New Corps Members
Early applicants to the 2006 TFA corps are currently being mailed their placements. If anyone reading this has been accepted into the Mississippi Delta region, welcome. A special welcome to those that have already accepted: Marissa, Jessica, Brett, Brenna, Ryan, Bo, Angela, Joshua, and Emily. Perhaps some of you will be placed in my district -- the TFA Delta Director is looking to expand our four to ten.
Here are a couple of logistical things I was worried about that all y'all should not have to worry about:
1. Cell phone service: switch to Cingular. They are the national provider that gets the best service throughout the Delta. I have no problems with them. I get good service almost everywhere.
2. Placement: you won’t know your actual grade level until July. The best thing to do is read Fred Jones’s “Tools for Teaching,” and the reading that TFA assigns you and sends you. And call schools now and go and visit them as much as possible.
3. Housing: there will be corps members here in the Delta ready to help you find somewhere to live. There are also corps members who will house you until you have found a house.
4. Should I accept? Absolutely, but only if you’ve willing to have the most frustrating, difficult, and underappreciated job around. You will hate many days. If you can handle that, then you will also have wonderful moments. And you will love your students. If you can’t handle it, don’t join, and let Teach for America take someone else who will stick it out NO MATTER WHAT. A teacher who quits in the middle doesn’t leave the students in a neutral position, he or she impairs their learning. TFA’s sponsors invest $10,000 in every candidate because they want you to help children. Don’t waste that money and the children’s time if you can’t handle it.
5. Are there fun things to do in the Delta? Sure, but you really won’t have much time to do them. You’ll be close to a group of corps members and you’ll see the corps members in your district the most. You’ll go out on weekends, sometimes. And you’ll work the rest of the time. I estimate that I work 60-70 hour weeks on average. Some weeks I work much more. I only work less on testing weeks or short weeks.
6. The people: Even (especially) the native Deltans are welcoming and friendly. The Program directors, your fellow corps members, and even the community members will support you almost unconditionally. This is a place that needs lots of help, but it is a friendly place.
Here are a couple of logistical things I was worried about that all y'all should not have to worry about:
1. Cell phone service: switch to Cingular. They are the national provider that gets the best service throughout the Delta. I have no problems with them. I get good service almost everywhere.
2. Placement: you won’t know your actual grade level until July. The best thing to do is read Fred Jones’s “Tools for Teaching,” and the reading that TFA assigns you and sends you. And call schools now and go and visit them as much as possible.
3. Housing: there will be corps members here in the Delta ready to help you find somewhere to live. There are also corps members who will house you until you have found a house.
4. Should I accept? Absolutely, but only if you’ve willing to have the most frustrating, difficult, and underappreciated job around. You will hate many days. If you can handle that, then you will also have wonderful moments. And you will love your students. If you can’t handle it, don’t join, and let Teach for America take someone else who will stick it out NO MATTER WHAT. A teacher who quits in the middle doesn’t leave the students in a neutral position, he or she impairs their learning. TFA’s sponsors invest $10,000 in every candidate because they want you to help children. Don’t waste that money and the children’s time if you can’t handle it.
5. Are there fun things to do in the Delta? Sure, but you really won’t have much time to do them. You’ll be close to a group of corps members and you’ll see the corps members in your district the most. You’ll go out on weekends, sometimes. And you’ll work the rest of the time. I estimate that I work 60-70 hour weeks on average. Some weeks I work much more. I only work less on testing weeks or short weeks.
6. The people: Even (especially) the native Deltans are welcoming and friendly. The Program directors, your fellow corps members, and even the community members will support you almost unconditionally. This is a place that needs lots of help, but it is a friendly place.
posted by Jessica at 1:53 AM
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