Event Draws 80+ Northwest Georgia High School Students
PAGE and Berry College Team Up to Address Teacher Shortage By Mary Ruth Ray, PAGE College Services Representative
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n the midst of unprecedented budget cuts and teacher furloughs, it may seem counterintuitive to discuss teacher shortages, yet that is the reality looming in Georgia classrooms. While the state’s population continues to climb, enrollment in our teacher preparation programs is declining. Young people who may have once considered teaching to be a stable, rewarding profession are now questioning that view in light
of reductions-in-force (RIFs), changes to Georgia’s teacher evaluation system, controversy around Common Core and uncertainty as to whether teachers’ compensation will be tied to students’ test scores in the years to come. Despite the bad press the profession is receiving in some circles, quality educators know that there is nevertheless much personal fulfillment in teaching, and there are thousands of Georgia classrooms that need competent, caring educators. That’s why PAGE and Berry College teamed up in February to host the first-ever “PAGE Future Teachers Day.” More than 80 students enrolled in education pathway classes at high schools in northwest Georgia spent a day on the beautiful college campus in Rome exploring a future in education. Dr. Jackie McDowell, – Dr. Allene Magill dean of Berry’s School PAGE Executive Director of Education, was look-
In a world where social media, the Internet and gadgets galore offer unprecedented opportunities for cutting-edge teaching methods, technology does not replace human emotions and needed social interactions.
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ing for a way to leverage the college’s successful teacher preparation program to encourage young people to consider the profession. “Our teacher education program at Berry College is so distinctive because our graduates are prepared to pursue careers as teacher leaders, not just look for a teaching job,” McDowell told participants. “Berry supports our graduates throughout their teaching careers. We wanted to share our program more widely in hopes that more local high school students would seriously consider teaching and stay in the profession. Partnering with PAGE was a wonderful first step as we all work together to address future teacher shortages and prepare the next generation of teacher leaders.” “We applaud Dean McDowell and the Berry College School of Education for taking a positive step to address the teacher shortage while at the same time providing a valuable service to the young people in Northwest Georgia who are interested in education,” says Jimmy Jordan, who serves as team leader of the PAGE College Services representatives.
March/April 2015
