Matt Damon's speech to teachers

[*winter*]

There already are a lot of incentives to work in urban districts. You can qualify for about 18k in student loan repayment after five years in a qualifying district. There are programs that will pay for entire degree for people who commit to three years in an urban district. Teach For America doesn't give you a degree but it's a highl competitive program that recruits amongst te best and brightest to teach in urban schools.

TFA will be the first to say money isn't the solution to the problem...and I agree.

I'm a fan of single sex classrooms as an OPTION...not mandatory. But it a parent in a larger district wants to choose this option it should be available. I did single sex HS and now I'm in the science profession. Many of our graduates are in technical professions as well; the majority have done very well for themselves despite the fact that our now closed school served a lower income urban population (for the most part).

This experience also makes me advocate for smaller schools and classrooms but with all the budget cuts...smaller schools are going away.

Along those lines, someone mentioned busing times. The disappearance of the "community school" in rural communities (a byproduct of budget cuts and forced mergers) is making commute times for these students unreal. Two hours spent on a school bus is just a waste of time when the kids in question used to be able to walk to school

[ASUADPi]

Originally Posted by *winter*

There already are a lot of incentives to work in urban districts. You can qualify for about 18k in student loan repayment after five years in a qualifying district. There are programs that will pay for entire degree for people who commit to three years in an urban district. Teach For America doesn't give you a degree but it's a highl competitive program that recruits amongst te best and brightest to teach in urban schools.

TFA will be the first to say money isn't the solution to the problem...and I agree.

I'm a fan of single sex classrooms as an OPTION...not mandatory. But it a parent in a larger district wants to choose this option it should be available. I did single sex HS and now I'm in the science profession. Many of our graduates are in technical professions as well; the majority have done very well for themselves despite the fact that our now closed school served a lower income urban population (for the most part).

This experience also makes me advocate for smaller schools and classrooms but with all the budget cuts...smaller schools are going away.

Along those lines, someone mentioned busing times. The disappearance of the "community school" in rural communities (a byproduct of budget cuts and forced mergers) is making commute times for these students unreal. Two hours spent on a school bus is just a waste of time when the kids in question used to be able to walk to school

As someone who has worked with numerous TFA teachers, let me just say that 75% of them were NOT all they were cracked up to be. TFA does recruit to people who are considered the "best and brightest" but NONE of these recruits has any background in education. TFA then throws them into a 5 week "education" program.

Now I'm not saying that all education programs are excellent, hell mine sucked, but it was definitely better than a 5 week program.

TFA isn't all its cracked up to be.

Plus, most TFA's do there 2 year stint and then book it, leaving education all together but getting a shitload of their loans paid off. Doesn't seem quite fair to those, like myself, who are in the profession for the long haul and oh wait aren't getting their loans paid off.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by ASUADPi

As someone who has worked with numerous TFA teachers, let me just say that 75% of them were NOT all they were cracked up to be. TFA does recruit to people who are considered the "best and brightest" but NONE of these recruits has any background in education. TFA then throws them into a 5 week "education" program.

Now I'm not saying that all education programs are excellent, hell mine sucked, but it was definitely better than a 5 week program.

TFA isn't all its cracked up to be.

Plus, most TFA's do there 2 year stint and then book it, leaving education all together but getting a shitload of their loans paid off. Doesn't seem quite fair to those, like myself, who are in the profession for the long haul and oh wait aren't getting their loans paid off.

She's probably the exception to the rule, but my cousin graduated in Psychology (wanted to be a HS Guidance counselor) but became a kindergarten teacher through TFA over 5 years ago and is a STAR. Her district actually uses her to teach others in her field. She's in it for the long haul, loves her kids and goes the extra mile (as does her parents who visit her classroom to help out!) for her students. They even put her in a poor performing school, and she shined there too. Some people just figure out where they were meant to be after college.

[*winter*]

Originally Posted by ASUADPi

As someone who has worked with numerous TFA teachers, let me just say that 75% of them were NOT all they were cracked up to be. TFA does recruit to people who are considered the "best and brightest" but NONE of these recruits has any background in education. TFA then throws them into a 5 week "education" program.

Now I'm not saying that all education programs are excellent, hell mine sucked, but it was definitely better than a 5 week program.

TFA isn't all its cracked up to be.

Plus, most TFA's do there 2 year stint and then book it, leaving education all together but getting a shitload of their loans paid off. Doesn't seem quite fair to those, like myself, who are in the profession for the long haul and oh wait aren't getting their loans paid off.

I agree- I was going to apply for TFA but I was completely unimpressed with their "training" program. Instead I'm applying to grad school- one that places student teachers in urban classrooms with a mentor teacher from day one, to maximize your hands on experience.