Many left the profession; recent graduates are not pursuing teaching. As a result, schools are scrambling to find solutions.
Some have suggested that retired personnel from the private sector and the military should be recruited to fill the void. Teachers are aghast at such recommendations, which reflect abysmal ignorance about the professional preparation necessary to train competent teachers.
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona has responded that he is opposed to lowering teacher qualifications. Urging the system to be creative, he suggests using American Rescue Plan dollars to rehire retired teachers. He recommends universities permit student teachers to start working sooner. He also notes that student teaching, which entails four months of teaching without pay, should be changed; he advocates for students to be paid a salary using Rescue funds.
He has noted succinctly:
“This teacher shortage is a symptom of something that's been going on for longer than the pandemic, and that's a teacher respect issue. Unless we're serious about providing competitive salaries for our educators, better working conditions, so that they can continue to grow, and then including teacher voices in this process of reopening and reimagining our schools, we're going to constantly deal with shortage issues, especially in our areas that are harder to teach or where there are less candidates, like bilingual education administration.”
Teaching is a difficult hands-on profession. For many, it is a calling. It is about time this great nation rewards teachers appropriately. And as Dr. Cordona said -- respect them.
The shortage problem will be resolved. Following that, we need to be painfully honest. More of us should be apprised of the accurate reality of our education landscape: it’s troubling.
Many students, especially younger ones, have naïve or unrealistic expectations about workplace and career requirements, and the courses they need to take to improve their opportunities in the “real world.” The disconnect is painful and leads to frustrations among students and teachers.
It is estimated that only half of the Hispanic boys who enter first grade complete high school. Their numbers continue to diminish each year thereafter.
Several studies reveal that nearly half the Hispanic students enrolled in general education courses in high school (rather than college preparatory courses) aspire to careers that require a college degree. Ergo, a disconnect.
Further, only about 20 percent of Hispanic high school graduates complete the minimum courses recommended for college entrance. The problem is not low aspirations but mismatches between students’ visions of their future, their high school courses, and the information they and their families receive about how to prepare for higher education and employment.
So, we have a pervasive problem. Luckily, some school districts are addressing it by providing proactive strategies, such as:
• Counseling students and their families to ensure they understand college requirements
• Offering students challenging courses, not watered-down ones
• Integrating academic and career preparation so students can see the connections between school and work
• Adopting programs to encourage Hispanics to stay in school
Counseling is critical to prepare Hispanics for college and fulfilling careers. It must begin no later than middle school. To help parents guide their children’s education, they should receive strategies to motivate them to move through the system.
Effective counseling provides students and parents with information and advice about how to prepare for college, including selecting the right courses; maintaining high grades; and engaging in curricular activities. They should develop a plan to select a college, gain admission, and finance a college education.
Unfortunately, research shows that parents with substantial money and education are more likely than others to be involved in selecting their children’s courses. Hispanic parents are less likely to fall into this group. Although they set high expectations and goals for their children, many need more knowledge about options to guide them toward promising careers.
Some districts provide services as early as the sixth grade, which include mentoring, tutoring, counseling, after-school programs, summer academic and enrichment programs, and college visits.
Many Hispanic students do not select college-track courses, often because they do not realize how important such classes are for college admission. Caucasian students are significantly more likely to participate in Advanced Placement courses than Hispanics. Thoughtful educators are helping Hispanics, especially those learning English, enroll in the classes they need to prepare for college.
Algebra is a key to success in higher mathematics courses that colleges look for on students’ transcripts. Most students should take algebra by the eighth grade. Although rigorous mathematics classes, such as algebra and geometry, serve as gatekeepers for higher-level mathematics courses in high school and college, many eighth-grade Hispanic students do not enroll in such college preparatory classes. In fact, more than 80 percent of Hispanics do not take gatekeeper courses. Schools should ensure that all students—including ELL students— take rigorous mathematics courses to improve their chances of attending and succeeding in higher education.
Students from low-income homes, and the first in their families to attend college - where we find many Hispanics - face special obstacles. To overcome them, their education should be crafted so they are trained to draw inferences, analyze events, and evaluate facts.
These skills are honed by writing essays, taking extensive notes in each class, learning how to take tests, and adopting strategies for time management. Further, they should know how to use libraries and computers. These skills will help them in school and all the days of their lives thereafter.
There is a definite disconnect between the courses most Hispanics take and their ambitions.
The dropout rate among Hispanic students is in stark contrast to Caucasian students.
The odds that Hispanic students will successfully complete their education increase with higher family income and education levels.
Hands on counseling is a must; it should be carefully implemented by the eighth grade.
The path is clear and others have succeeded. But the proper steps have to be in place and followed. Motivation is paramount to success.•
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