Teach for America recruits
By Lauren Searson, staff writer
Posted on October 30, 2006

Teach for America is in the process of recruiting students interested in educating children from some of the nation’s lowest-income communities.

“The skills you gain are tremendous,” Stephen de Man, recruitment director for the organization, said. 

Teach for America consists of a selected group of recent college graduates who help struggling students. Participants in this organization are trained in summer institutes and then placed in 25 locations where they are paid as full-time teachers.

Senior David Allen recently applied for the program and is waiting to hear whether or not he has been accepted.

“I decided to do Teach for America because I grew up in a low-income area,” Allen said, “and I was lucky to be in a largely military area that put a lot of resources into education.”

The program is open to students of any major.  Students who feel their field may not necessarily apply to children can help teach general education for elementary students.

Participants are given the same exam as actual teachers and after completing the minimum of two years, they are certified as teachers.  If a student fails the exam, they can take it at a later date that year.

De Man was an American studies major who applied for the program in 2003 and graduated from Georgetown University in 2004.  He taught in the Rio Grande Valley beginning in 2006.

To help his students better relate to the history material, de Man and fellow teachers raised $37,000 to bring the kids to Washington, D.C.

“For most of the kids, it was their first time being on an airplane, seeing buildings with elevators and being around people who spoke languages other than English and Spanish,” he said.

They visited places like the White House, where they had receptions with prominent Hispanic speakers.

Once students find out they’re accepted into the program, they do some pre-institute work. After graduation, students have about two weeks before they visit their regions and meet fellow teachers.

The earliest a student can apply is during their senior year, but de Man said people can apply anytime after graduation. Upcoming deadlines are Nov. 5, Jan. 7 and Feb. 17.
Allen recommends seeing Teach for America staffers on campus to understand what qualities are looked at in prospective students and for help in making the right choice.

“I found out about the program,” Allen said, “and a week later I knew this is the way I wanted to start the beginning of my ‘real life’ experience.”

De Man said doing Teach for America gives students skills that will help them in future careers and won’t interfere with students’ post-graduation goals. Plus, he added that the selected students will be challenged in their perseverance.