I quit Teach for America; will this hurt me? Forum

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theadvancededit

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Re: I quit Teach for America; will this hurt me?

Post by theadvancededit » Sat Oct 15, 2011 4:22 pm

Just leave it off and concentrate on moving on to something you'll enjoy doing more.

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Experimental Section

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Re: I quit Teach for America; will this hurt me?

Post by Experimental Section » Mon Oct 17, 2011 9:20 am

Why would you put this on your resume?? You worked with TFA for only two months?? Putting this on your resume is very, very stupid. This has to be a flame. If in the .000001% chance this thread is real, then here is the correct answer: Don't put in on your resume. Don't write an addendum. Don't mention it. Durrrrrr... /Thread

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Bildungsroman

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Re: I quit Teach for America; will this hurt me?

Post by Bildungsroman » Mon Oct 17, 2011 11:07 am

Experimental Section wrote:Why would you put this on your resume?? You worked with TFA for only two months?? Putting this on your resume is very, very stupid. This has to be a flame. If in the .000001% chance this thread is real, then here is the correct answer: Don't put in on your resume. Don't write an addendum. Don't mention it. Durrrrrr... /Thread
Check yourself before you insult someone else's intelligence, retard. Plenty of apps very explicitly require you to put down the last x jobs you've held, in which case the OP doesn't have the option of not disclosing this and therefore needs to figure out how to best mitigate the damage it might do.

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Kabuo

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Re: I quit Teach for America; will this hurt me?

Post by Kabuo » Mon Oct 17, 2011 12:03 pm

zephyr36 wrote:I quit simply because I realized that I was self-aware that I simply did not have the capabilities to put in 100% for these kids for a full two years. I'll probably write an addendum explaining in greater detail why I chose to quit the program, but I'm hoping this will at least be neutral for adcomms?
What's it like to realize that you're self-aware of your own capabilities? Some kind of trip?

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Kabuo

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Re: I quit Teach for America; will this hurt me?

Post by Kabuo » Mon Oct 17, 2011 12:04 pm

minnesotasam wrote:Lotta nonsense itt from people who have no idea what they're talking about. A permanent sub is the replacement in the vast majority of cases; in those where they don't have use a permanent sub you'll often get teachers who are doing the annual intradistrict shuffle and there's a reason those people are never asked back to their previous school.

TFA's recruiting criteria are certainly debatable but I think it's more hilarious that there are people like the OP who seemingly don't realize that a) you actually have to TEACH in Teach For America, like, all by yourself and junk and b) it sucks. It's insane that so many corps members quit (my year lost >15%) considering that everyone and their mother says it sucks and a simple visit to a standard TFA classroom/school will tell you what you need to know. People come into with this cheerleader sis-boom-rah attitude despite the overwhelming evidence that it is an entirely difficult and often frustrating experience. To somehow assume that you won't get bogged down in the way tens of thousands before you have is merely arrogant and it drives me bananas.

There are, however, corps members who know exactly what they're getting themselves into, sign up, fulfill their commitment, and move on with their lives (either in or out of education). There are lots of us in fact, those of us who actually deeply considered the decision to join and didn't do it because it was supposedly prestigious or it would help you get laid (even though it is--supposedly--and it does help).

Btw OP the kids are likely NOT better in the long run, because while your hole might be filled by a veteran teacher (who may even be good, even though it's unlikely), that's one less competent teacher in the pool for the classroom he/she would have taught in had you not bailed. Somewhere down the ladder there are children getting a marginally worse education because you didn't really put much thought into joining. All of this also ignores the applicant to TFA whose spot you got that genuinely wanted to teach for two years or more, although there's a distinct chance they were going to quit as well.
+1, and also, I bet you love proximate cause.

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oregonlady

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Re: I quit Teach for America; will this hurt me?

Post by oregonlady » Thu Apr 26, 2018 7:56 pm

Hello, I know this thread was from a while back but wondering about something for a friend who seems to be getting no help.

My friend is about 6 months pregnant and is getting ready to finish her first year with TFA. On a regular basis her students literally throw desks, kick trash cans, trying to knock over bookcases, scream at her, etc. like I could not make this up. by any measure this is an unsafe work environment, especially for a pregnant woman.
The school refuses to do anything and TFA says she can’t be moved to another school.

Her husband just got a better paying job in another state so they will be moving but TFA has apparently told her she can’t transfer to another state, if she does her contract will be cancelled and she can’t work at another TFA school. She was hoping to find another school to work at after they move.

Is any of the information she’s been given really true? Anyone know of resources for help?

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cannonballer

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Re: I quit Teach for America; will this hurt me?

Post by cannonballer » Thu Apr 26, 2018 9:30 pm

oregonlady wrote:Hello, I know this thread was from a while back but wondering about something for a friend who seems to be getting no help.

My friend is about 6 months pregnant and is getting ready to finish her first year with TFA. On a regular basis her students literally throw desks, kick trash cans, trying to knock over bookcases, scream at her, etc. like I could not make this up. by any measure this is an unsafe work environment, especially for a pregnant woman.
The school refuses to do anything and TFA says she can’t be moved to another school.

Her husband just got a better paying job in another state so they will be moving but TFA has apparently told her she can’t transfer to another state, if she does her contract will be cancelled and she can’t work at another TFA school. She was hoping to find another school to work at after they move.

Is any of the information she’s been given really true? Anyone know of resources for help?
Contracting with TFA is an agreement to teach where you're placed for two years. They have absolutely no obligation to place your friend in a new school in a different state. That being said, they also can't tell her she "can't work at another TFA school" because there's no such thing as a "TFA school." Rather, TFA contracts with schools and districts to place their corps members there. Your friend would need to apply to schools and districts directly in the new state. She'll also need to transfer her credential to that new state - which I'd advise her to start looking into ASAP, as it can be quite a pain.

Regarding her safety this year, if she works in a unionized district I'd strongly advise her to appeal to her union for support. Also, this really isn't the best forum for this discussion (especially given this is a 7 year old post) - if you want any more advice please post with an email (it can be a throwaway) and I'm happy to keep talking.

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