Teach For America Teachers Arrive In Tulsa

Are you kidding me? My contract was not renewed at my last school. I am certified to teach math, have excellent evaluations, my students scores improved, my parents love me enough to write letters of recommendation and I was in the military. So why doesn't the school districts look right here in their own community for teachers. Maybe it is because once you have been on a temporary contract with a district that does not invite you back, they DO NOT have to look at your application. My applications and resumes are out at every school district, and I have a Tulsa World job search account and I have not gotten one call. Yesterday the Tulsa World had an article that Teacher shortage is looming for Oklahoma now this..........check with the "Troops to Teachers" program in Oklahoma City, there are plenty of us who are proud to serve again in our local schools. By the way, I would be glad to show my evaluations to any one who asks.

So who is paying for these 75 teachers? Why don't they hire local teachers who can teach the same thing the new grads can? Unemployed Tulsa Teacher, I would go to another state where they pay better as well as appreciate them.

If you go the the website, teachforamerica.org , you'll find that they are paid the same as a beginning (first-year) teacher, but the locally grown first year teacher has paid hundreds of dollars for the certification tests as well as jumped through hoops (paid for the tuition to be an unpaid intern teacher in local schools, where they have actually been in the classroom teaching for the last semester) just to have these "elite" grads come in and take their jobs for 2 years, before they are off to their original careers, usually at a much higher salary than a bonafide, degreed teacher makes. Yeah, I feel like it is a slap in the face also. Talk to the teachers in TPS--not all of them are welcoming these new "teachers."

Welcome to Tulsa, and thanks to each and everyone of you. The majority of Tulsans are appreciative that you're involved in our schools.

Actually, if the TFA teachers were here to help fill in positions that were in short supply, such as special ed, sciences, and some math, I would be all for it. However, the Tulsa metro area does NOT have a shortage in the elementary and early childhood positions, yet TPS will be utilizing these recent grads in those areas as well, and knocking out local teachers for the positions. Tenured TPS teachers can't transfer to another TPS school because the TFA teachers have first claim on the open positions. These TPS teachers are experienced and very qualified but they are put behind these kids who aren't even certified yet.

Don't let the negatives sway you...Tulsa really is a very nice place to be, and many really do appreciate this program!

Thank you for the comment NoJustice. The pay is part of the problem, but not for the reasons you may think. Actually has a prior military member, I am part of the Troops to Teachers program that recruits former military members to teach. One of the incentives is I get bumped up on the pay scale to include my military years. So I don't start out as a first year teacher on the pay scale. This has caused me to be passed over for a job for someone who is a recent grad and the districts can pay them less money. Even though veterans are to be given priority for a public position. HOWEVER, since Oklahoma is an at will state, meaning no reason is given for losing your job, I can only assume (yes I know I shouldn't)that is the reason why I was not rehired. My last school district hired a new college grad over me and the district before that the principal told me via email, "that I was not the right fit". So I wonder do these new teachers for TFA fall under the temporary teacher contract, meaning that they are not guaranteed a teaching job at the end of the first year?

TFA is an elitist crock of crap organization. Not only does the district pay their salary, they also pay an additional $3,000 per teacher to TFA for "administrative" costs and these teachers do not answer to the principals in their building either. They answer to their TFA administrators. TPS also has to provide administrative office space for the TFA administrators as well. Plus, the different foundations in Tulsa are also kicking in an additional $25,000 per TFA "teacher" for their professional development to teach them how to teach and to get them certified!

Meanwhile, we have some of the best teaching colleges in the country right here in our own state to draw on for teachers. Teachers who are dedicated to a life-long career in education and who don't see it as merely a nice, feel-good, community service tool on a resume for a real job once they are finished. Then two years later, you have the district scrambling to fill those 75 spots vacated by the TFA teachers and no one but the dregs to take their places once they all leave because any good teacher worth their salt will have wised up to TPS and gone elsewhere. If TPS were to spend the same money on professional development and increased pay as what is being paid for the TFA teachers, they would have an incredible jump in test scores because teachers would be lining up to teach for TPS and TPS could have their pick of the best.

Can no one with any say not see how much of an elitist organization TFA really is?! The decision makers need to pull their heads out of their butts and invest time and effort into recruiting and developing the great teachers we already have, both in the district as well as those who are graduating from nationally acclaimed teacher preparation programs at our college and universities.

I guess that's all we can really expect though from a Superintendent who is really only interested in good PR sound-bites and furthering his own personal career goals. Unfortunately, this kind of crap will continue and few of the "right" people will ever really question what is really going on. As long as TPS stays out of the news for anything negative, everyone is happy.

Unemployed Tulsa Teacher wrote:

Are you kidding me? My contract was not renewed at my last school. I am certified to teach math, have excellent evaluations, my students scores improved, my parents love me enough to write letters of recommendation and I was in the military. So why doesn't the school districts look right here in their own community for teachers. Maybe it is because once you have been on a temporary contract with a district that does not invite you back, they DO NOT have to look at your application. My applications and resumes are out at every school district, and I have a Tulsa World job search account and I have not gotten one call. Yesterday the Tulsa World had an article that Teacher shortage is looming for Oklahoma now this..........check with the "Troops to Teachers" program in Oklahoma City, there are plenty of us who are proud to serve again in our local schools. By the way, I would be glad to show my evaluations to any one who asks.

