http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-804145.mp3
Albany, NY – SERIES - DAILY LESSONS: INSIDE WESTERN GUILFORD HIGH SCHOOL
"THE FUTURE OF TEACHERS" -
As most listeners to this show understand, schools all across the U.S. are scrambling to fill teacher shortages. The teacher turnover, or "churn", as it's sometimes referred to, is enormous.
North Carolina, for example, reportedly needs 10-thousand new teachers each year to fill classroom vacancies. Yet, that state's teaching colleges are only turning out about 3-thousand teachers per year a huge deficit.
Meanwhile, at the same time, many new teachers burn out quickly. And veteran teachers are increasingly frustrated with the direction of public education, even wondering whether they will remain.
In Greensboro, North Carolina, the school system has tried various incentives to attract new teachers, like free rent for a month or discounts on cars.
This is part of our ongoing documentary series called Daily Lessons: Inside Western Guilford High School. This chapter focuses on why the teacher crisis may not be solved any time soon.
Emily Hanford reports. (8:03)
"TEACHING IN CIRCLES: MY JOURNEYS IN TEACHING HIGH SCHOOL" -
We just heard what teaching is like in one particular school in the Southeastern part of the country. Now, we transport you to the upper Midwest to see what it's like inside a public high school there.
We hope that teaching is still thought of as a noble profession, one that's full of great students and many personal rewards. But, the reality is that it's more often filled with very long hours, disruptive children, and accountability standards that some feel are impossible to attain. Even "summer vacations" often need to be used for professional development or attending summer school.
Teachers first entering the profession may find that they struggle with the realities of the position, and many don't make it through their first five years.
Our next guest has been teaching for eight years, and each day he still copes with the challenges and stresses to continue in his chosen profession
Nathan R. Miller teaches English and Theatre in a southern suburban Twin Cities public school in Minnesota. And he's just written "Teaching in Circles: My Journeys in Teaching High School" from Kaplan publishing.
Glenn Busby reports. (11:03)