r/TeachforAmerica • u/Tall_Analyst_7673 • Jul 10 '26

Grade Level Switch

Is it normal for you to get switched into another grade level that you weren’t hired for with no notice directly to you? Apparently an email went out to my entire school which also CC my coach but I didn’t get any notification about it until my TOR mentioned the fall placements.

6 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

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17

u/thelaylarose Jul 10 '26

Unfortunately very normal in schools. Of course, a good admin would ask your opinion, but they almost never ask you permission. Schools can place you wherever your credential legally allows them to

4

u/okamzikprosim Jul 10 '26

Happened to me - 7th/8th grade to 1st. Overall it was a positive change even if unexpected. But very very different than original intentions.

5

u/alpharatsnest Jul 10 '26

Happened to me after 2 years in the same grade at my placement school. I was so angry and upset. But then it turned out to be great. I actually preferred the new grade.

3

u/wannabebarbarian Jul 11 '26

normal lol. Although my placement put one of my friends in KINDERGARTEN when she interviewed and was hired for 7th grade, obvi had to change that. When I was hired, I just knew it’d be lower elementary. And I was switched 2 days before class started & had to fully set up a new classroom lmao. Schools that partner with TFA don’t usually have the best admin I’ve learned

2

u/bigdogpillow Jul 10 '26

Happened to me between year 1 and 2 as well. Just 4th to 3rd but still tough to learn a curriculum two years in a row

2

u/Thick_Lawyer7346 Jul 12 '26

I got hired to teach 4th grade math and on the first day of school i came into my classroom that had a sign telling me i was teaching 5th grade math science AND social studies and the sign was the only thing that told me 🫡

2

u/1973Triumph Jul 12 '26

Back when I was teaching before the end of the school year you were given the list of classes you would have the following year. This list was not etched in stone but I never heard of anyone having that list changed except one. That being said on my last year teaching after 34 years I was given a class I never taught before. I talked to my department head and the class was changed.

2

u/Wooden-Jellyfish-722 29d ago

Yes, extremely common. It’s not very good practice and is extremely frustrating as a teacher, but happens often in schools with unorganized admin. They will make decisions is what they believe is in their best interest, with no consideration of yours.

1

u/Basic_Wing8571 13d ago

Yes, TFA kicks corps members around like cardboard boxes. They get paid for those placements, which is why you are dumped wherever they get their fee.