People join Teach For America from all majors, backgrounds, and career goals. What matters most? Your mindset. Your willingness to lead, grow, and make a real difference.

As a corps member, you’ll work closely with students and their families every day. Belief in our mission of expanding opportunity for all children is essential, and over our history, we've identified a set of skills and values that help people thrive and make an impact in the classroom and beyond. 

Core Beliefs

• Belief in the potential of all kids. You are committed to doing whatever it takes to expand opportunities for all students, often with a perspective informed by experience partnering with communities impacted by systemic barriers. 
• Respect for individuals’ individual experiences. You have the ability to work effectively with people from all backgrounds and approach new experiences with a respect and humility for the people with whom you are working.
• Long-term commitment to reaching goals & the capacity to set and attain ambitious goals. You have strong self-awareness and desire to improve and develop, both personally and professionally. Along the way, you take ownership for your own successes and failures, and you try new approaches to accomplish your goals. To improve the systems that hinder student learning, knowing how to establish and to exercise the belief, energy, and strategic-action needed to achieve ambitious goals is necessary to move the needle forward.
• ​​​​​​​Openness to feedback. You have a willingness to assess your potential for growth. We believe in constant reflection and we know that learning never stops.
• Desire to learn about the community where you are placed and understand its historical context.

Join Teach For America 

Apply to teach as part of the corps and be part of our coalition of leaders working to expand opportunity for all children. 

APPLY

Leadership Qualities​

​As a corps member, you’re the leader in your classroom—making key decisions, guiding student learning, and collaborating with others to get things done. We've seen clear patterns in the leaders who do this well:

• Long-term commitment to reaching goals. You have strong self-awareness and desire to improve and develop, both personally and professionally. Along the way, you take ownership for your own successes and failures, and you try new approaches to accomplish your goals.
• Capacity to set and attain ambitious goals: To improve the systems that hinder student learning, knowing how to establish and to exercise the belief, energy, and strategic-action needed to achieve ambitious goals is necessary to move the needle forward.
• Ability to think critically about any situation. You're able to imagine multiple paths toward solving a problem and can identify the clearest solution. You’re also great at delegating leadership appropriately since success cannot be achieved alone.

Personal Skills and Abilities 

To be a corps member you must be innovative in the classroom. When one lesson plan doesn’t work, you refine and reimagine your approach and try new things. Some particular personal skills make this easier to accomplish, including:

• Innovation in the face of challenges. You’re able to adjust course quickly when in a challenging situation and flexible along the way.
• Openness to feedback. You have a willingness to assess your potential for growth. We believe in constant reflection and we know that learning never stops.
• Ability to work in partnership with others. You will need to work in partnership with other teachers, school leaders, and families, and should be able to work across lines of difference to create collective change. You are also a good listener and able to take on the perspective of others.

Finally, the Essentials

You don’t need to have completed any specific courses in undergrad in order to be a successful corps member. Corps members have pursued countless college majors at hundreds of colleges around the country. However, you are required to hold a bachelor’s degree by the first day of your summer training, with a GPA of at least 2.50 in a 4.00 scale. Read more about application prerequisites, including citizenship requirements, on How To Apply.

It’s important that all corps members bring their own background and skill sets to their classroom. The unique personalities and experiences that make up TFA allow us to grow and thrive.