Quitting TFA (kind of)... Affect employment prospects? Forum

[TFAburnout]

Hi all,

I'm in my third year of teaching at my placement school for TFA. In short, this has been an extremely difficult year. I signed on for another year of teaching because I was under the impression that I'd be teaching honors-level courses. Instead, I received all the remedial classes last minute and have been enduring it for the past academic year. I'm very burnt out, and I'm dealing with some of the worst behavior I've ever seen.

I've been accepted to half the T-14 schools already. I'm a little concerned that if I quit now, I'll have to explain the gap in resume to future employers, especially during OCI. Since I've already fulfilled my TFA commitment, will quitting now affect my job prospects?

Thanks,
TFAburnout

[OutCold]

Nobody is going to care about a gap a few months before you go to law school. However, it is simple enough to just put years or seasons on your resume. For you: TFA 2011-2014 or Fall 2011-Spring 2014.

[yossarian]

You mention "kind of" but you are definitely not quitting TFA as you are already a TFA alumnus. You are quitting a job, which should maybe read as a different line item on your resume anyway. (I always do). Chances are you knew that, but the previous poster listed employer as TFA and seasons rather than months for employment. That just seems disingenuous to me.

I can't speak to whether quitting a contract midyear or the employment gap will hurt you during OCI.

That said, cheers. I am in a similar situation this year. I was supposed to teach college writing (and wrote a whole curriculum over the summer) and was told I was moved to 6th and 7th grade the morning of the first day of school. It's awful. I hate every day. So, I definitely feel for you. You gotta do what's best for you, but I'd encourage you to stick with it if you think you can scrape by with your sanity. No judgment at all if you can't. I have a running google doc of grievances I want to cover in a letter to my administration upon leaving.

[OutCold]

It's not disingenuous. You aren't hiding some ball. Months on your resume are just clutter. People don't care if you were there for 2 3/4 years vs. 3 years.

Just look at the HLS sample resumes. Hell, they even tell you to do it that way. http://www.law.harvard.edu/current/care ... esumes.pdf

Most of the CLS samples do it the same way. http://web.law.columbia.edu/sites/defau ... esumes.pdf

I'm sure the rest of them do as well.

[yossarian]

It's not disingenuous.
I'm sure the rest of them do as well.

To be fair. I think there are some differences.

(1): TFA is strictly a two-year thing. After that you are an alumnus. You are never employed by TFA. It's complicated to explain. But indicating you were with TFA three years is just wrong unless you went on to work for TFA corporate.

(2): Teachers are hired on contracts, not at will. Indicating spring for a teacher specifically makes it appear as though one finished their contract. It is not quibbling over months at an at will job. It is hiding (whether intentionally or unintentionally) a failure to complete a contract.

I don't think it's a grave sin or anything. I just think it is a little unclear. I wouldn't criticize someone who did it nor would I assume some ethical fault. I just personally wouldn't make that choice for the listed reasons.

[yomisterd]

Can we all just start using this thread to complain about how much teaching sucks? I'm fucking over it. Even my AP students are a bunch of little bitches.

ETA: OP, I'm sure you'll be fine. Also, I would list the schools you are employed to separately from TFA. I am NYCTF which is similar, and I do not even know if I put NYCTF on my resume. Maybe as organization affiliation. I only say this because TFA is your route to certification, not your employer.

[sue4398]

Can we all just start using this thread to complain about how much teaching sucks? I'm fucking over it. Even my AP students are a bunch of little bitches.

+1

My first graders are really starting to test my patience as the end of the school year approaches.. ok, I said it.

[Kool-Aid]

Can we all just start using this thread to complain about how much teaching sucks? I'm fucking over it. Even my AP students are a bunch of little bitches.

+1

My first graders are really starting to test my patience as the end of the school year approaches.. ok, I said it.

+2

I'm at the point where I'm questioning why I even decided to teach. I know I'll look back on my teaching experience and be happy I did it, but after days like today idk what I was thinking.

[yomisterd]

Can we all just start using this thread to complain about how much teaching sucks? I'm fucking over it. Even my AP students are a bunch of little bitches.

+1

My first graders are really starting to test my patience as the end of the school year approaches.. ok, I said it.

+2

I'm at the point where I'm questioning why I even decided to teach. I know I'll look back on my teaching experience and be happy I did it, but after days like today idk what I was thinking.

+3

I counted how many times I heard the phrase "suck my dick" today. 30. 30 times. Only 2 times at me. And that's below average.

