Monday, June 7, 2010
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
TFA be accepted into graduate school,
From Page 1 or enter into an academic adminis-
tration or non-profit management
ates from the traditional approach career.
to teacher certification, she feels the Sallen, who received e-mails from
organization has many of the same TFA throughout the year, said she
goals as the School of Education at the feels she was recruited because she
University. was president of Sigma Kappa soror-
"Teach for America is very commit- ity in 2008. Three other 2008 sorority
ted to preparing teachers who can be presidents also joined the organiza-
successful with students who often tion, she said.
haven't had very good teaching," Ball Of the incoming TFA members,
said. 89 percent maintained a significant
Since the majority of TFA mem- leadership position while in college,
bers have not been through teacher according to the TFA press release.
training, the members must attend an Malachi Zussman-Dobbins, a 2010
intensive five-week training institute. LSA graduate and incoming TFA
Through the institute, members learn member, said he applied to TFA for
the "foundational knowledge, skills, the overall program, not specifically
and mindsets needed to be a teacher," for the teaching certification. The
according to the organization's web- organization provides him with the
site. opportunity to re-invigorate youth in
Carolyn Sallen, a 2010 LSA gradu- troubled areas, he said.
ate and incoming TFA member, said "What appeals to me is the oppor-
she was not interested in education tunity to work in a school where other
as an undergraduate. But after recon- teachers don't necessarily want to
sidering her decision to apply to law work, and subsequently the opportu-
school, Sallen said she chose to apply nity to make a difference in the lives
to TFAbecause of the different oppor- of students who have been otherwise
tunities it will provide. disenfranchised by years of edu-
"At the end of the junior year, I felt cational and economic inequality,"
like I didn't have very many options Zussman-Dobbins said.
and Teach for America seemed like Zussman-Dobbins, who majored
the sort of program that could give me in economics, political science and
options that could take me in so many Spanish, added that though he was
different directions, and that really not initially interested in having a
appealed to me," Sallen said. career as an educator, he feels that his
Sallen said she hopes to use her experience in the program may push
experience in TFA as a way to either him towards that field.
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