| Since we wrote the first edition of this book, a crisis has developed in the world of teaching: There is a dire shortage of teacher candidates in our country. In fact, the United States will need more than 2 million new teachers in the coming decade, and there aren’t that many new teachers graduating from teacher colleges. The teacher shortage has been caused by a number of factors:
● The current teaching force is aging, with a steady stream of retirees.
● Many states have downsized their student-to-teacher ratios, which obviously requires more teachers.
● There is a surge in immigrant children entering school.
● There are booming populations in several parts of our country where local colleges are not producing enough K–12 teachers.
● Teachers are leaving the profession after only a few years in the field due to burnout and low pay.
● Many teachers in the fields of math, science, and computer tech have left the teaching profession for better-paying jobs in private industry.
This is the reason, by the way, why there is such a need in these fields. Even though teachers are in high demand, teacher candidates are still striving for the plum positions in their specific area of expertise, in the district of their choice, and in a school that meets their requirements for location, student profile, and commute distance from their homes. So, even though there are plenty of jobs, it’s still important to know how to land the specific position of your choice, instead of being placed in the least-desirable area and school within the district. |
