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Abstract
Research on Teach For America (TFA) continues to grow, but scant scholarship has explored the experiences of its corps members working in special education in urban schools. As teachers who require in-depth knowledge of legal and liability processes as well as effective pedagogical practices, corps members in special education positions have significant demands placed on them that often lie beyond the roles and responsibilities of other TFA teachers. This article therefore focuses on the experiences of five TFA corps members placed in special education as it explores their critical reflections about the minimal preparation and support they received from TFA. In light of recent special education initiatives launched by TFA, the article raises questions about the continued involvement of TFA in the field of special education and its ability to adequately prepare corps members for the unique responsibilities served by special education teachers in the United States.
Keywords educational policy, Teach For America, special education, teachers, students
References
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Author Biography
Matthew A. M. Thomas is a lecturer (assistant professor) at the University of Sydney, where he teaches and coordinates educational foundations courses in sociology of education and comparative and international education. His scholarship focuses on teachers, educational policies, pedagogical practice, and the roles of colleges of education in domestic and international contexts.
