THE TEACHER SHORTAGE

It is almost impossible to pick up a national newspaper or magazine today without reading about our nation’s teacher shortage. It is projected that America will need to hire 2.4 million teachers over the next decade. Urban and rural school districts alike are being profoundly affected by the teacher shortage. Some specialization areas, such as secondary math and science and special education, have been severely impacted by the shortage. Because the causes of the teacher shortage are both numerous and complex, the solution will be neither simple nor fast.

THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE’S ROLE IN ADDRESSING THE TEACHER SHORTAGE

One way in which States are working toward ensuring adequate numbers of teachers for their classrooms is to enlist community colleges in their efforts to recruit and train teacher candidates. In Maryland, and surrounding areas, community colleges and four-year institutions have been building strong partnerships to foster the seamless transfer of education majors from two-year colleges to education programs at four-year colleges and universities.

Nationwide, community colleges have traditionally been the starting point for 20-30% of the teaching force. Maryland has now asked its community colleges to accept an even larger role in preparing teachers. In response to this invitation Allegany College of Maryland has developed an Associate of Arts in Teaching/Elementary, worked to foster teacher candidate recruitment, and strengthened transfer arrangements with four-year institutions.

It has been projected that in the coming years Maryland will need to hire more than 8,000 teachers each school year. Presently, Maryland four-year colleges and universities, that offer degrees in education, graduate fewer than 2,500 education majors yearly. Many-almost one-third- of these graduates-do not teach in Maryland. Neighboring states, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, report similar situations.

IMPLICATIONS FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS

Let’s take a moment to rephrase the preceding paragraphs in student-centered terms-

IF …you have interest in and commitment to education…

IF….you have the perseverance to follow a program of study for education…

IF….you have a genuine interest in children, their needs and well-being…

IF….you have the disposition to work cooperatively with peers and students…

….then a career in education will provide you with a lifetime of professional satisfaction and achievement.

IF ….you’re ready to begin your teacher education preparation, Allegany College of Maryland is ready to promote and foster your goals!