The strange mess of the New York City Teaching Fellows

October 26, 3:40 PMNY Education ExaminerLorri Giovinco-Harte

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I have some serious doubts about alternative teacher certification programs like Teach for America and The New York City Teaching Fellows. I think it is a serious injustice to send teachers who have been given a few weeks of training to work with needy populations of students for a short period of time.

Yes, I've heard all of the arguments; we can't attract teachers to high-need schools, teacher turnover is very high in such districts, top college grads are not interested in teaching. Still, I cannot see how sending unprepared people in for two or three years is a solution for anyone - least of all children who need consistency.

This is why I have such respect for Linda Darling Hammond, Barack Obama's education advisor.  She has been the one voice who has provided criticism and research about the harmful effects of uncertified teachers on children.  She has also advocated for providing effective training for teachers as a way to improve student performance and keep qualified people in the teaching field.

Despite my misgivings about such programs, I cannot help but feel compassion for the 100 or so Teaching Fellows who are being threatened with termination.  Although there are about 1,400 excessed teachers awaiting placement in the system, The DOE hired 1,900 New York City Teaching Fellows.  At the start of the school year, some 220 of these Fellows found themselves without placement and were 'loaned out' to schools.  Half of them have supposedly been placed, yet the rest are being told that if they do not find a placement by December 5th, they will be terminated.

Teaching Fellows are recruited from all over the country.  Many of them are very young and move away from friends and family to work in some of the toughest schools in New York City.  They are promised training and support and are often attracted by recruiting techniques which appeal to their desire to make a difference. They instead,  often find themselves struggling to work in rough environments in which the promised support does not come. 

Now, many of them are learning that what was promised to them has has not materialized and they may be unemployed in a very expensive city to which they have relocated.

Veteran teachers argue that first priority for teaching positions should be given to the experienced teachers who find themselves without placement.  Although this may be true, we have to ask the question; why were so many Teaching Fellows hired in the first place?  Given the 1,400 experienced individuals who are seeking positions, why hire so many Fellows?

Whatever the reason, the situation has turned into a large mess, and The New Teacher Project may find themselves in the position of answering questions by a pretty angry group of people who have been organizing their efforts.