<p>Calijunkie, they are pretty up front about what they are looking for: [How</a> We Evaluate Applicants | Teach For America](<a href=“http://www.teachforamerica.org/why-teach-for-america/who-we-look-for/how-we-evaluate-applicants]How”>http://www.teachforamerica.org/why-teach-for-america/who-we-look-for/how-we-evaluate-applicants)</p>
<p>Since you have all done your interview, I’m sure you can see how the questions they asked and the activities they asked you to do all directly related to one of the listed skills.</p>
<p>Smarques I had the first one on one too and it was soo nice to be out of there before 1230. Too bad stupid LA parking was $40! I think being more than 5 mins late should mean you don’t get chosen. I was an hour early and was there 15 mins before the interviewers showed up. I was kind of embarrassed when they saw me sitting by myself so early but it’s better than walking in late. One person walked in in the middle of my lesson! So rude! The role play was way shorter than what I expected and I felt like they gave you everything you needed to say on the sheet. I don’t know what they were really looking for With that.</p>
<p>I also did my lesson first! It was nice to get it out of the way and hopefully show some extra enthusiasm. </p>
<p>Did anyone else have people who were already teachers in their interview group? There were 2 teachers in mine, which I thought was strange. Why would someone who is already a teacher be applying to TFA? Surprisingly, I didn’t think their lessons were any better than the rest of ours. </p>
<p>Smarques- There were 10 people in my interview group, only 3 of whom were guys.</p>
<p>Chickvicous- $40??? That is crazy… in Miami it was $10.
Supergirl- I had 1 person that was already a teacher and I also have no idea why she was there…anyway she was the one super late… There was a girls that also got there very early with me… she was about 40 minutes early and I was 1 hour.
I had my interview with 2 other girls and the rest was guys(6)… interesting:-):-)</p>
<p>Smarques- I had 7 people at my interview group. One was a woman who was late and she said she had a teaching certificate. She was also late though. </p>
<p>Chikvicious- I agree. I guess maybe they were trying to see if you could put together a logical answer and critically think with the data in-front of you. I added a few recommendations, like having a mock whatever the role pay was about to engage students. If test scores were low and it was denied, I said that the mock thing could be set up in the class and students could role play, then take an exam to increase test scores.</p>
<p>I was early as well. I got there 45 minutes early and was the first one. I wish the interviewers would have been there or we had to check-in so they could see we were early. I guess being there before them is a good sign though.</p>
<p>I did not ask to present first, but I was about to if one girl hadn’t raised her hand. She was very forceful in the group activity and I felt that she seemed overbearing because no one else could speak. I also felt her views on the activity were off. I kept referring back to the articles because that is where a lot of that information seemed to be in regards to viewing a situation.</p>
<p>Seriously though, March 6 had better get here soon!! I am soooooooo nervous! I want this job so bad! I preferrenced 26 areas, what about everyone else???</p>
<p>I just found this forum and love it! I’m glad to see the interviews went well for everyone. I look forward to hearing from everyone in the next couple of weeks!</p>
<p>Thanks again!! I appreciate it :)</p>
<p>I put 27 preferences down! I’m soo so excited. What subject area do you guys want to teach? I would love HS Math</p>
<p>Husker, this forum is awesome. It is great to hear from others.</p>
<p>Calijunkie, I hope that helps us out. I chose all of the priority regions too. I am starting to second guess some of my answers. Ahh, this sux having to wait! I want to teach English or History to high school or middle schoolers. That is good that you want to teach math, that will definitely help you in the long run. I wish I was good at math or science!</p>
<p>zettibetti413, I have been second guessing my answers since the day after the interview hahah. I’m so nervous and I just can’t wait till March 6th. I’ll be a wreak till then. Thanks, I don’t think a lot of people put math or science down, so I hope that helps me. Especially since I would love to do HS Math. Also, I put all the priority regions too! Ah, I hope it helps. What did you have as your highly preferred?</p>
<p>Calijunkie, I put math and general science as the middle preferrence and not highly. They said that they will only put you somewhere if you are qualified, so I figured why not? I know, I am seriously on the tfa website thirty times a day, it is ridiculous. I am glad I am not the only one second guessing. I guess they can probably tell who is passionate about the job and teaching and who just wants to have a pretty resume.</p>
<p>I hope putting down the priority regions helps too, I think that it will show we are open minded. I put Detroit and Oklahoma down for highly preferred for priority regions. I also put down New Mexico, Hawaii, Sacramento, Phili, and Phoenix. What about you?</p>
<p>Was anyone asked, “if you are accepted into Teach for America do you see any reason why you would not be able to fullfil your 2 year commitment”?</p>
<p>“I know, I am seriously on the tfa website thirty times a day, it is ridiculous. I am glad I am not the only one second guessing. I guess they can probably tell who is passionate about the job and teaching and who just wants to have a pretty resume.”</p>
