Peter Lang Gmbh, Internationaler Verlag Der Wissenschaften Teach For America Counter-Narratives: Alumni Speak Up and Speak Out: 9 (Black Studies and Critical Thinking)

In its twenty-five years of existence, Teach For America (TFA) has transformed from an organization based on a perceived need to ameliorate a national teacher shortage to an organization that seeks to systematically replace traditional fully-certified teachers while simultaneously producing alumni who are interested in facilitating neoliberal education reform through elected political positions. From its inception, TFA has had its share of critics; yet criticism of the organization by its own members and alumni has largely been silenced and relegated to the margins. This book - the first of its kind - provides alumni of TFA with the opportunity to share their insight on the organization. And perhaps more importantly, this collection of counter-narratives serves as a testament that many of the claims made by TFA are, in fact, myths that ultimately hurt teachers and students. No longer will alumni voices be silenced in the name of corporate and neoliberal education reform. Review «I love the concept for this text and think it will be a significant contribution to the literature. It is crucial...crucial...that policy makers in particular hear from former TFA members about their experiences in America's classrooms. The experiences of the authors lend a credibility to their arguments and concerns about TFA's continued presence that has been largely absent in previous scholarship.» (Philip Kovacs, Associate Professor of Education, University of Alabama in Huntsville) About the Author T. Jameson Brewer is an advanced PhD student of educational policy studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He earned a M.S. in social foundations of education from Georgia State University and a B.S.Ed. in secondary education from Valdosta State University. His research focuses on the impact(s) of privatization/marketization of public schools by way of charters, vouchers, and Teach For America. Kathleen deMarrais is Professor of Qualitative Research Methodologies in the Department of Lifelong Education, Administration, and Policy at the University of Georgia. Her current research tracks the network of philanthropic funding for educational non-profits and its impact on educational policy in the U.S.