care about kids and am only out for myself and all the other greedy union thug teachers. After all, it’s only organizations funded by Bill Gates, unlike unions, that can give teachers a voice in their workplace.
“Oh, how I loathe myself.”
“Thank you for your illuminating comments. I will now download E4E’s mission statement and genuflect on how I’ve wasted my life and destroyed the lives of my students.”
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From Diane Ravitch’s blog—the COMMENTS section—at:
Jack – thanks for sharing. I had a good laugh at the veteran teacher’s reply.
Jeff’s expertise doesn’t seem to include proper apostrophe etiquette. How are his students doing in literacy? We can already guess they’re falling behind in critical thinking.
You can no longer assume that people’s skills using apostrophes and spelling are their own errors. “Spell check” is generally a joke. You have to look back at every word to be sure there are no errors.
Between my typing skills and auto correct, it’s amazing that anything I (or anyone) writes is coherent.
The shame game is not exclusive to TFA recruits. It is the same message that seasoned teachers repeatedly get. “if you knew what you were doing, you would be able to handle this.” “If you paid attention in our most recent PD session, you would have learned…” Deb hit it on the nose when she talks about “An unending demand for constant dog and pony shows…”
The other point I forgot to add is that the experienced teachers know it take a few years to adjust to a new teaching assignment. We also would like to be there to support the younger teachers. However, the younger ones have less fear of technology and are pushed to embrace that and all the newer jargon (that replaces older jargon for the same thing). In addition, the experienced teachers who want to offer assistance need to actually play the game of the testing prep track or they are shoved out as being a hindrance to “progress”.
This is VERY true. We just had a very demoralizing faculty meeting yesterday in which we were shamed because we have “too many” students failing classes. The district is upset because “too many” kids are credit deficient. While I certainly don’t want teachers to be too harsh, HOW on earth can teachers be blamed for kids failing when the students refuse to the do the work? I’ve been told now that I have to basically accept ANY late work until the end of the term, even if it’s from the very beginning of the term. More work for me and an excuse for students. When do students have any responsibility.
Amen.
LP – don’t worry. Not too many kids will take advantage of this “extension”. Don’t expect stacks of late papers on your desk.
The “empty” student is another issue. And the less they pay attention, the harder it will be for them to re enter, even if they want to (which they don’t).
Do your best, but some kids are doomed to repeat the class. They might be having problems with their other classes as well. This is where a guidance counselor should kick in and start questioning.
Don’t beat yourself up over something you can’t control. The best you can do is hope that they learn from their mistakes.
“Don’t beat yourself up over something you can’t control. The best you can do is hope that they learn from their mistakes.”
But he is being blamed. It is his poor teaching that has led to poor performance. Don’t you know that?
And that’s the dilemma teachers now face. Still, they mustn’t personalize the abuse.
I assumed there was more support. Even with a degree in education, plus various student teaching experiences, some beginning teachers don’t make it, especially in the inner city schools. I can’t imagine having no background and no support. It’s like being thrown to the lions.
It takes more than a vision to teach.
Public school advocates have been focused on TFA’s negative impact on children and schools. That is the most important factor in this debate, but it is also worth noting, as in this post, that entering a classroom with only 5 weeks of training and a mandate to close the achievement gap is incredibly stressful and difficult. Burning out on teaching in 2 years or less (far less, for many people) is demoralizing.
For every TFA or Teaching Fellow who hopscotches into well-paid reform advocacy or Wall Street work, there are many who find themselves lost and adrift in their careers after finding out that becoming a teacher without adequate training was a bad idea.
Shame and blame NEVER works. Tell this to Duncan and the rest of the deformers. Shame and blame are also being used on students and parents, as well. What a nation we are to blame the ills of this society on teachers rather than those who make repressive education and other financial policies that make profits for the few and damage the masses who support their glorious lifestyles, and not even address poverty and unequal opportunity, not to mention the FOR PROFIT prisons and the unholy amount of money spent on the unfetterred military machinery of maiming and killing.
No kidding. Its a diversion.
The TFAer stated “Do I believe that young people are coming out of Teach For America with important skills and knowledge about education and the education system? Yes. . . ”
Bullshit to that. She’s still drinking that poisonous TFA coolade that’s all sugar and no substance. One has barely touched the surface of the teaching and learning process with two years of experience much less “coming out . . . with important skill and knowledge about education and the education system.” She’s stated that she’s basically drowning in just staying afloat in the class room but magically she’s able to “come out with important skill and knowledge”.
