All about Michelle Rhee
Michelle Rhee might not be a household name, but in Washington D.C, she’s already made quite an impression. A Korean-American, she has closed down 23 schools, fired a total of 132 people and offered a separation package to 700 teachers since the summer of 2007.
A veteran for Teach for America (TFA), she started out as just another college graduate eager to do a little community work in Baltimore. But that ‘little community work’ teaching second grade has set the course for her future, becoming a schools chancellor in Washington D.C. a post she reluctantly accepted.
She didn’t arrive there easily. Being an Asian woman in Harlem Park Elementary School 15 years ago was extremely daunting. She had to cope with students from broken homes and no interest in learning.
But, she never backed down. Average student percentile jumped from 13 percent to 90 percent in two years. This is helped by her steadfast belief that anyone can succeed in life, no matter where they’re from.
Teach for America (TFA)
Being a product of TFA, she is convinced these teachers are what the students need. A major part of her job was to negotiate with teacher unions and allow more younger educators teach. So far, her old buddies from TFA has almost taken over the district, some on the D.C Board of Education and others handling charter schools.
The Students
TFA is fast becoming a popular organization for graduates to join due to its strict selection process. The average number of applicants for 1 job opening is 6 people and none of them has a GPA of less than 3.5. This shows how relevant TFA is starting to become. Many say that TFA’s underlying mission is not to only provide more teachers, but to also change the educational landscape for the better. Bright and young teachers are needed in anticipation of filling in those top spots in the State Educational Board.
Up to now, it seems that they are on the right track. Data collected by TFA, which are used internally for self-analysis, are showing a rise in TFA alums becoming principals, superintendants and other educational officers. According to statistics, 1 in every 20 teachers become principal, vice-principal or administrator.
The Teachers
However, there are some skeptics. Larry Cuban, an emeritus professor of education at Stanford University says that the numbers TFA is producing is hardly causing a ripple in the 90,000 schools of the country. In addition to that, many people claim that TFA teachers are inexperienced when it comes to the classroom and lack necessary skills required by traditionally-trained teachers.
There have also been fears of TFA teachers getting disillusioned with the job and using it as just a jumping stone to higher positions. But, studies indicate that more than 40% stay for 2 years and around 36% haven’t budged in 4 years. Although there are some deserters, they are not the majority.
