An Inside View of Teach for America

"Do I Really Teach for America? Reflections of a Teach for America Teacher" by Alex Diamond

Rethinking Schools, Spring 2010

http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/24_03/24_03_tfadiamond.shtml

Summary: Diamond is a current participant in the TFA program, which sends fresh college graduates primarily to struggling school districts for two years. He is nearing the end of his second year and uses this article as an opportunity to reflect on the successes (student achievement, gaining valuable experience as a potential future teacher) and failures (TFA's focus on primarily test-based and "objective" evaluation of students; the majority of TFA participants being privileged, white college graduates) of the program as he sees them.

Intended Audience: anyone interested in a close-up of the TFA program

Key Points:

• Teach for America has laudable goals and succeeds at a number of them, while failing to fulfill its stated mission in other areas
• As a teacher preparation program, it has been fairly successful for the author of this article-- possibly at the expense of his students, who are already in often teacher-impoverished districts (high turnover, etc.)

Relevance: I have heard a lot of things about TFA, most of them negative. I feel like this article gives the program its fair due; Diamond criticizes its flaws, points out its successes, and offers a suggestion for the future. In addition, articles like this "from the inside" are always valuable for elucidating programs about which we may only have a broad view.