Teach for Georgia is designed to fill classrooms with college graduated professionals who are seeking a career change but lack a degree in education. After taking a four-week course on how to teach, program graduates will be in line for a job the next school year. To qualify for the free class a candidate must have a bachelor's degree, a 2.5 college grade-point average and pass a basic skills test. After successfully completing the training, the new educators will be paired with a mentor and receive a provisional certificate that allows them to teach for two years before they must acquire permanent certification in order to keep their new jobs. They also may be required to take some additional college courses.
Critics see the program as a fast way of filling vacancies and getting warm bodies in classrooms.
They also think that these new ''crash course'' trained teachers will be ill-prepared to educate our young students. This may come as a shock to many people, but there's more to teaching than standing in front of a chalkboard and filling out lesson plans.'' I agree. Top on my list would be a desire to see people improve their lives and the ability to communicate. These are traits that not even all education majors have. Nor, do fresh college-graduated teachers always possess the life experience that can be used in a classroom to make students see the practical application of and the real world need for the education so many of our youth reject.