<p>Slowly going insane lol. Today’s the last day to make changes to your regional preferences!</p>
<p>The Spanish test really doesn’t have an effect on acceptance, but it does have an effect on placement. </p>
<p>I didn’t take the Spanish test, but I was a little sad to get placed in Tulsa at first, because I didn’t think I’d get a chance to practice my Spanish. However, I ended up at a school with a Hispanic population of 40%, so that ended up well!</p>
<p>Rustyhalos, me tooooooo!!! I actually went in this morning and made some changes to my subject/grade preferences. </p>
<p>BookAddict, that’s good to know! I know that my high priority region has a large Spanish speaking population so hopefully that’ll help…</p>
<p>@ssadiesades sadly it is one of the “details” that TFA doesn’t tell applicants about. It doesn’t seem to be a big deal to me but I would have liked to know that the structured interviews with TFA were just the beginning of securing a teaching position in a district with needs.</p>
<p>I am sad that TFA didn’t reach out to those of us who chose Memphis as our 1st choice because it is/was a priority region to tell us about the change in status.</p>
<p>I still hope to teach in Memphis.</p>
<p>@tfaoldster: I know I said I wasn’t coming back till later…but it’s so hard not to! Anyway, I put Memphis as my first choice as well mostly because I live in Knoxville so its only a 5 drive for moving and all that. I really hope to get placed either there or in Oklahoma or Delta area but I don’t think I will get accepted at all…my hopes are slowly dwindling as the days go by! But then, I have to keep telling myself to wait WAIT and see.</p>
<p>Also, I don’t think they advertise very well that you still have to go to personal interviews with the principles. I have seen that a lot really that people didn’t know that you had to do more interviews…it kind of sucks for those CM’s who don’t get a job for such long times. To go through the initial acceptance process and then the summer institute just to still possibly not get a job must be heart wrenching!</p>
<p>while we wait for april 12th…</p>
<p>was there anyone in your final interview that really stood out as a strong candidate in your mind? what made them stand out to you? </p>
<p>there was one girl in mine that was really impressive. her 5 minute lesson plan was planned down to the second - you could tell she was really prepared. she also made sure to call on everyone by name.</p>
<p>in the group exercise, she kept making sure that our group was focused on the problem and solution, and she almost facilitated the discussion for us. I would personally be surprised if she didn’t get in. did you guys have anyone like that in your interviews?</p>
<p>btw… here are a couple amazing articles on tfa’s selection criteria as well as a breakdown of how many get in:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.genv.net/files/Teach%20For%20America%20One.Day_.Selection.pdf[/url]”>http://www.genv.net/files/Teach%20For%20America%20One.Day_.Selection.pdf</a></p>
<p>[What</a> Makes a Great Teacher? - Magazine - The Atlantic](<a href=“http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2010/01/what-makes-a-great-teacher/7841/]What”>What Makes a Great Teacher? - The Atlantic)</p>
<p>Great article from The Atlantic! Wish I had read it before interviewing so that I could demonstrate more of the characteristics TFA looks for in successful teachers. For example, I definitely asked “Are there any questions?” to check for understanding and apparently that doesn’t really work!</p>
<p>@tfahopefool yes there was one that was really great. She had us draw what we saw while she read a passage from our “homework” then asked us about how we were able to draw it. She was teaching imagery (my speling of that may be way off, it’s been along day 
) and pointed out that everyone had different pictures based on the author’s description.</p>
<p>Had us show our work, a bit hard for me as I can’t draw for anything, to the “class” and pointed out that differences in interpretation were a good thing because we all saw different images.</p>
<p>A really good lesson.</p>
<p>Yes! There was one girl who was so friendly towards everyone that I liked her from the moment we met! Her lesson was really well done and she had that “with-it-ness” attitude. She did a lesson on what the difference was between nouns, adjectives, verbs, etc. And she explained them all in such a simple yet perfectly understandable way that I was astounded (and I’m getting my M.A. in teaching ESL). I actually kept the papers she had handed out I found it so useful! She made sure to address everyone and even had time in the last minute to “check our work”. I truly hope she is chosen because I really felt that if anyone in that room deserved to be a TFA teacher…it was her!</p>
<p>hey all!
