Teach for America (or Britain, Haiti, Lithuania...)

Teacher Recruitment, High-fliers in the Classroom.

The Economist. February 14th, 2015.

http://www.economist.com/news/international/21643146-programmes-place-bright-and-ambitious-graduates-poor-schools-are-spreading-around

Key Points:

• The article asserts that problems in education are, at least in part, a result of the low-caliber of teacher recruits
• Teach for America is lauded as a solution, with discussion given to similar international organizations.
• Statistics provided in support: %50-%70 of TFA (and similar) participants stay in education after their two-year commitment.

Intended Audience:

• The regular readership of this broad spectrum magazine devoted to free trade, laissez faire government, and the dismal science.  

Relevance:

• With high likelihood of encountering teachers, administrators, and policy makers who began in TFA it is beneficial to understand a perspective in support of the program.
• I am curious about teacher education abroad, and certainly open to “copy-cat” models in countries with severe education needs.
• This particular perspective is problematic to the degree that it portrays these “high-fliers” as heroes who are the only hope for otherwise hopeless masses. Ivy-league success does not a culturally-competent public servant make.