Right now there is a diary on the recommend list that has gotten under my collar. Well EVERY government run program has it's good points and bad points, the Teach for America program is a Fundamentaly GOOD program.
My brother in law is currently a Teach for America teacher. He works in a low income neighborhood and his experiences have touched him and also the rest of us in the family.
He often comes home and tells us stories about his students. But first let's talk facts.
- Teach for America is VERY competitive to get in. It's a great opportunity for new college graduates and hence they get more applications than positions. In 2007 they had 18,000 applicants for 3,000 positions.
- It's a two year commitment. We are talking about kids who just graduated college. We are not talking about a lifetime commitment to the program.
- Loan Forgiveness- For every year of service, the participants get 4,725 dollars of loan forgiveness. This is a huge incentive for people who come out of college with huge student loans.
- They teach in low income communities. They are not getting plush assignments. They teach in rough conditions.
- They aren't supposed to be the best teacher's ever. They are doing a service for the community. In communities that need help. They also aren't the bottom of college students. See number 1.
As for my brother in laws experience, He has excelled at the job. His students love him. The school that he works at loves him. He has really grown up into a really great guy. He has gone above and beyond the call of his job. He tried to start a football league. He has arranged cool field trips. He has raised money for charities. But most, he reminds us on a daily basis that it's a GOOD thing for people to give back.