So this is not remotely close to being finished...but for the sake of prompt posting, here is the beginning of my argument paper. As a former employee of TFA I feel a bit like a traitor, but working there gave me so much insight to the amazing work that they do, but also to the many flaws in their system.
In today’s media packed culture of logos and slogans, branding can be the key to success. Slogans and fast paced promotional videos with meticulously orchestrated emotion evoking music can be the difference between success and failure. Teach For America is one organization that has recognized the importance of branding and has leveraged this knowledge to become a household name and powerhouse in the world of education reform. Their mission statement, “One day, all children in this nation will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education.” is concise and inspirational. Who is going to disagree with this mission statement? No average donor or potential applicant is going to see this slogan or view Teach For America promotional videos and think to themselves “Actually, no. I’d rather not have all children receive an excellent education” But behind the sleek exterior and artfully crafted rhetoric, lies an organization that has inherent cracks in its foundation. Teach For America is admirable for shining a spotlight on the achievement gap and the need to address education inequity throughout the nation, there are serious deficiencies in their teacher preparation program and overall structure. These gaps and deficiencies lead to poorly prepared teachers and a system that does not truly address the educational gap in a long term, meaningful manner. These fundamental flaws are manifested in an imperfect program, which is truly a disservice to Teach For America corps members and the students and communities that they serve.
Teach For America prides itself on recruiting applicants and creating a corp of individuals who they consider to be future leaders. According to their website, Teach For America corps members have “Demonstrated past leadership and achievement: achieving ambitious, measurable results in academic, professional, extracurricular, or volunteer settings” Examples of leadership roles include student government positions and high ranking positions in Greek organizations. While leadership experience is always a positive addition to a resume, knowledge of educational theories and strategies are far more valuable for a future teacher than having been voted president of an undergraduate fraternity. 94% of 2010 corps have no formal training in the field of education, with only 6% of corps members having received an undergraduate degree in education.
