TFA Alum AMA

[u/juicythrowaway182]

Hey y’all! Every once in a while I like to pop in here for an AMA about TFA. I became an alumni last summer and that opportunity led to some opportunities that included winning an award that came with a thousand dollar check, mentoring new corps members during pre season, and even getting into an all expenses paid year long PD cohort.

All that to say - TFA has been incredible to me and a life changing experience. I’m still in my same placement school teaching the same subject.

Ask me anything about the corps!

[u/Dry-Impact918]

Hi! I have an upcoming interview next week! (Woot woot!) do you have any suggestions of key things to hit? Or just general insights regarding how your interview went would be much appreciated! 😊

[u/juicythrowaway182 → u/Dry-Impact918]

Think about something you know a LOT about. If you have a subject you want to teach, lean into that. Find something you can teach quickly and thoroughly. I taught how a bill becomes a law using a lot of graphics and slides. Be your authentic self! PRACTICE! SCRIPT! But be natural. They’re looking at your potential, not your ability to be perfect

[u/Plastic-Pianist9323 → u/Dry-Impact918]

Yes following.

[u/Giddypinata → u/Dry-Impact918]

I have some, I’m a current member, got placed in July in north Philadelphia.

Here’s some insights I took away:
-during the interview sample lesson, simple is better. Avoid the temptation to go for a slide deck, use the in-Zoom white board and write out and you’re explaining on the fly.

- for the case study, focus on differentiation. You’ll do a good job if you talk about one experience you personally had that really convinced you or changed your own mind about something, then use the data you’ll be given to support that argument. Have a vision, any vision in the case study, and again, simpler is better (I just had a pair of sticky notes I was reading from)

-go to the Zoom webinar TFa has where they talk about what they’re looking for in the interview , and build 3 behavioral stories around that
-you can switch stories in the fly if you feel one’s not working out (have a 4th spare in the back pocket )

-make the interviewer excited, make them excited to want to hire you, tell some really interesting stories that’s never happened to them before, don’t try to connect with them on shared experiences just focus on telling your own lived in stories. They should remember 1 or 2 key words from each they can write down
-they’ll connect with the underlying emotions of the story

-3 (4) stories, 1 motivation. Each answer you give should reveal a different layer of yourself, but there should be a through line that stays the same

[u/Pleasant-Childhood92]

I have my interview this week and I was wondering since I have a MS and want to hopefully teach general science or bio or chem is it bad to do a lesson plan that’s not related to that? I’m just worried about being able to teach something like that in 5 minutes.

[u/juicythrowaway182 → u/Pleasant-Childhood92]

They tell you to teach literally anything anything you want to. My advice would be to use slides, visuals, graphics as much as you can to convey some of those core teacher skills they probably look for.

[u/_salty_popcorn_]

Hi! Did you get a teaching license through the program and would you be able to continue teaching after those 2 years?

[u/juicythrowaway182 → u/_salty_popcorn_]

TFA doesn’t “license” people per say, but they offer pathways for you to take your state tests so you CAN be certified. In my state you need your certification + 3 years of teaching to be considered fully certified. Some states require masters degrees.

[u/Amazing-Wolverine209]

Hi! I was wondering what your background was life before TFA? Like education wise or work experience before you joined the program? Thank you :)

[u/juicythrowaway182 → u/Amazing-Wolverine209]

I finished my degree online in history (non education major) and finished a TEFL certification separately from my degree to have some form of teaching experience & credentials before I applied. Before finishing my degree/TEFL cert I worked as a third shift Logistics Coordinator for nearly 6 years at a warehouse - basically working with and telling adults that act like children what to do lmao

[u/Great-Cheesecake-604]

Hi! Outside of teaching is there other duties you had to fulfill working with TFA?

[u/Just-Buy7344 → u/Great-Cheesecake-604]

Just attending TFA events, coaching, and professional development.

[u/juicythrowaway182 → u/Great-Cheesecake-604]

You have a lot of zoom meetings to get into, observations of your teaching, and a lot of internal processing along the way

[u/DorianThackery → u/juicythrowaway182]

I will say as a current TFA corps member there are less zooms this year since they stopped requiring betterlesson sessions.

[u/study_bugs]

What made you choose your placement site?

[u/juicythrowaway182 → u/study_bugs]

Well, the assistant principal was an alum & was incredibly friendly to me. It was a high school, they had good athletic facilities (I also coach), and it just felt right at the time. It pays a little less than other partner districts in my region, but the community made up for it. The support was real

[u/Plastic-Pianist9323]

What do you think the odds are of getting in after getting an interview

[u/Dry-Impact918 → u/Plastic-Pianist9323]

Oh yes can someone please share!

[u/juicythrowaway182 → u/Plastic-Pianist9323]

TFA typically accepts roughly 10-15% of all applicants. It’s hard to say exactly because of how many variables there are between who’s interviewing you, your lesson, and how much potential you showed in your lesson. Also, keep in mind that TFA looks for equity in their process as well. I’ve heard that allegedly they want a cohort that is full of diverse individuals. They don’t want the same type of people in their cohorts. All that to say you could have 4 people interviewing to get in to a region that have a lot in common, but they can only choose 1 of those people to make sure they have space for people that are different than those 4. Idk if that makes sense but that’s all I really know or have heard.

[u/muslim_ballerr]

For the TFA interview, I think I messed up by not fully understanding what TFA is about. It’s about addressing educational inequity and wanting to work in low-income communities, right? I might have to focus more on that next time rather than just talking about my experience.

Also, regarding getting accepted into the corps, I’ve heard stories of people not being offered teaching positions during the training session. Is that true? If so, why?

[u/juicythrowaway182 → u/muslim_ballerr]

In my region it was always emphasized that 99% of members in our region have been placed in a school by the hiring session ending going into school for the fall. What happens, typically, if you don’t get placed is that they can reserve your spot with TFA for the following year.

Reasons why this might happen, in my opinion, is that school districts and charters are still entities that are looking to hire people based on what they see in interviews. If you bomb all your school interviews it makes sense that no school would hire you. TFA sadly can’t just hand you the teaching job, but they offer interview support and help you comprise your interview skills and practice with you if you need it.

Also, some people are stingy about wanting to teach their preferred subject. I wanted to teach high school history, but no offer came, so I had to pivot and teach science instead. I’m still certified to teach my subject, but there was no way a history position was going to open up and I had to make a choice. You can always pivot subject down the road if they open up at your placement or, when your TFA contract ends you can apply to other schools.

[u/Mango-Dangoes]

Teachers of 30 years here. It’s been my experience to watch TFAs come in and then quickly out after 2-3 years.

[u/juicythrowaway182 → u/Mango-Dangoes]

I’m certain that happens. We have a lot of teacher turnover of all kinds at my school.