[yossarian]

Can we all just start using this thread to complain about how much teaching sucks? I'm fucking over it. Even my AP students are a bunch of little bitches.

+1

My first graders are really starting to test my patience as the end of the school year approaches.. ok, I said it.

+2

I'm at the point where I'm questioning why I even decided to teach. I know I'll look back on my teaching experience and be happy I did it, but after days like today idk what I was thinking.

+3

I counted how many times I heard the phrase "suck my dick" today. 30. 30 times. Only 2 times at me. And that's below average.

We should move this to the lounge. But then I'm game to dish. Sneak preview: "fuck you and your Bill Cosby sweater."

[sue4398]

Can we all just start using this thread to complain about how much teaching sucks? I'm fucking over it. Even my AP students are a bunch of little bitches.

+1

My first graders are really starting to test my patience as the end of the school year approaches.. ok, I said it.

+2

I'm at the point where I'm questioning why I even decided to teach. I know I'll look back on my teaching experience and be happy I did it, but after days like today idk what I was thinking.

+3

I counted how many times I heard the phrase "suck my dick" today. 30. 30 times. Only 2 times at me. And that's below average.

+4

All of a sudden thankful the hot insult is to call someone a "bald-headed eagle" in my class.

[yomisterd]

+1

My first graders are really starting to test my patience as the end of the school year approaches.. ok, I said it.

+2

I'm at the point where I'm questioning why I even decided to teach. I know I'll look back on my teaching experience and be happy I did it, but after days like today idk what I was thinking.

+3

I counted how many times I heard the phrase "suck my dick" today. 30. 30 times. Only 2 times at me. And that's below average.

We should move this to the lounge. But then I'm game to dish. Sneak preview: "fuck you and your Bill Cosby sweater."

Take us to the lounge, yossarian! I think our work is done here.

[yossarian]

Come one, come all, to complain (and maybe celebrate sometimes) about our pre-professional choice of classroom instruction.

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 0&t=225684

[hichvichwoh]

uh, not to put a damper on things, but if you're gunning for big law make sure you have some explanation for employers other than "it was emotionally and physically draining so I quit," because big law is emotionally and physically draining. "burning out" is a big problem and employers don't want to hear that your response is to quit. Just my opinion, obviously, I'm not a hiring partner or anything.

[Tom Joad]

It's not disingenuous.
I'm sure the rest of them do as well.

To be fair. I think there are some differences.

(1): TFA is strictly a two-year thing. After that you are an alumnus. You are never employed by TFA. It's complicated to explain. But indicating you were with TFA three years is just wrong unless you went on to work for TFA corporate.

(2): Teachers are hired on contracts, not at will. Indicating spring for a teacher specifically makes it appear as though one finished their contract. It is not quibbling over months at an at will job. It is hiding (whether intentionally or unintentionally) a failure to complete a contract.

I don't think it's a grave sin or anything. I just think it is a little unclear. I wouldn't criticize someone who did it nor would I assume some ethical fault. I just personally wouldn't make that choice for the listed reasons.

Why would it matter that you didn't finish your contract?

[yossarian]

It's not disingenuous.
I'm sure the rest of them do as well.

To be fair. I think there are some differences.

(1): TFA is strictly a two-year thing. After that you are an alumnus. You are never employed by TFA. It's complicated to explain. But indicating you were with TFA three years is just wrong unless you went on to work for TFA corporate.

(2): Teachers are hired on contracts, not at will. Indicating spring for a teacher specifically makes it appear as though one finished their contract. It is not quibbling over months at an at will job. It is hiding (whether intentionally or unintentionally) a failure to complete a contract.

I don't think it's a grave sin or anything. I just think it is a little unclear. I wouldn't criticize someone who did it nor would I assume some ethical fault. I just personally wouldn't make that choice for the listed reasons.

Why would it matter that you didn't finish your contract?

I have no idea whether it would affect the way a biglaw hiring partner views one's resume, but in the education world, it is sort of the equivalent of leaving without 2 weeks notice. Again, might not matter at all to anyone in the legal profession.

[DebtMuch]

Won't matter for hiring. But how do you want that recommendation to be sent during your moral character evaluation? It won't stop you from passing moral character, but I'm sure there will be some questions. You only have 3 months left. I'd stick it out if at all possible.

[TFAburnout]

Thanks for all the responses, everyone.