just found this blog this morning and am loving it. Also a 5dl, trying not to stress about Thursday! I just finished reading a book–relentless pursuit–about TFA and want to get in SO badly! am not applying for TF until after the 12th, depending.
applied phoenix, vegas, new mexico–all west coast. From seattle, and want to stay over here : )
there was a girl in my group who arrived 40 minutes late. Then, during her lesson, she handed out 5pg long science labs and taught us to transfer yeast from one petry dish to another…not really informative. another girl taught esl and called her middle finger “your driving finger” which can’t have come off well, right?
I know it’s not competative, but I can’t help comparing…</p>
<p>My obsession is watching documentaries about education reform… Waiting for Superman, The Lottery, etc. </p>
<p>Makes me want to be a CM so badly ):</p>
<p>I remember watching Waiting for Superman two years ago and that was the first time I really understood the existence and the magnitude of educational inequality in America. A life-changing movie!</p>
<p>Seriously. I really recommend it to everyone here, since you’re all interested in education and education reform. It’s available on Netflix Instant 
It’s not a long documentary, but it’s really heartbreaking, moving, and informative.</p>
<p>4 more days!!!</p>
<p>Hi all, I just watched a few youtube docs from Learning Matters.</p>
<p>The series is called “The Real World of Teach For America” and follows six corp members.</p>
<p>Search YouTube.com for Learning Matters Teach For America. . .</p>
<p>Very interesting viewing.</p>
<p>Okay all, we need a cool thing to check out so for my part, and I am biased as I’ve seen these guys 4 times live, Naturally 7 is AMAZING!</p>
<p>To give a good idea check this link out, they are much more than beat box. . .</p>
<p>[Wall</a> Of Sound by Naturally 7 @ Quincy Jones 75th Birthday Celebration Concert - YouTube](<a href=“Wall Of Sound by Naturally 7 @ Quincy Jones 75th Birthday Celebration Concert - YouTube”>Wall Of Sound by Naturally 7 @ Quincy Jones 75th Birthday Celebration Concert - YouTube)</p>
<p>If you don’t believe they are doing this without technology check out this link. </p>
<p>[Naturally</a> 7 Live in Paris Subway ! Full Clip - YouTube](<a href=“Naturally 7 Live in Paris Subway ! Full Clip - YouTube”>Naturally 7 Live in Paris Subway ! Full Clip - YouTube)</p>
<p>I’ve met a few of the members of this group, they are amazing. They are well spoken, love their fans and for fun on the road they lift weights and play ping pong. No lie as they usually tour with Michael Buble and there is a worldwide ping pong tourny going between them all and him, very funny and really cool.</p>
<p>Their CD’s are amazing also.</p>
<p>LOL, turned to a fun thing for me to stave off the next 4 days and thought I’d share it with you, hope you enjoy!</p>
<p>I have a confession. I’ve been waking up in the middle of the night from dreams of TFA, mostly horrible ones where I’m rejected and everyone laughs at me. Last night, I had three such dreams in a row. </p>
<p>This is getting ridiculous!</p>
<p>I keep having dreams that I am accepted and then minutes later they email me saying they changed my placement region/gradelevel, and then they email me again saying forget it, we changed our minds, you are rejected!</p>
<p>Eeeeek! So soon but still so far :(</p>
<p>Waltzidream–that does sound really
stressful. I haven’t been having nightmares, what’s been happening to me is I’ve been having intense insomnia during which time I lie in bed thinking about how I’m sure I’ll be rejected. but, waltzindreams–your status has
changed to complete, and so far I’ve only ever heard
of one person whose status changed to complete and then they were ultimately rejected, but there is an <em>extremely</em> high correlation between people whose statuses did change and who were then accepted. (which isn’t to say, everyone else, that if it hasn’t changed you’re rejected, they really might not have gotten to you yet), so you should feel really confident!!</p>