A blogger named Democracy Tree reports that TFA is putting up recruitment posters in the toilets at the University of Michigan.
Probably it is to recruit teachers for the financially strapped Educational Achievement Authority, where 27% of the teachers are TFA.
The blogger reports:
“Yep, that’s Teach For America (TFA) hustling young adults while they pee — Geez, talk about lowbrow recruiting tactics. Surely it’s every graduate’s dream to say “I discovered my life’s calling in the third stall on the left in North Kedzie Hall”.
“What makes this so interesting in Michigan is that 27 percent of the teachers hired by the state’s controversial Education Achievement Authority (EAA) are from TFA. The EAA is a special school district, established by fiat, which took-over 15 academically failing schools from Detroit Public Schools. The new district lacks democratically elected leaders and is instead run by a “Chancellor” — John Covington, who readily admits that fully 51 percent of his teaching staff has less than three years experience in the classroom. Covington came to the EAA from Kansas City Public Schools where, under his watch as superintendent, the district lost its accreditation. As chancellor, he currently enjoys compensation to the tune of over $353,538.
“How does the EAA pay for that salary? In part, by hiring college graduates on the cheap. They receive a whopping five weeks of TFA training before being thrown into a classroom full of academically struggling students. Last year, Detroit-area Senator Bert Johnson (D-2) reported numerous problems with the schools — mostly due to inexperienced teachers, including one school where a dozen TFA recruits walked-off the job out of frustration.
“TFA recruits are not required to have a degree in education. In fact, the only education-related training they typically receive is the TFA summertime crash course immediately prior to their fulfilling a two-year teaching contract. Fewer than a third of them go on to pursue a career in education. With the soaring cost of higher education, and lack of jobs, TFA becomes an attractive short-term alternative to grads much in the same way as the military.”
I just bit my tongue…. ROFLMAO!
Michigan blogger eclectablog has a treasure trove of original reporting on EAA. Anyone interested in learning all the gory details of EAA will find plenty of horror stories here:
http://www.eclectablog.com/tag/eaa
Teach and Flush America. TFA.
Time to muck the stall.
So, who recruits in bathrooms?
Well, TFA; certain closeted, gay-bashing ex-Senators; and certain closeted leaders of reeducation camps for gay youth
Plumbing the depths of education destruction. Need more than two-ply for this.
Wow. Well, the first thing I wondered about was whether there were actual paper recruitment posters. Or were the ads written in sharpie or lipstick on the stall walls? Sort of like those sad scribbles you sometimes encounter in random bathrooms…”For a good time call…”
Maybe they should try to be a bit more 21st century? Every now and then my computer flashes ads that show pictures of singles and you are supposed to click on the ones that attract you. (As a happily-married senior, I’ve never been tempted.) But think of the possibilities for the teaching profession! Lots of fresh-faced young people with cute resume items: “No actual classroom experience. But I love long walks on the beach and dream of making a gazillion dollars before I’m 30.”
Look at this!
Pat
Sent from my iPad
>
A toilet is an appropriate place to recruit scabs, no?
Yess!!!
Professional teachers don’t have to be recruited. We just want to make teaching our life’s work; that’s the difference between a professional teacher and a scab.
According to the usual unconfirmed rumors, the acronym TFA (= TeachForAwhiles) is actually printed ON the toilet paper.
😧
Gives new meaning to the TFA stance that when it comes to “education reform” they are going to get to the bottom of it.
😒
But look on the bright side: they can double down on one of their favorite Marxist maxims about logical consistency and good sense—
Chico: The garbage man is here.
Groucho: Well, tell him we don’t want any.
¿? Yes, the two most famous ones.
😎
Gentle correction: the story on Democracy Tree mentions Michigan State, not the University of Michigan. That being said, the University of Michigan TFA folks have posted TFA stickers on bathroom towel dispensers in Angell Hall. Sadly, unlike posters, the stickers are difficult to remove and pose extra work for cleaning crews.
I took Latin classes in Angell Hall once upon a time.
Don’t forget to wipe your Duncan when you’re done.
The Ugli (Undergrad Library) always had the best graffiti …
Here I sit,
Broken-♡-ed —
Came to Teach
And only TFArted …
Too funny.
“You have talent, my friend. Don’t hide it under a bushel basket.”
Jim Gaffigan
TFA has crappy training so it makes sense!
Michigan State, not U of Michigan, Diane.
Every teacher remembers their first few years and how frankly horrible we were. It took time and frankly for me, watching other teachers, to finally figure out how to be a good one. TFA with a mere 5 weeks boggles my mind. What resources do they have no wonder they walked out. This entire program is an insult to the fine profession of teaching. How would you like your surgeon to have a 5 week summer course, your lawyer, your financial advisor. Teaching is a profession not just a job.. I am frankly afraid for the students under their care.
Some day there will be a film entitled: Secrets of TFA…like Secrets of the Vatican.
I strongly support TFA putting up posters in the bathrooms.
In a most economical path from wall directly into the toilet, where TFA belongs, TFA has the right idea of advertising in the bathroom.
Of course, if patrons of the bathroom ever run out of toilet paper, I cannot think of a better use of a TFA poster soliciting recruits . . . .
TFA was on a community outreach talk show this morning on Z100 FM in New York. I’m sure this is syndicated. All softball questions by the interviewer.
This is literally how all college campus recruiting is done for all organizations. I was a student at Michigan and this is how every single group I was a member of did advertising.
Right win, left wing, Christian, Jewish, Flag football, a capella….. they all did this flyering.
So, what is the story here?