You might not be qualified to indoctrinate, excuse me Teach the students like has occured in our colleges. Notice the story stated that these non certified teachers would insure the students an improved chance at a better education. Oklahoma teachers according to the story can not do this. Ever teacher in Oklahoma should drop the Union. It does nothing for the teachers. Not one word or comment.

NoJustice wrote:

So who is paying for these 75 teachers? Why don't they hire local teachers who can teach the same thing the new grads can? Unemployed Tulsa Teacher, I would go to another state where they pay better as well as appreciate them.

Remember we are the only state that did not vote Obama based on counties. They want to change that.

Ok so who do we REALLY talk to? Who is going to listen or stand up for those of us who are teachers that are not employed RIGHT NOW? I love the News on 6 but I really think they need to address this issue from the other side.

BA Grandma wrote:

Actually, if the TFA teachers were here to help fill in positions that were in short supply, such as special ed, sciences, and some math, I would be all for it. However, the Tulsa metro area does NOT have a shortage in the elementary and early childhood positions, yet TPS will be utilizing these recent grads in those areas as well, and knocking out local teachers for the positions. Tenured TPS teachers can't transfer to another TPS school because the TFA teachers have first claim on the open positions. These TPS teachers are experienced and very qualified but they are put behind these kids who aren't even certified yet.

well who has been the state superintendent for upteen years, maybe a call to ma. Sandy Garrett will get some answers. Hmmmmm Garrett a democrat, Kathy Taylor, Brad Henry, back east solutions and staff hmmmmm.

Unemployed Tulsa Teacher wrote:

Ok so who do we REALLY talk to? Who is going to listen or stand up for those of us who are teachers that are not employed RIGHT NOW? I love the News on 6 but I really think they need to address this issue from the other side.

This was also printed in the Tulsa World.

Why doesn't Teach of America help out those who are trained and already certified to be Oklahoma teachers first?

Did the Tulsa Public Schools even attempt to recruit 2009 graduates with degrees in Education fields who have been certified to teach by the Oklahoma State Department of Education?

Quote from the report by Ms Loren: "Studies have shown Teach for America teachers to be very successful in bringing their students test scores up, especially in science and math."

Oh, this is for that program which the George W. Bush Administration made up called "No Child Left Behind."

Apparently, Teach for America's "teachers" will be teaching students to pass standardized tests instead of teaching them what they really need to know in the courses. Those tests don't accurately measure what students really learn in the classroom when the classes are taught the right way.

By the way, the companies which create those tests have the politicians in their pockets.

I am in a program similiar to TFA, it is called Troops to Teachers; which recruits former military members to serve again in our public schools. The problem is............the incentive to serve again is the added bonus of NOT starting at the bottom of the pay scale, therefore TPS moved to a cheaper alternative. However, I DO NOT teach to the test and that may be why I am not employed. Even though my students tests scores showed significant improvement and parents said their child NEVER showed interest in math until they were in my class. I guess I care too much about the students, how to apply what they are being taught and NOT enough about the test scores that will not matter once they are in the real world. Students today need someone who care about them and their future and not a test score.

Wonder why we have no follow up questions or comments from the Teachers Union. Let's see teachers pay is still below the average, did not get the pay increase they were promised and now we bring in out of state uncertified people.

On the topic of "Teaching to the Test" and the No Child Left Behind Act, while G. W. Bush was still the President of the USA he spoke in North Carolina and tried to claim that the reason for the improvement in public school test scores was due to the NCLB Act.

But, the NC Superintendent of Schools stated that his state was not using the NCLB program and that their program was better than Bush's.

I was a regular classroom teacher for 3 years out of state and I was substitute teacher in the Tulsa Public Schools for 2 years (not consecutively) in the early 1970s. I learned the hard way about TPS during that period that if you want to be a full-time classroom teacher in Tulsa, don't "volunteer" to be a sub while you are waiting to get hired.

I had been a sub teaching French at Washington High School for a full month and that was the year before BTW became an official magnet school. A white woman had been the teacher and she just up and quite. Apparently, she didn't understand teenagers and how to communicate with them. I got with the head of the TPS language department and we worked out lesson plans for the classes. By the beginning of the 4th week and trying to get them caught up to speed, they showed a lot of improvement.

But, on the Friday of the 4th week after classes ended for the day, the Principal called me to his office and said, "I hate to tell you this; but, they have hired another teacher to fill the position. I would like to have kept you here." It turned out that the other person had not been a full-time teacher before.(more about this in next comment)

My family had a friend who was a French teacher and she was a substitute in another school in Tulsa. The reason that she got hired to be a full-time teacher in that school was that the Principal went to the School Board and demanded that she be hired full-time.

Joe Allen Doty in Tulsa wrote:

My family had a friend who was a French teacher and she was a substitute in another school in Tulsa. The reason that she got hired to be a full-time teacher in that school was that the Principal went to the School Board and demanded that she be hired full-time.

the school board can not override state law or certification without authorization.

"I was a regular classroom teacher for 3 years out of state and I was substitute teacher in the Tulsa Public Schools for 2 years (not consecutively) in the early 1970s. I learned the hard way about TPS during that period that if you want to be a full-time classroom teacher in Tulsa, don't "volunteer" to be a sub while you are waiting to get hired."

Things have also changed a LOT in the 30+ years since the early 70's too. How does 5 years of teaching, 30 years ago, qualify you to make a judgement? Not saying that you're wrong, but I would rather hear the education opinions of current teachers or that of other people who are still actively involved in education.