From Keyboard to Chalkboard: Stemming the Teacher Shortage
By Jessica Groach
The electronic age makes it easier than ever to earn a teaching certificate and become qualified for teaching jobs, which might assist with America's teacher shortage.
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Kate Geenan left her job with the Milwaukee Brewers, hoping for a career that would give her more time with her family. But with two small children at home, going back to college wasn't an option. So she enrolled in Marquette University's online accelerated teaching certificate program.
Educating the Teacher
The need for teachers is approaching a crisis. A large percentage of America's teachers are approaching retirement. Urban populations are growing, and the academic bar has been moved higher. The combined effect has caused an extreme teacher shortage. The Urban Teacher Collaborative reports that 98% of urban school systems have an acute need for teachers.
To expand the pool of qualified teachers, hundreds of colleges and universities have developed online education and teaching certificate programs for adults with bachelor's degrees,.
First-year and student teachers have hectic schedules, so online education is very convenient and quickly puts new teachers into the job market. What's more, these online courses offer instruction to future teachers about utilizing this kind of technology for their own classrooms.
Making Contact
Once students have earned teaching certificates, technology is helping to fill teaching jobs. The National Teacher Recruitment Clearinghouse, various state-run sites, and international recruitment sites have made teaching jobs more accessible by introducing teachers and employers online.
The combination of online education, expedited online certification, and online networking are helping to put a greater number of highly qualified teachers into the classroom, where they're urgently needed.
*Sources:
Kate Geenan/Urban Teacher Collaborative.
Marquette University Newsroom.
www.marquette.edu/opa/newsroom/news
www.teachfornevada.com
www.recruitingteachers.org
www.teachgeorgia.org
www.eteach.com
About the Author
Jessica Groach is a freelance writer, and she has been an English instructor at the University of Nevada, Reno for four years. Her background includes seven years in media, advertising and public relations. Her work has appeared in various lifestyle and business publications, including a Warner Business Book.