<p>I hope so. TFA is such an amazing organization, I hope they can see we are both sooooo passionate about it.</p>
<p>I put OK as my highly pref too. I also had CT,RI, Indianapolis, Newark, Philly, Boston and Chicago. </p>
<p>husker090, I was asked that too!</p>
<p>Cali, I do not know how I came off in the interview, but I am totally passionate about tfa and I hope that it showed! I agree that it is an amazing organization and I love how honest and resourceful they are. I want to be a teacher either way and I told them that.</p>
<p>Husker, I was asked too! I said only if I was extremely bodily injured at a school or something. I work in low income schools now so I know how difficult it is. I dont think many people realize how bad it is. What did you guys say?</p>
<p>I told them I don’t see any circumstance that would cause me to quit Teach for America. I told them this is something I have wanted for quite some time, and I have the support of my wife to go all in!</p>
<p>Zettibetti413, they really are. I’m so anxious for March 6th. Hahah nice answer. I told them, for me, TFA is not just a 2 year commitment, its a life long commitment. I went to a low income school in New Orleans before moving around 12 years ago. My old school was totally ruined by Katrina. I brought in pictures of me in the school back in the day and how the school looks now. I said how looking at those pictures inspired me to give back and make sure children get a good quality education. I hope they liked it.</p>
<p>Those are awesome responses, I probably should have just said that. Cali, that is seriously awesome. I have no doubt in my mind that you will make it! I as well went to a low-income school when I was younger and then my family moved to the suburbs. Seeing the difference in the education, the teacher morale, and student behavior inspired me to want to do tfa. I work in the school district I used to go to when I was little and it has gotten worse. I told them this so…ya I hope it is good :-</p>
<p>That is great husker you definitely need the support. My boyfriend is allllllll about it!</p>
<p>For the lesson plan, I sang a verse to a pop song to relate it to literature, kind of told jokes, and brought in candy to “wake the students up”. Is that lame? Also, I was the only one that put my name on the board as Mrs. … Did you guys do that or did you write your first name?</p>
<p>@Calijunkie awesome man! March 6th will be here before we know it. It’s only 12 days away if you don’t count the weekends! :-)</p>
<p>zettibetti, I hope we both get in 
It amazes me how there is such a huge education inequality gap and not more is being done to take care of it. My district is in the same position now and its so sad to see. </p>
<p>That is an awesome idea! A girl in my group did something semi-like that. I think its always good to relate a lesson plan to something the kids would be interested in. I did an addition game and my target audience was 1st graders. I showed how we can use addition when we go fishing (Fishin’ for Addition).</p>
<p>I went second and realized I was the only one who put my first name on the board. I hope its not too much of a big deal :/</p>
<p>Ah husker, thats soo close!</p>
<p>I can’t believe its 16 more days(counting weekends LOL)!! I check Teach for america website and blogs many times just like you guys but I have been doing this for a couple of months… it feels like second nature.
I also put Ms. on the board but I don’t think that really matters.</p>
<p>Husker- I also got that question about the commitment and I said that only if I had my grandma, mom or Dad really sick and needing me to be there where they live with me. My family is always number one and then my career… but other than that, this is my dream and I will stick with it hopefully for a life time.</p>
<p>I Highly preferenced regions in Florida and then preferenced everywhere in California. I had preferenced a total of 10 regions.
The subject I preferenced was; Spanish, English as second language and special education.</p>
<p>Calijunkie, I hope we do too It is sad! I feel so horrible when I go into the schools and there are kids in sixth grade who have second grade reading levels! How on Earth do they allow these kids to keep going? I also find it sad when they tell me they won’t do their work because they do not know how to read it. I sit with the kids and then tell a student who basically “gets it” to answer any questions. I hate when I go into a school and see teacher’s standing outside the classroom cussing or texting. It is like, WOW! You wonder why the kids won’t respect you? How can you yell at them not to do this, that, or the other thing and you are doing the same thing?!</p>
<p>Your lesson plan sounds so cute! Fishin’ for Addition is a cute and fun idea! Good job!!! I don’t think that it is a big deal if you put your first or last name. I just thought it was odd because I was the only one that did it! </p>
<p>Smarques, I have done the same thing since December when I applied! It is like a second nature, it’s like, have they changed any of the wording? What does my financial status say? Do they need any paperwork? </p>
<p>I think that they will probably understand about family, it shows that you value traditional family values that have been lost on our society. I think that they can respect that! Good job on choices too. I preferred SPED and ESL as well. I am currently taking the second-part to my Spanish class, but I do not know if I am fluent enough to teach Spanish or ESL in Spanish. I can definitely read it well, it is just the listening and speaking part I am iffy on.</p>
<p>Is anyone interested in the Leadership??? I thought it would be cool it open your own charter school!!!</p>