Professor discusses problems with a one-size fits all solution to educational issues

Kathleen P. deMarrais, a professor in the Mary Frances Early College of Education’s department of lifelong education, administration, and policy, recently discussed the flaws of Teach for All on a FreshEd podcast.

Teach for All, an outgrowth of Teach for America and Teach First in the United Kingdom, recruits recent college graduates to make two-year teaching commitments in high-needs schools. With a global network of 56 affiliate organizations, Teach for All has become an important factor in the global education reform movement.

According to deMarrais, the organization does not look at structural inequalities in schools and the temporary position often causes more harm than good. In “Teach for All Counter-Narratives: International Perspectives on a Global Reform Movement,” co-edited by deMarrais, former recruits from Teach for All discuss their experiences with the organization.

“I was struck when some of the narratives came back,” deMarrais said. “These fellows are being held accountable for the learning of these students. They don’t have the pedological skills or resources to do that and were blamed if they didn’t make gains. It is built on a corporate model.”