TFA and whether it's Effective

I found the McAdam and Brandt article on Teach for America to be interesting but I’m not sure I buy all their conclusions. The authors allude to this, but “virtually all accepted applicants are already highly engaged citizens” (p966). All applicants that are accepted already have a college degree and clearly must be motivated to be involved with the community if they are applying for TFA. Even if the rate of current service activities of TFA graduates is a little below the dropouts or non-matriculant, it is still significantly higher than the average American population. Additionally, it seems to be only the 15% of TFA members with a negative experience that create the gap. The “satisfied graduates are indistinguishable from [the] other subjects” in terms of current service/civic participation. I’m not sure then that I would be too critical of TFA since the work they are doing is often stressful and certainly not easy. I would argue that teaching in a poor, inner-city school is much tougher than other service activities which could include things like working a bake sale. The fact that some TFA members burn out or are unsatisfied is not all that surprising.

However, the Kam and Palmer article as well as the Lipman article have made me consider whether or not TFA is an effective way to change the system for the better. Kam and Palmer argue that “preadult experiences and predispositions” influence the likelihood of pursuing higher education. They posit that it is less education but rather family background that influences people the most. Parents pass on values and “can transmit the importance of education to their children”. Kam and Palmer seem to minimize the effect of school on students’ decision to attend college and argue that they students were already predisposed to attend. If this is the case, then TFA would not really have much of an impact on students. If family is the most important factor, then it does not really matter if the teacher is amazing or mediocre. The focus would have to be on improving parents first through programs rather than focus on educating children.

Lipman’s article too would appear to be rather ambivalent as to whether or not TFA could have an effect. Lipman seems to make a systemic argument about education. It is not so much the teachers’ fault but rather the system that is intent on punishments and surveillance. Teachers have to “learn not to speak up against practices many privately abhor” for example. If TFA teachers have to follow the system based on test scores (like No Child Left Behind), then there is not much they can do. However, there is some hope. Lipman states that “a turn toward an equitable education that promotes critical thought and democratic public action is urgent” and would make a difference. One of TFA’s tenets is creating an equal opportunity for all regardless of race or the school district one lives in. Perhaps TFA members could help work to change the system for the better from within. At least with Lipman’s article there is a possibility for teachers to make a difference.