Teaching concerns

Several people have asked me if I really want to do Teach for America or New York Teching Fellows next year, implying that the program (whichever one) will be a thousand times harder than I expect it. I have no doubt about this; the challenge is what drew me to TFA when I heard first heard about it. Noreen brings up some good points, and I think they're worth more discussion, so I'd like to open a thread with you all since we have people from both camps — TFA: hard but good, and TFA: good but misguided — who read this thing. Here's Noreen's take:

friday jennifer and i were trying to discourage matt from joining teach for america, and i talked to justin about it a bit later... it's not that i don't think people with random bachelors degrees aren't capable of being good teachers, i just think teach for america sets its volunteers up for failure. even the best teachers in the world go home crying sometimes, and anyone that has ever worked in an urban or rural school is acutely aware of the uphill battle they have to face every day. so WHY does it sound even remotely reasonable to expect people with little to no background working in education to be able to tackle the kids with the most serious academic deficiencies and problems with three months of catch-up training? it doesn't, and it makes no sense, and unless God happens to drop some mad behavior and classroom management skills on you, there is no way that many are going to benefit. i guess i could just be pessimistic here, but i think i'm being fair and realistic. today's schools are generally nothing like what we, the college-educated middle class leaders of tomorrow, experienced ten, fifteen years ago. if you doubt me, volunteer in one. and if you want to make a difference, please do me a favor and get properly certified.

There are only two responses I can generate from my perspective. One, I really don't have any idea if I want to be a teacher, which is why I didn't take an extra year of school to get certified. Two, I wouldn't go into either program trying to "change things," as TFA advertises. I'd merely be trying to get by, in the hope that a teacher who is at least there and giving their best effort can do as much for these poor kids as being stuck in an even more crowded classroom. I don't expect to succeed, and I fully anticipate it being the hardest thing I've ever done . . . if I even go through with it. I'm curious to hear what others think.

On a related topic, I'd like to ask all my graduated friends if, when you were about to graduate, everyone frowned on your post-grad plans. I've mentioned several possible after-school plans to my friends, from teaching to grad school to trying to get on with a magazine, and it seems like all of them have met with murmurs of discouragement. I'm not trying to call anyone out here; I know everyone is only looking out for my best interest — but I honestly don't know what I could suggest to people that would meet with some actual support.