In the face of declining numbers of Oklahoma teachers, the Northeastern State University College of Education is helping to provide solutions.
Networking
COE administrators meet regularly with regional professionals, including the Second Century Advisory Committee, a group of area school superintendents and principals. Together, they discuss what can be done to address the growing teacher shortage on a local level. On a state level, administrators are also part of a task force created by Oklahoma State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister.
Continuing Education
COE has introduced a new master's degree in instructional leadership. The new program, which is set to begin in the fall, will be completely online to make it easier for current classroom teachers to obtain needed certifications. This new degree program is the result of a needs analysis with partner schools in the area.
Recruitment
On Jan. 25, about 250 middle and high school students from about 170 schools will converge on Northeastern's Tahlequah campus for the Celebration of Teaching event as part of COE's annual RiverHawk Academy for Future Teachers.
Visitors will hear from the national and state teachers of the year and participate in hands-on activities that model the way the college prepares its teacher candidates.
And while students might not be interested in teaching before the event, said Dr. Debbie Landry, COE dean, surveys from previous years indicate the event shifts students' thinking about careers in education.
"It's part of an ongoing process of being out there early and often to talk to young people about education and how important the profession is," Landry said.
Celebration of Teaching is one of several recruitment events hosted by COE throughout the year. The Academy is funded through a combination of the Celebration of Teaching grant, the Project Hope grant and COE.
Read the entire article in the Tahlequah Daily Press.