Latin teacher applying for Teach For America

[kittie]

Hey there, bums!

I'm a Latin and Greek teacher interested in changing things up a bit in my life.

I'm applying for 5 phd programs. I already have an MA in Classics.

As a Plan C, I just submitted my application for Teach For America!

I'm very excited about it, but I'm not sure if the higher ups even want Latin/Greek teachers.

I know that they evaluate my transcripts, and I have quite a few Classics classes that centered on Literature, Mythology, Tragedy, and History.

Would they even consider me as a teacher of something other than Latin/Greek?

I know that Latin teachers are popular in big cities, but I'd rather be out in the country. I even put South Dakota and New Mexico as my top 2 choices because I like the idea of being in the middle of nowhere, living, eating, and teaching students on the reservation.

Anyways, it's a great opportunity and you should all look into it. It's basically peace corps, but for teachers and in the USA. You sign up for 2 years and you don't have to pay your student loans during that time. Plus, when you're done, they give you funds to help pay off your student loans. Not to mention the incredible experience you'll have teaching in a situation that is way out of your comfort zone!

ROWR

[spozik]

I'm sure that they would consider you for teaching English or History, and they are much more likely to need that than they are Latin or Greek. From those who I know who have done TFA, I don't think that it's extremely difficult to get accepted into the program. If you already have an idea of what it's like to teach and have a teaching philosophy, you'll probably ace the group interview.

Also (this is mainly for perhaps other aspiring teachers on this board), keep in mind that you do not by any means need a program like Teach for America to go teach in a "tough" school. I think that what they do is good, but at its core it's a placement service with a support group and supplementary classes already in place. I don't mean to knock their mission or their accomplishments as a program, but you can make the same difference in those school systems by just applying to teach there the old-fashioned way. Even if you aren't certified, many states have a provisional license for high-demand subjects, and Latin is often one of them.

[intextrovert]

TFA won't have you teaching Greek or Latin - in most of the schools (I have a LOT of friends who did TFA after graduation), the kids need basic English in high school. They don't necessarily place you according to your academic background - my geography major friend was assigned to teach math and science, a poli sci friend did English, etc. I would guess they would put you in English. You really should be warned that teaching at a TFA school is generally very, very rough - it takes a lot out of you. There's a reason the dropout rate is about 50%. You have to realize you won't mostly be teaching your subject necessarily, but how to be a student (classroom management, etc.) It's a great thing to do of course, but I know a lot of my friends - even the ones who stuck it out and/or stayed teaching in low-income districts - felt they were killing themselves with minimal payoff because the schools, systems, environments, etc. were really dysfunctional. You have to know what you're going into.

If you want to teach Greek or Latin, apply to private schools - no teaching certification required!

[LateAntique]

Hey there, bums!

I'm a Latin and Greek teacher interested in changing things up a bit in my life.

I'm applying for 5 phd programs. I already have an MA in Classics.

As a Plan C, I just submitted my application for Teach For America!

I'm very excited about it, but I'm not sure if the higher ups even want Latin/Greek teachers.

I know that they evaluate my transcripts, and I have quite a few Classics classes that centered on Literature, Mythology, Tragedy, and History.

Would they even consider me as a teacher of something other than Latin/Greek?

I know that Latin teachers are popular in big cities, but I'd rather be out in the country. I even put South Dakota and New Mexico as my top 2 choices because I like the idea of being in the middle of nowhere, living, eating, and teaching students on the reservation.

Anyways, it's a great opportunity and you should all look into it. It's basically peace corps, but for teachers and in the USA. You sign up for 2 years and you don't have to pay your student loans during that time. Plus, when you're done, they give you funds to help pay off your student loans. Not to mention the incredible experience you'll have teaching in a situation that is way out of your comfort zone!

ROWR

You want to eat students?! Someone call TFA and tell them not to accept this guy!

[kittie]

I've been a teacher for a long time, but even I am intimidated by Teach For America.

I tried to get teacher certified here in Nevada, but they cut the program due to budget cuts. It would have taken 2 years anyway.

I think that part of the reason why the dropout rate is 50% is because most of the people participating in the program are inexperienced. They have no idea of what's expected of them. They don't understand that they are required to make teaching their whole lives and work an insane amount of hours. For the 22 year olds who have never had a full time job, let alone a full time teaching job, this is just more than they can handle. Even with my level of experience, TFA makes me extremely nervous, but it's just too good an opportunity to pass up.

One of my advisors did a similar program in Boston in the 90s. He taught Latin to children who normally would not have access to it and he loved it, even with all its challenges. He's more excited about it than he is about my phd application.

If I do get into the TFA, I'm glad that they won't ask me to teach Latin or Greek. I've been doing that for awhile now and I am ready for something different. I am a language teacher, but I want to be more than that. History sounds so much more fun. TFA sounds like a great program because you get teacher certified and most of the locations give you the option of earning a Masters in Education at an additional cost. I'm not that interested in becoming a BA, MA, MA Ed, but I'm glad I have the option.

I applied to many private schools looking for Latin and Greek teachers in the past. They want people who have experience teaching middle and high schoolers, not young adults. In this economy, they can pick and choose who they want to hire. Applying for private schools is my Plan B and TFA is my Plan C.

Scary as it is, I see TFA as a trial by fire, which will come with teacher certification.