The Journal

A study by the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future (NCTAF) forecasts a massive number of teacher retirements, which could potentially alter the teaching profession and career opportunities for students entering the teaching field.

The April 2009 study by the nonprofit advocacy group predicts 1.7 million teachers could retire in the next decade, leaving the educational system desperately understaffed. Many of the potential retirees are aging baby boomers, 50 and older, who either desire to leave the profession or are being encouraged to leave by outdated retirement policies, according to the report.

While this may mean more opportunities for Webster University education graduates, it could also create a challenging work environment, short on experienced mentors.

"It's a mix of good and bad," said Jenni Taylor, a freshman education and Spanish major."It's a little scary because you want to keep those mentors to help new teachers and lead the way."

NCTAF's predictions, while dire, may not truly reflect current circumstances caused by the faltering economy. Many teachers are delaying retirement and professionals, laid off from other fields, are turning to teaching to ride out the recession, said Brenda Fyfe, dean of WU's School of Education.

"The landscape is changing by the minute because of the economy," Fyfe said.

Exacerbating the problem, a third of new teachers leave the field after five years, according to the report.

"The traditional teaching career is collapsing at both ends," stated the NCTAF report.

New paths to teaching, like Teach for America and Troops to Teachers, provide an accelerated course that may fail to adequately prepare new teachers for the profession's rigors, said Fyfe, adding students prepared at WU are better equipped.

"We're trying to ensure students have a realistic understanding based on experience, not just what they learned in the classroom so they know the challenges that are coming ahead," Fyfe said.

Schools are adapting to the shifting terrain. Districts are building new systems of teacher mentors and teacher leaders who are working with the incoming teachers in to deal with the loss of experienced teachers said Fyfe.

These mentoring programs provide novice with access to skilled professionals and give veterans new avenues to apply
their knowledge.

Despite NCTAF's grim outlook, one thing is certain. Districts across the country will be in need of new teachers.

For graduating WU students, the job outlook is promising. The Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook reported the need for kindergarten through twelfth teachers will grow 12 percent by 2016.

That growth is expected to create 479,000 new positions nationwide. That figure does not include the positions being vacated by retirees.

"You have retirees and then you also have newer teachers leaving which creates steady job growth in education," said Tamara LaPlume, the director of career services at WU.
Growth varies by region, with states in the South and West growing at the greatest rate while demand in the Midwest is expected to hold steady and demand in the Northeast will decline, the BLS handbook said. The focus of a rookie teacher's expertise will also play a factor in finding employment.

"For my particular discipline the job outlook is pretty good," said Lauren Flecke, a junior education major.

Flecke wants to teach science in secondary schools. Science, math, English as a second language and special education teachers are in the highest demand as a need for technical skills increases, the ethnic demographics in the country change and children with special needs are no longer being taught separately from other students, said Fyfe.

Overall, Fyfe and LaPlume believe the future looks bright for WU's education graduates.

"I think teachers can look forward to a great profession to be in," Fyfe said. "There's always going to be challenges and troubles but one can work through those. New teachers need to be prepared to be flexible, prepared to be a problem solver, and prepared to think creatively."

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