Be prepared that if you do not drink the Kool-Aid for this cult, you will be ostracized. Do not have a mind of your own. Do not have any opinions. Just agree with everything they say - no matter how ridiculous, stupid or unprofessional that it might be and you should succeed.
Of course, I do not take my own advice, because I'm an intelligent, opinionated, strong-willed (read: stubborn), experienced (read: old) personality, who has little time for nonsense and hates to have time wasted when it can be better utilized. The problem with TFA is that they are used to dealing with (generally) 22 year old ivy league graduates who more often than not grew up in a sheltered, privileged world and have very little idea of reality, which is the complete opposite of me. Here's the latest on my experience with TFA Massachusetts ("TFAM"):
In late November 2012, while I was attending a class at Boston University as part of my Master’s program, I made an innocent comment which was completely misinterpreted by a fellow TFAM corps member - I have no idea who. Because instead of discussing this comment and making their dissatisfaction known to me, this corps member went directly to the Executive Director ("the E.D.") of TFAM to register a complaint. A couple of weeks later, the E.D. contacted me that he wanted to “have a meeting” regarding this comment. I refused to meet with him and explained to the E.D. that a meeting with him is an inappropriate response to the issue and that the corps member should have come to me instead of registering a complaint with him, which would be the professional way to handle this issue. The E.D. told me that he was "disappointed" in my response. <shrugs> Whatever.
After that correspondence between the E.D. and myself, I was essentially cut off from any support from TFAM; not that I care. The TFAM staffer who is supposed to be mentoring me (ha!) has made only one visit to my classroom which was back in October 2012 and I have never seen or heard from her since. This ostracizing by the TFAM staff was not actually communicated to me directly, but the writing is pretty clear on the wall that I am persona non grata. On Friday, February 22, 2013, the E.D. called my cell phone and left a voicemail attempting yet again to schedule a meeting with me about this now three-month old comment. In this voicemail, the E.D. stated that “wants to get back on the track of supporting” me and we can get back to “working together in all the right ways.” (My suspicions were confirmed with those statements.) Once again, I emailed the E.D. that I will not meet with him regarding this issue which is a personal matter that should have been handled in the moment, that the comment was made 3 months ago and well past the time of talking about it. I finally decided enough was enough and sent a letter of complaint to the TFA National Office about the unprofessional behavior of the TFAM staff and am now waiting for a reply.
It is the most redonkulous situation. Remember career changers: TFA will get you into the classroom faster than going the traditional route of student teaching while in graduate school, but there is a hefty price to pay!!!
Side note: a couple of new photos were posted to My First Year of Teaching photo album. Enjoy!
A friend of mine posted this video today and it's awesome. Best video EVER! I hope I'm just like Nana in 40 years. Make sure you listen to her last sentence. Word, Nana!
After that correspondence between the E.D. and myself, I was essentially cut off from any support from TFAM; not that I care. The TFAM staffer who is supposed to be mentoring me (ha!) has made only one visit to my classroom which was back in October 2012 and I have never seen or heard from her since. This ostracizing by the TFAM staff was not actually communicated to me directly, but the writing is pretty clear on the wall that I am persona non grata. On Friday, February 22, 2013, the E.D. called my cell phone and left a voicemail attempting yet again to schedule a meeting with me about this now three-month old comment. In this voicemail, the E.D. stated that “wants to get back on the track of supporting” me and we can get back to “working together in all the right ways.” (My suspicions were confirmed with those statements.) Once again, I emailed the E.D. that I will not meet with him regarding this issue which is a personal matter that should have been handled in the moment, that the comment was made 3 months ago and well past the time of talking about it. I finally decided enough was enough and sent a letter of complaint to the TFA National Office about the unprofessional behavior of the TFAM staff and am now waiting for a reply.
It is the most redonkulous situation. Remember career changers: TFA will get you into the classroom faster than going the traditional route of student teaching while in graduate school, but there is a hefty price to pay!!!
Side note: a couple of new photos were posted to My First Year of Teaching photo album. Enjoy!
A friend of mine posted this video today and it's awesome. Best video EVER! I hope I'm just like Nana in 40 years. Make sure you listen to her last sentence. Word, Nana!
4 comments:
Sandi, I'm going to PM you about TFA. Need some advice on behalf of my partner, Joseph.
Hey, Troy. Glad to be of assistance.
Gee, since I am about to make a career change to teaching, I read your posts specific to teaching with anticipation and serious reflection. I am sadden by your experience, but I totally support you and your position: "Speak truth to power."
Thanks, Alvin, for the support. Like I say, there is no better career than teaching, except perhaps performing. I love my new career. I'm not even sure I would change anything that I've done. I loathe TFA but I am teaching. Just be careful if you go through a teaching corps is my advice..
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