Here's Your Pink Slip . . . Now, Go Become a Teacher

Can the worsening economy actually cause an increase in educators? Budget cuts are forcing major belt-tightening in most states, but in Kansas where there is a teacher shortage, the unemployed might be dusting off unused teaching licenses.

There are 25,000 people in Kansas who have teaching licenses but are not currently working in schools. Many have taken different career paths or are stay-at-home parents. But as jobs are eliminated at a rapid rate and home budgets become tighter, the seeming job security and benefits of being a teacher start looking quite attractive.

"When we have an economic downturn, that's when more people choose to go into education," said Kansas Education Commissioner Alexa Posny. "It's such a stable field."

 

In the long term, will the ripple effects of this recession mean more people, not just in Kansas but around the world, turning to teaching as their career choice?

Comments

[mary]

Well this sounds good, EXCEPT many states are cutting teachers,not hiring more.
?
And I question if anyone who goes into teaching for monetary reasons will stay long or be effective?
Teaching is not a place to hide from life realities-
MARY

[Debra]

If that happens, it will bring significant change to schools and the profession as a whole-for better or worse. Seasoned educators guide their new colleagues; new teachers from other fields bring fresh ideas to the table. Coupled with the right motivation (teaching students how to learn, of course), it might just be the change we've been needing all along.

[Owen]

I truly question the efficacy of hiring people who are really coming into teaching because they can't get/keep a job doing something else. What does this say about the continuing de-professionalization of the teaching profession? Get real! We need more committed, "lifecareer", dedicated teachers, not those fleeing life's "speed bumps"!!!!

[Margo/Mom]

If we are talking about qualified educators (that is, appropriately credentialled, as the article seems to be saying) who have spent some time elsewhere, it seems like it could be an enriching phenomenon. Perhaps while they were out of the classroom they learned a few key skills like: how to use email for communication, some basic customer/community relations skills, respect for hard-working folks in other professions. Could be a win-win.

[Libbie]

Wow, what a blow! I will get a pink slip from the job of my choice, it obviously paid more, and return to the safety net of teaching. Hmmm...so teaching is secondary? This does not resonate with the voices of those of us who do this job, not for the money, but because we love to teach and we love the kids. This is true for me and many of my colleagues. It is not a what if job. It is one that requires love, resiliency, competency, tenacity, and... Never, never is it secondary!

[Richard]

I guess this confirms the idea that teaching is considered a fall back job, and not as important as those "other" jobs. This story reminds me of recruiting success for the military. Placing people in important jobs such as teaching and national defense, simply because there are no other jobs it an indictment of our nation. We don't value what is important.

How long will these teachers last? In Texas, we have plenty of certified teachers who have left the classroom, for a variety of reasons. Maybe if we worked on retaining some of the 50% that leave in years 1 to 5 and the 50% that leave in years 6 to 10, we would not even have this discussion.

[Jerry Houseman]

In California, with our budget crisis it looks like we will be releasing current teachers and hiring very few so I doubt people will come to teaching here until our crazy state budgeting system is fixed.

[Aaron-RU]

The introduction of individuals from other professions will help to further increase the academic standards of education in our country. If our goal is to provide the highest quality instruction possible then part of that must include bringing in the most intelligent individuals available despite how we feel about their pathway to the practice. Who better to teach students that a subject is important than someone who has applied the skill in an environment outside of the classroom? These periods of economic relapse should be viewed as opportunities for school districts to bring in staff members that have worked in fields relevant to their content area. In addition, the Department of Education should work with higher education and school districts to provide candidates with mentorship programs that offer them added support. The concerns that are articulated above would be dealt with through a rigorous hiring process that includes interviews and demonstration lessons. Regardless of whether people feel that these individuals use teaching as a “fall-back” job or not, the primary goal of education is to mold and shape the minds of America’s youth and our mission should be to produce an environment that has students in contact with individuals that are specialists in their chosen field as often as possible.

[Jennifer]

I agree with many of the posts above. There are qualities that teachers must possess to be effective in the profession. The people being interviewed would need to be excited about the profession and realize what it takes to be a teacher professional. They would need to reflect on why they did not go into the profession to begin with. I do not think that people should come into the profession for job security and benefits.