I’m 25, entering my third year teaching in my placement site in Dumas, AR. I teach sixth grade language arts and think my district, grade level, and content are perfect for me. This makes most of my opinions extremely biased.
On my application preferences I said, “put me anywhere but…” and removed the 5 northernmost locations, because I’m from Michigan but am absolutely ready for a 10 year hiatus from snow. I’m now legitimately in love with the south and both brag and am horrified by the fact that a gas station attendant in Louisiana told me I “sound country.”
Positions I’ve held in TFA include: OC (Operations Coordinator – intern at the Philly Institute ’09); CM (corps member – now an alumn!); ICEgroup Leader (Investment, Community, Execution – AKA a support group facilitator for first year CMs in their first semester of the Delta region; this position doesn’t exist anymore); Course Leader (I taught a course about teaching writing at Professional Saturday, which is professional development lead monthly by TFA for Delta CMs); ELA LTL (Learning Team Leader – a year-long commitment at Professional Saturday; I’m a content-specific leader helping secondary English Language Arts teachers figure out how to teach; this is a 2012-13 commitment); CMA (Corps Member Adviser – coach the brand new CMs during their institute experience; this was also content-specific, but not all CMAs are).
At the district level I’ve been the sixth grade chair, leadership team secretary, headed up a fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House (really just followed state-wide directions), and advised a student-run talent show.
I genuinely love my job but have no idea how long I’ll stay in it. I interviewed for charters like Achievement First but eventually withdrew my application because I’m pretty committed to district schools and not quite ready to leave the south.
I have another, way more personal and with shorter entries, blog at okaycaroline.tumblr.com and am a contributor to the TFA blog TeacherPop.
