The Real World of Teach for America: Daniel Hoffman - The Idealist

Meet Yale graduate Daniel Hoffman. He entered Teach for America with high hopes, but one year later, Daniel was out of the classroom. Sometimes even the best of intentions aren't enough.

Follow 7 Teach for America recruits through their first two years on the job in New Orleans.
Watch the full series here: http://bit.ly/bBn4Kw.

A Learning Matters production.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• teach for america
• tfa
• learning matters
• pbs
• new orleans
• katrina
• teaching
• daniel hoffman
• john merrow
• yale university
• wendy kopp

[kcmo08]

The principal said that a large number of kids didn't what they needed. I'd like to hear what she thinks it is that they "need".

What they don't need is a school system that expects teachers to singlehandedly fix the anti-education mindsets of students who simply don't care. This of course takes place at the expense of the good students who are forced to sit in class with chronically disruptive and uninterested classmates.

Teachers are there to teach, and not there to be missionaries.

[filthycreole]

I taught in TFA and worked at their national office in NYC. I saw way too many Daniel Hoffmans - white, privileged, east-coast eggheads who are not as "smart" as they think. His Yale degree was useless in the classroom because he was so incredibly out-of-touch with his students. Watch him in the video - would you sit and listen to that guy babble for an hour every day? He was too interested in "having control" as he said. Teaching is not about controlling people.

[MsRosebudRez]

I am from the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. TFA is a governmental organization, who funds govt-minded children without teaching degrees to come work with students who are NOTHING like them. Veteran teachers who have become part of the community here face losing their jobs every year. TFA claims they will teach 2/3 of the Native American children in SD by 2015. RST Reservation has our own University here that prepares our own teachers. By 2015, we would hope to teach ourselves.

[Domoneicqua]

I agree with filtycreole and kcmo08. Teaching is not as easy as people may think. Especially teaching older kids. You have to try to change the mindset of students who dont care about learning but it's hard. He did seem to be boring but I really enjoyed this video because it shows some of the challenges that some teachers face in the classroom. I'm glad they aren't trying to make teaching look super easy. His presence could use more appeal as the authority in the room.

[philagon]

@filthy creole. He didnt come off as too controling to me, but rather, as you pointed out, his background has completely alienated him from the class

[MsJanetWood]

Not even the principal can speak in grammatically correct sentences!

She said, "I know he did good."

She should have said, "I know he did well!"

"Good" is an adjective. "Well" is an adverb.

Use the adjective form good when describing something or someone. In other words, use good when stating how something or someone is.

Examples: He is a GOOD teacher!

He did a GOOD job!

Use the adverb form well when describing how something or someone does something.

Example: He teaches well!

[nasbster915]

I have to admit, TFA does a wonderful fucking job of managing its human resources. Talk about losing a prospective alumnus who could give back ($) to the organization. Oh well, I guess TFA will just keep having to prostrate itself before the federal and state legislatures to get funding, and they're doing a wonderful job of that in Texas: wouldn't you agree filthycreole?

[nasbster915]

I only mention this because my roomate, now an ex-TFA corp member, quit this year because he was hired to teach pre-k and was shafted from the highschool math position he was hoping for. He was a cerebral, analytical, very low-key type of guy, and when he found out that he would be dealing with 20 screaming 4 year olds for two years, he quit. This egghead "who was not as smart as he [thought]" now works for a hedge fund in silicon valley, pulling in a six figure salary at 21 years old.

[nasbster915]

@filthycreole right now i am currently a teach for america teacher in Houston Texas. Let me give a little more perspective to the anti-white priveledge position you endorse. Who is in charge of teacher placement: Daniel Hoffman or Teach for America? Who is in charge of deciding what incoming corp members will teach: Daniel Hoffman or the school at which he is hired? Did you ever consider that the problems HOffman experienced might be due to a painfully typical TFA job mismatch?

[REALCITYbred]

lmao at the way the kids act around him and how he looks so outta place there. no offense but in the best possible way this gives me encouragement more than anything

[halation777]

KIDS WHO DON'T CARE WILL NOT LEARN. DO NOT BLAME THE TEACHERS.

[halation777]

KIDS WHO DON'T CARE WILL NOT LEARN. DO NOY BLAME THE TEACHERS.