ERIC Number: EJ897599
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2004
Pages: 21
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1096-2719
EISSN: N/A
Panel Discussion on Obstacles to Entering the Teaching Profession
Brookings Papers on Education Policy, p265-285 2004
The first day's session of the 2003 Brookings conference on education concluded with a roundtable discussion of the obstacles to recruiting new teachers into the profession, especially for urban schools. The discussion, moderated by Diane Ravitch, began with informal presentations by two people who have been deeply involved in addressing this problem: Michelle Rhee of the New Teacher Project and Vicki Bernstein of the New York City Teaching Fellows Program, which is part of the New York City Department of Education. According to Bernstein, three obstacles typically face people entering the teaching profession. First, teaching is not seen as a first-choice profession, particularly for women who have other options. Second, state obstacles make it hard to get certified. Third, candidates encounter an impenetrable bureaucracy. Another big obstacle is the first-year experience. The attitude "you are lucky to be here" often carries over into the classroom, where some new teachers have encountered a hazing theory of induction, which is not welcoming and does not have a good impact on retention.
Descriptors: Urban Schools, Teaching (Occupation), Teacher Competencies, Teacher Education, Barriers, Teacher Recruitment, Focus Groups, Teacher Certification, