Teaching Programs In Chicago?

David Kuper: I did Teach for America and taught in a very challenged (ie -- dangerous, underfunded, poorly-managed) school in New York City. It was incredibly difficult and I ended up leaving earlier than I had expected because I was having health problems as a result of the stress. I grew up in Chicago, but I didn't go to one of the really bad schools, so I'm not sure what you would expect from there. But I hear that it is as bad as the schools in New York. There are several programs that allow you to teach in Chicago -- Teach for America (I had a bad experience with them, so I wouldn't recommend it, but here's their website: www.teachforamerica.org), Chicago Teaching Fellows (www.chicagoteachingfellows.org) and one or two more that are sponsored by local colleges in Chicago, I think. I would recommend that you try to shadow a teacher or two who are in one of these programs. I wish I had been able to do this and see what "a day in the life" was really like. I felt totall! y unprepared for what awaited me when I began teaching....Show more