Why Teaching (con't)
Our future depends on teachers like you
"The future of the world is in my classroom today, a future with the potential for good or bad… Only a teacher? Thank God I have a calling to the greatest profession of all! I must be vigilant every day, lest I lose one fragile opportunity to improve tomorrow." - Ivan Welton Fitzwater
A recent poll ranked teaching as the profession of greatest benefit to society (The Progress of Education Reform 1999-2001, Vol. 2, No. 2, August/September 2000). Teachers spend more time with the nation's children on an average day than parents do. The best teachers are more than just purveyors of facts and figures - they motivate, encourage and challenge tomorrow's leaders. Future doctors, lawyers, businesspeople and politicians are sitting in classrooms today, waiting to be inspired. By making a difference in young people's lives, teachers shape America's future.
Pursue your passion…and share it with others
"I became a teacher because literature was inspiring and life-changing to me, and I wanted others to share in its power." - 2002 NCTE Conference
There is no better way to pursue your passion - whether it's literature, mathematics, science, art or baseball - than by teaching it to others. Learning in the classroom is not limited to students; teachers themselves continually learn about their subjects and discover new insights. They get paid to immerse themselves in the subjects they love and to keep abreast of the latest news, research and developments in the fields that interest them most. Teachers also have the opportunity to kindle the same passion in others. Many teachers find that one of the most satisfying aspects of their job is seeing the spark in a child's eye as his or her passion for a subject grows.
The teaching profession needs you
"More than two million new teachers will be needed in America's classrooms in the next decade - and you can be one of them." - Laura Bush, Speech for the University of New Orleans New Teacher Project, February 19, 2003
The shortage of teachers in America is real and growing. Teacher attrition is a serious problem, as nearly 50% of new teachers leave the profession by their fifth year and nearly 16% of all teachers leave each year (No Dream Denied: A Pledge to America's Children, National Commission on Teaching and America's Future). As a result, there has been a growing focus on teacher recruitment and retention by national organizations and political leaders. There are a variety of scholarship and funding options to support future teachers, as well as a number of national initiatives designed to improve the quality of life for teachers. Become a teacher today to take advantage of these benefits and address the growing teacher shortage. Our children's future is at stake.
An opportunity in teaching: The Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowships, now accepting applications from recent graduates for 2012. Learn more: http://www.wwteachingfellowship.org/
