By: Jason Odom, Director of Instruction, FlexPoint Virtual School

With teacher shortages continuing to be a major hurdle for Kindergarten-12th grade education, it’s critical that school and district administrators provide opportunities for students to see the impact teachers can have on their lives, as well as hands-on teaching experiences that can help them decide if teaching is a profession they would like to pursue. 

To help, I’ve put together six ways school leaders can attract students to the teaching profession.

1) Hire Passionate Teachers

I believe everyone can think of at least one teacher who inspired them. For me, it was my middle school science teacher, Mrs. Redd. She always brought out the best in me and instilled a work ethic to help me achieve at a high level. Due to her passion and support, I knew I wanted to become a teacher. She helped build the foundation for my love of learning and service. 

Finding teachers who can show students that teaching is a worthwhile career is critical. When hiring, school administrators should look for these three skills: 

1. Ability to inspire: This skill can be seen through a teacher’s passion in an interview or through examples of how they’ve helped students. 
2. Providing context to subject matter: A great teacher should be an expert in the subject area they teach and be able to show students how the material is relevant to their own lives. 
3. Emotional Intelligence: A high-quality teacher should know how to navigate different personalities, actively listen, and tailor their work to meet the needs of their students, families, peers, and leaders.

2) Create Career and Technical Education Pathways

Another way school and district administrators can give students the opportunity to explore the teaching profession is through Career and Technical Education courses. At FlexPoint, we offer nine programs of study, which are a progression of industry-focused classes that create accessible pathways for students to learn skills needed for college and the workforce. 

One of the programs of study we offer is Principles of Teaching, which includes three online courses:

1. Introduction to the Teaching Profession
2. Human Growth & Development
3. Foundations of Curriculum and Instruction 

The first course, Introduction to the Teaching Profession, explores what it takes to be a teacher and includes 20 hours of guided observations and field experiences to help students identify if the teaching career path interests and suits them. If they are interested in pursuing teaching, they can take the next two courses, which cover human growth development and offer students a glimpse into the classroom environment with field observations, including shadowing teachers. 

3) Develop Peer Tutoring Programs

In eighth grade, I had the opportunity to be a peer tutor through my school in an elective course called Turnabout Tutor Volunteers. I was able to work one-on-one with a second grader, helping him with his reading and writing skills. This was the first time I saw the impact teaching can have on the lives of students and one of the reasons I went into education. 

I recommend creating a peer tutoring program at your school, specifically for middle and high school students, to assist younger learners. It can be done in-person and virtually, with the support of a teacher. At FlexPoint Virtual School, our seasoned virtual students often help tutor students who are new to the online learning environment and those who need academic support. 

Through peer tutoring, students who are interested in teaching can get first-hand experience to decide if it’s a career they would like to pursue. Additionally, it helps them build necessary skills like active listening, providing constructive feedback, and more. 

4) Provide Work Experiences

One of the best ways to attract students into the teaching profession is by giving them hands-on demonstrations and work experiences. A way to do this is by partnering with Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs), which help students build their confidence and self-esteem by participating in competitive events at the local, state, and national levels. Plus, these organizations enable students to get involved and network outside of the classroom with peers and industry professionals. 

One CTSO dedicated to the teaching profession is Future Educators of America (FFEA). Activities in this club range from community service and gift collections during the holidays, to programs that allow students to learn what it takes to build a lesson plan and work with students. Recently, our FFEA students participated in a project called Pajamas Reading Night, where our high school students hosted a first grade class for a reading session. To prepare for the reading session, the club members planned what book they were going to read, as well as an activity to test the first grader's comprehension in a fun and engaging way. 

5) Partner with Higher Education Institutions

In addition to CTSOs and clubs, I recommend school administrators partner with local colleges and universities to elevate the teaching experiences students have access to. 

One way to do this is to have a showcase for your students where college professors and students majoring in education share their experiences. This provides an inside look at what taking teaching courses at the college-level would entail, and helps students see a path forward for themselves into the education workforce. 

Mentorship programs are another great option - whether it’s with college students who are interning at a K-12 school or with teachers at your local school. The key is to ensure that students have a way to visualize themselves in the industry so they can understand if it’s the career they want to pursue.

6) Appreciate Teachers Every Day

My last tip for administrators is to highlight the incredible work their teachers do and show appreciation year-round. 

Recognizing a teacher's efforts starts with the school leadership team, and could be as simple as spotlighting one teacher every week, or giving public kudos at assemblies or school events.

This appreciation will show students that teaching is worthwhile and can have a huge impact on not only the lives of their students but also on the ecosystem of a school district. 

Attracting students is the first step towards helping with teacher shortage challenges. Check out my blog post that features other short and long-term solutions. If you’re looking for additional teacher shortage support, learn more about the solutions we can provide.