Abstract
The growing teacher shortage in our P-12 schools has become a nationwide situation that universities, P-12 school systems, community colleges, and other stakeholders are addressing. Educator preparation programs have employed creative measures to recruit and retain teacher education candidates. To increase the teacher pipeline and improve retention in educator preparation programs, colleges and universities are creating pathways that are accommodating a variety of needs and meeting candidates where they are. A regional university in Southeastern North Carolina is intentionally creating opportunities for support and growth among a diverse population of teacher candidates. This chapter will explore those opportunities and share next steps and future ideas for research and development.
TopBackground
The growing teacher shortage in our P-12 schools has become a nationwide situation that universities, P-12 school systems, community colleges, and other stakeholders are addressing. Reducing the teacher shortage starts with getting more people interested in entering the teaching profession and fewer people leaving it early (Gorard et al., 2021). In addition, understanding who wants to become a teacher and why they want to teach may help inform Educator Preparation Programs about specific ways to support and retain preservice teacher candidates. For example, a recent study conducted in England found that those deciding on a career in teaching and applying to education programs are less concerned with extrinsic motivators such as salary, career status, and progression. Instead, findings indicated that these students are more interested in intrinsic motivators such as giving back to the community and sharing their knowledge with others (Gorard et al., 2021). Thus, tailoring education programs to support the needs of preservice teacher candidates could improve retention for Educator Preparation Programs and long-term lead to producing quality teachers committed to the profession with no intention of leaving.
Educator Preparation Programs have employed creative measures to recruit and retain teacher education candidates. To address teacher supply and demand, grow your own programs have been established to address the staffing issues in our schools and provide diverse pathways toward teacher education licensure (Starr, 2020). Grow your own programs have historically focused on the community teacher who comes from a variety of pools such as students, teacher assistants, retired military, second career seekers and resident teachers to offer access to a professional pathway and gateway to teaching. Gist, Bianco, and Lynn (2018), mention that some grow your own efforts have financial support to offer candidates for tuition, books, rent, childcare, and transportation.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Professional Development: Sessions designed to support undergraduate and graduate teacher candidates and usually provided outside of the typical class meeting.
Council of Educator Preparation Programs (CEPP): Unit wide governing body for undergraduate and graduate programs made up of faculty serving as Program Coordinators and Program Directors.
Associate Degree: A degree earned from a two-year institution or community college.
Local Education Agency (LEA): Identified by NCDPI as districts typically by the geographic boundaries of counties and Institutions of Higher Education create partnerships with those in their regions.
Paraeducator: Is a school employee who works under the supervision of teachers or other professional practitioners.
Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT): Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Program is an affordable, accelerated program with a blended or online choice for teacher candidates to earn a North Carolina Teaching License.
Educator Preparation Program (EPP): Any entity that prepares, trains, and recommends students for teacher licensure.
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction: The organization who implements the state's public-school laws, policies, and procedures governing pre-kindergarten through 12th grade public education.
Induction Support: A program created to support beginning teachers through coaching, professional development focused on retention and student achievement.
Residency Licensure: A licensing process that allows qualified individuals to begin teaching while completing North Carolina licensure requirements.