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Teach For America
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| Ek0nomik |
Has anyone participated in or had a close friend participate in Teach For America? (http://www.teachforamerica.org/)
I am thinking about applying to teach some sort of technology class after I graduate from Uni in a year. |
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| gehzumteufel |
Do they teach the children about needing better maps of Africa? lol
On a serious note, it sounds like a good thing. |
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| CleverName |
Teach for America places you in the tiest areas in the US - innercity ghettos and the like. They pay very poorly especially given the inherent hazard involved with walking your white ass into the ghetto. I'm thinking about teaching for a year or two after college too so I looked into it. The recruiter said that since I live in Miami they would probably place me in Liberty City, an area I would never go into without body armor and an M16. Don't do it.
I'm looking into teaching english abroad as are some others on this forum. Better pay, they hook up housing, and its safer than the gun ridden slums of america. And cheaper cost of living = more savings. |
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| Ek0nomik |
| quote: | Originally posted by CleverName
Teach for America places you in the tiest areas in the US - innercity ghettos and the like. They pay very poorly especially given the inherent hazard involved with walking your white ass into the ghetto. I'm thinking about teaching for a year or two after college too so I looked into it. The recruiter said that since I live in Miami they would probably place me in Liberty City, an area I would never go into without body armor and an M16. Don't do it.
I'm looking into teaching english abroad as are some others on this forum. Better pay, they hook up housing, and its safer than the gun ridden slums of america. And cheaper cost of living = more savings. |
I want to teach in the U.S., and I don't want to teach English, I want to teach a technology class.
They put you in places where they need teachers, and obviously places that need teachers aren't in the heart of where millionaires live (although they may be in a radius of where the millionaires live).
Thanks for some of the input, but it wasn't enough to convince me not to do it. |
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| biznology |
| quote: | Originally posted by Ek0nomik
I want to teach in the U.S., and I don't want to teach English, I want to teach a technology class.
They put you in places where they need teachers, and obviously places that need teachers aren't in the heart of where millionaires live (although they may be in a radius of where the millionaires live).
Thanks for some of the input, but it wasn't enough to convince me not to do it. |
its still not a good idea...and what kind of 'technology' will you be teaching 4th graders that are lucky to have one computer per class room, if that.
teaching english in a foreign country might not be what you want to do, but that experience TEACHING, would lead you into teaching whatever you want and is a much better reference. everyone i know that has done TFA has gained very little from it and generally regrets it| |
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| CleverName |
I hear where you're coming from - english abroad is a far cry from technology in the US. But for serious, "teach for america" is not where you want to be looking. They'll put you in the middle of the ghetto in underfunded rooms with too many disaffected apathetic kids who would rather mug you for a dollar than learn anything. And the above poster is right, what kind of tech will you possibly be teaching besides Word and Powerpoint, if you're even lucky enough to get an assignment in a school with computers at all? Do what you will, but make sure you know what you're getting yourself into.
Have you tried getting in touch with other people who have done this specific program? All I know is what their propagandists have told me, I haven't done it myself nor do I know anyone who has, so i am hardly the definitive source for this.
Factors to consider:
Benefits:
-pay
-insurance
-housing
-if housing is provided, is it anywhere near your place of work? If it is close, congrats, you are in the ghetto. If it is far, congrats you have to work far from your home
-how many kids will you be teaching?
-what hours will you work? what kind of overtime will you be expected to put in? overtime compensation?
-safety of the location your school is in?
etc. that's just off the top of my head. |
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| pvc |
| quote: | Originally posted by CleverName
Teach for America places you in the tiest areas in the US - innercity ghettos and the like. They pay very poorly especially given the inherent hazard involved with walking your white ass into the ghetto. I'm thinking about teaching for a year or two after college too so I looked into it. The recruiter said that since I live in Miami they would probably place me in Liberty City, an area I would never go into without body armor and an M16. Don't do it. |
spot on.
No offense but you don't sound like you have a clue. You won't be teaching tech, you'll be dealing with inner city kids who are years behind their grade level. If you can't handle minorities who have had very little parental discipline I suggest you look else ware. Teaching isn't for the faint of heart. Why don't you volunteer at a school in the worst are near you just to get a whiff of reality. |
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| Ek0nomik |
| quote: | Originally posted by biznology
its still not a good idea...and what kind of 'technology' will you be teaching 4th graders that are lucky to have one computer per class room, if that.
teaching english in a foreign country might not be what you want to do, but that experience TEACHING, would lead you into teaching whatever you want and is a much better reference. everyone i know that has done TFA has gained very little from it and generally regrets it| |
Perhaps I'm being naive, but it isn't as if high school aged kids have the necessary teachers all across the country, and having computer classes taught there could be very beneficial. I've already thought about the one computer issue, which is why during my time there I'd also be trying to get into contact with local companies who are going to throw out computers, and I could also donate two of my own. (Although I suppose 3 total still won't be enough. :P) |
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| gehzumteufel |
| quote: | Originally posted by Ek0nomik
Perhaps I'm being naive, but it isn't as if high school aged kids have the necessary teachers all across the country, and having computer classes taught there could be very beneficial. I've already thought about the one computer issue, which is why during my time there I'd also be trying to get into contact with local companies who are going to throw out computers, and I could also donate two of my own. (Although I suppose 3 total still won't be enough. :P) |
You can't teach kids that are unmotivated, and uninterested. |
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| Silky Johnson |
| quote: | Originally posted by gehzumteufel
You can't teach kids that are unmotivated, and uninterested. |
Um hello, haven't you seen Dangerous Minds? :rolleyes: :rolleyes: |
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| biznology |
| quote: | Originally posted by jennypie
Um hello, haven't you seen Dangerous Minds? :rolleyes: :rolleyes: |
a little coolio can go a long way in the ghetto! |
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