Sorry, little TFA butterfly, you’ve obviously learned very little in your year and a half other than to better whine in your wine about your own circumstances.
Duane, I love your use of imagery. Almost poetic. And I agree with your assessment.
Mil gracias, Ellen!
As a young enthusiastic graduate of TSU who was “indoctrinated” four years ago into the harsh militaristic system that is used in the east Austin Title I schools, I can relate to this teacher’s experience, and recognize my experience to have caused both “shame and guilt”. It still disturbs me to think that I was so naive and trusting of school authority.
As a young teacher intent on pleasing her principal, I felt helpless and guilty about participating in the the rigid and harsh treatment of my 5th grade students that my expectations required, but I did as I was told without question. I think I used enough denial to believe that my superiors knew what was best for the children. It hurt me as much as the children to see the grueling weekly practice tests, the non stop boring drill, the group punishments and individual humiliations, the mandatory mind numbing homework, and the isolation of individual students both during their work and during punishments.
Every day was the same regimen, which was always boring and always “work” focused. Try as I might to interject some of my own creativity or a bit of imagination, and the principal would write me up for not staying “on tasks”, or wasting “instructional” time.
I think she listened in on my room speaker, and I became paranoid about getting off script or allowing the children to have a few moments of rest or playful interactions.
The children never complained about the boredom or the harshness, but they always looked so sad and unemotional, like they had lost their spirit. I was not allowed to design my own artistic or creative activities, but had to rely on the worksheets developed by the cut and paste “instructional specialists”, (the Death Star ladies). I had zero flexibility of doing any activities that did not follow the rigid test prep schedule. I was not allowed to relax with my students or have spontaneous discussions, but was expected to maintain an air of “authority”. I was written up more than once for incidents that included things like, telling my students an historical account of my pioneer ancestor who came to Texas from Virginia in a covered wagon, having them design a skit that we enjoyed and “laughed” out loud (laughter was not allowed, nor was the expression of any other emotion), and allowing them to work together in groups. Everything was as regimented and harsh as if it were the Marine Corps, but without time for R & R. It became apparent early on that I was to remain detached from my students, that my role was to give orders, and theirs was to carry out my orders. Just as in the military, teachers were discouraged from fraternizing with students and parents as well.
Once a week the students were called into an assembly and given “trinkets” for their hard work if they had met their “quota” that week. That always reminded me of how the British exploited the Native Americans by giving them “trinkets” to get what they wanted.
Everything was punishment & reward, without opportunity to learn intrinsic appreciation.
By the end of the third year, I had become “emotionally flat”, but an “excellent” teacher
according to my principal. (even though I had no real life.) I was isolating myself more and not going out. I became obsessed with my school work that required never ending hours of managing data and scripted lesson plans matched to TEKS. It was all work and no play, just as it was for the students, and I sensed that my spirit was gone. My parents asked me if I was depressed. That was my rude awakening.
I decided that to survive in that environment, a teacher must either sell her soul to the devil, or leave. I was struggling financially, but I left and returned to school to complete Montessori certification. I am still healing from the experience. The shame from hurting innocent children is profound, even though I didn’t know it was hurtful at the time. I would not recommend that any new teacher start their first job in TFA or Title I Schools of Texas, since both of those jobs require that you give up your soul.
Lisa: thank you. I wish there were more people like you who had the courage to be so honestly, even if painfully, self-reflective.
Best of luck.
😎
Lisa, a sad tale. You wonder why anyone would work there. You couldn’t pay me enough money to stay in that sort of situation. Texas definitely has it’s share of educational issues.
What’s done is done. Let it go and learn from your experiences. Being a Montessori teacher will give you the opportunity to bring Joy to the children. You sound like a promising educator – it’s lucky for the Texas Schools that you survived your first exposure to teaching and persevered.
Lisa, thank you for your honesty & courage. You are not alone. I deal with fallout from hundreds of teachers with similar experiences in Arkansas, too.
What I find so frustrating is the huge number of teachers who truly believe that they are powerless to resist or, perish the thought, work together to change the balance of power.
Please share all of this material. Here in Chicago, our Board of Education mindlessly renews its million dollar subsidies with TFA every six or so months. We have people who will speak against the policy, which is backed by Rahm Emanuel and the local plutocracy, and there are more and more decent people in the corporate media who are paying attention, too.