Charles Ungerleider, Professor Emeritus, The University of British Columbia
[permission
to reproduce granted if authorship is acknowledged]
For years, a colleague from a school district and I
ran a site-based teacher education program, meaning all coursework for teacher
preparation took place in a public school classroom. From September to
December, student teachers spent their mornings in class and their afternoons
teaching under the guidance of experienced teachers. From January to March, the
roles flipped—student teachers taught in the mornings and attended classes in
the afternoons. By April and May, they transitioned to full-time teaching in
the classroom.
Reflecting on this experience got me thinking about
a teacher preparation model that could help mitigate the teacher shortage. It
wouldn’t solve the problem entirely but could make a meaningful impact,
particularly in communities struggling to attract qualified educators. This
approach is often referred to as "recruit and train," though I prefer
the term "educate" over "train."
The model is rooted in workforce development.
Candidates are chosen based on specific suitability criteria and then provided
with job-focused preparation, usually funded by employers or government
programs. The goal is to create a reliable pipeline of qualified professionals
while lowering barriers to entry. Candidates are rigorously screened for traits
critical to their profession—policing, for instance, emphasizes physical
fitness, psychological stability, and ethical standards. Teaching, on the other
hand, prioritizes interpersonal skills, empathy, subject knowledge, and a
dedication to education.
Once selected, candidates receive
profession-specific preparation, often at little or no cost, reducing financial
obstacles. Many of these programs require participants to commit to serving in
high-need areas for a set period, ensuring the investment in their education
benefits the communities that need it most.
This model enhances diversity and accessibility by
removing financial barriers that often limit the candidate pool. It aligns
training with workforce demands, such as filling positions in underserved
regions or addressing shortages in STEM education or rural healthcare. Service
commitments also help improve retention, stabilizing the workforce over time.
However, challenges exist, including the significant cost of preparation and
the potential for attrition after service obligations are completed.
The "recruit-then-educate" model is
already widely used in fields requiring public accountability and workforce
stability. Police recruits, for example, attend government-funded academies,
while healthcare professionals like nurses and paramedics often follow similar
pathways. In teaching, such models have been employed through service-based
programs, and they are also common in the military and skilled trades via
apprenticeships. Thoughtfully adapting this model to teaching could help
address critical challenges, including teacher shortages and inequities faced
by those with financial constraints
Provincial certification authorities could approve
school districts or consortia of school districts as providers of
recruit-and-educate programs. This approach aligns closely with current
practices in Canada, where many teacher education programs already rely on
retired teachers or those seconded from school districts to lead instruction.
By formalizing school district involvement, certification authorities could
ensure programs meet consistent standards while capitalizing on the expertise
of seasoned professionals.
This is my last blog for 2024. Best wishes for the New Year. My blog will resume in January 2025. Charles