Campaign seeks to recruit new teachers

[alp227]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — A national campaign is being launched to find a new generation of talented teachers.

The Education Department is teaming with teachers' unions and other groups to unveil the public service campaign.

It builds on similar ads posted on the campaign's web site — Teach.org.

The campaign is funded by Microsoft and State Farm. Supporters include the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association. Teach for America is also participating.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/campaign-seeks-recruit-new-teachers

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Full article at this point.

[duffyduff]

1. Eff that b.s. There are tens of thousands of EXPERIENCED teachers out of work.

The fact TFA and Microsoft are involved says it all.

There is a GLUT of teachers now and will be in the foreseeable future. We don't need more of them.

We need teachers to be treated like professionals, not be recruiting scabs.

[Igel]

6. No, there isn't.

Depending where you live. Depending on what you teach.

A few years ago we needed a new physics teacher. One applicant. Got two offers, took the other one.

Two months later they hired a former social studies teacher who'd had a less than amicable termination with his former employer and managed to pass the science test.

Currently the school I'm at wants a math teacher. The job's been posted for almost two months. No applicants.

SpEd was the same way last year. Lots of jobs. They hired anybody with experience. My wife had 3 months experience. Was offered a job on the way to her 4th interview.

I got a science teacher job a few years ago after just student teaching. 3rd interview got me the job. I only put out perhaps 15 applications. After I got the job I got offers for two more interviews. And this was the year that there were thousands of teachers laid off in Tx and elsewhere.

It's worse in areas that are low SES, the schools teachers tend to flee from.

Depends no subject and location. Period.

[Shadowflash]

2. Thats all well and good

But the reality is that teacher pay is rock bottom. How many people are going to get a $100,000 education to get a $35,000 job?

As long as their pay and benefits keep dropping and they are treated like thugs and leeches, not many quality people are going to sign up and spend money for the abuse.

[caraher]

3. Treat teachers as if we valued what they do

That would solve the whole (alleged) problem of teacher supply and teacher quality.

I always have such mixed feelings when my students decide to go into teaching (generally high school science). It's important work, but especially in this environment of a full-on assault against public education, high-stakes testing, and the imposition of completely inappropriate models of evaluation, it's hard to send bright, motivated young people out to get stomped at every turn by "reformers."

No public service campaign can touch the reasons people may choose not to teach. Lots of talented people are eager and able to do this work; what's lacking is a genuine commitment to their success.

[groundloop]

4. My daughter wants to go into teaching, not sure if that's a wise career choice

Our schools don't even have textbooks for kids to take home, just one set per classroom and that's it. How the hell kids are supposed to do homework and actually learn math or science without a textbook is a mystery to me, but our damned state prides itself on giving tax breaks to big business.

I've complained about our woeful school system to my tea-bagger state rep. His response was that his plan to improve the education system in Georgia is to hold teachers accountable. W-H-A-T T-H-E F-U-C-K ?????

[AnneD]

5. Lip service...

BS Lip Service. Every teacher I know that can retire is others are moving on to jobs that pay decent wages.