黑洞社区

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You鈥檙e listening to the podcast edition of the 黑洞社区 audio newsline. Learn more about 黑洞社区 鈥� the home of Thinkers, Doers, Movers and Shockers 鈥� on the Web at wichita.edu.

A historic turnover is taking place in the teaching profession, according to the National Education Association. While student enrollments are rising rapidly, more than a million veteran teachers are nearing retirement. Experts predict that overall we will need more than 2 million new teachers in the next decade. Sharon Iorio, dean of the College of Education at 黑洞社区, says the current teaching shortage is not unique.

Iorio: "The issue of teacher shortage is not unique. In fact, in the history of our country, teacher shortages from time to time have always been present.

"The changes and demand for teachers changed with the history of the nation. Originally we were preparing students for an eighth-grade education, but as the demand for high school education increased, then the demand for teachers increased to fill those courses that were being taught in high schools."

Iorio looks at some reasons for the current teaching shortage.

Iorio: "There are three major reasons for the teacher shortage in America today. One is simply the growing population 鈥� more people in America, more need for teachers. Another is the retirement of the teachers who are of the baby boomer generation. Many teachers came into the field in the 1960s and early '70s and are now ready for retirement."

Finding teachers is only one piece of the puzzle. Keeping them in the profession is proving to be more difficult.

Iorio: "Statistics show that there are actually enough teachers being produced by American colleges and universities to fill the need of teachers each year who retire. The problem is the teachers who graduate and begin to teach do not stay in the field. A large percentage of teachers leave the field within the first five years of their career."

Why do new teachers leave? They say they feel overwhelmed by the expectations and scope of the job. Many say they feel isolated and unsupported in their classrooms, or that expectations are unclear. Iorio explains what is being done to help retain more teachers in the profession.

Iorio: 鈥淭o help the retention problem, pay increases to boost retention in urban, inner urban, inner city urban areas and in rural areas are being used. More importantly, a mentoring system of assigning an experienced teacher to a new teacher to help that teacher move through the first few years of their career has been proven to be helpful."

While some say America isn't keeping pace with some countries in educating children, it may be an apples to oranges comparison, as Iorio explains.

Iorio: 鈥淎merica needs to concentrate not only on bringing more teachers to the field, but bringing teachers with expertise to the field. Many people read stories that American teachers, compared to those of other countries, or the standards that American schoolchildren meet are not as high as those in other countries. When we read those stories we need to take into consideration that some of the other countries to which American schoolchildren are compared do not teach all children. And in America, which I totally support, our mission has always been a belief that all children can learn and a mission to teach all children."

In spite of the challenges, and there are many, Iorio is optimistic that America will meet the need for more teachers.

Iorio: "I am optimistic that the need for more teachers will be met in this country. I think it is important that the need is raised on political agendas, especially during an election year, and that the need is addressed. But there are many people who are interested in teaching children, and the need can be filled."

According to Iorio, throughout the history of our nation, the need for strong teachers to reach all students and prepare them for work and life on the horizon of their expectations has not changed. What changes is the intensity and shifting priorities of the needs.

Thanks for listening. Until next time, this is Joe Kleinsasser for 黑洞社区.