Definitely sympathize with you, yossarian and yomisterd. Teaching sucks, and, at this point, I'm not seeing much of the rewards because I only have the lowest-performing students. I've come to realize that more than half of your enjoyment and effectiveness of teaching is the type of student you're given, and the rest is how good of a teacher you are. (I know, I know-- this is not the spirit of TFA.) The students I currently teach have burned through three different teachers last year.

Won't matter for hiring. But how do you want that recommendation to be sent during your moral character evaluation? It won't stop you from passing moral character, but I'm sure there will be some questions. You only have 3 months left. I'd stick it out if at all possible.

I've never heard of this. What's a moral character evaluation? I have decent recs and references outside of my current employment that I can probably use?

[TFAburnout]

It's not disingenuous.
I'm sure the rest of them do as well.

To be fair. I think there are some differences.

(1): TFA is strictly a two-year thing. After that you are an alumnus. You are never employed by TFA. It's complicated to explain. But indicating you were with TFA three years is just wrong unless you went on to work for TFA corporate.

(2): Teachers are hired on contracts, not at will. Indicating spring for a teacher specifically makes it appear as though one finished their contract. It is not quibbling over months at an at will job. It is hiding (whether intentionally or unintentionally) a failure to complete a contract.

I don't think it's a grave sin or anything. I just think it is a little unclear. I wouldn't criticize someone who did it nor would I assume some ethical fault. I just personally wouldn't make that choice for the listed reasons.

Completely agree with the two-year thing for TFA. I identified it properly in my resume; "quitting TFA" for the thread's title was just to get the layperson's opinion. And, also, I signed an "at will" employment contract for my school, which means that I'm legally allowed to leave without notice?

[yossarian]

Completely agree with the two-year thing for TFA. I identified it properly in my resume; "quitting TFA" for the thread's title was just to get the layperson's opinion. And, also, I signed an "at will" employment contract for my school, which means that I'm legally allowed to leave without notice?

Yeah, and you're legally allowed to leave contracted employment as well, but there is typically a penalty clause. Mine is $2k prorated across 12 months.

[DebtMuch]

Every state bar has a moral & character evaluation you must pass in order to practice law. You have absolutely no choice but to inform you of your exact dates of employment, reason for leaving, and the state bar will contact the principal for a reference if you want them to or not….something to consider for only 3 months left in school year.

[TFAburnout]

Every state bar has a moral & character evaluation you must pass in order to practice law. You have absolutely no choice but to inform you of your exact dates of employment, reason for leaving, and the state bar will contact the principal for a reference if you want them to or not….something to consider for only 3 months left in school year.

Even if there's a moral and character evaluation, I doubt that quitting a job constitutes a break in my moral character.

"An act of misconduct may include, but is not limited to, behavior that results in a criminal conviction, behavior that results in a sustained accusation of fraud or a sustained allegation of unauthorized practice of law, violations of a school's honor code that involve moral turpitude or result in expulsion, professional discipline, license revocation or disbarment, material omissions from the moral character application, misstatements in the moral character application and misrepresentations during informal conferences conducted by the Committee" (http://admissions.calbar.ca.gov/MoralCh ... ctors.aspx).

Also, I haven't heard about the state bar contacting employers as references. This seems a little over the top.

[worldtraveler]

Every state bar has a moral & character evaluation you must pass in order to practice law. You have absolutely no choice but to inform you of your exact dates of employment, reason for leaving, and the state bar will contact the principal for a reference if you want them to or not….something to consider for only 3 months left in school year.

The bar isn't concerned about people quitting early. If OP quits in a blaze of glory and runs away with all the classroom supplies, then he might have a problem.

[yomisterd]

Every state bar has a moral & character evaluation you must pass in order to practice law. You have absolutely no choice but to inform you of your exact dates of employment, reason for leaving, and the state bar will contact the principal for a reference if you want them to or not….something to consider for only 3 months left in school year.

The bar isn't concerned about people quitting early. If OP quits in a blaze of glory and runs away with all the classroom supplies, then he might have a problem.

Unless you did DonorsChoose. Keep that shit.

[yossarian]

Unless you did DonorsChoose. Keep that shit.

I actually think there is a clause that it has to stay with the school. I don't remember for sure. Not that it matters.

OP, seems like you're thinking about this correctly. Do you if you have to. I bulldozed your thread about a nit picky resume detail. Sorry. Not important. Doesn't seem like anyone thinks there will be serious life consequences if you quit respectfully and move on to the next phase of your life.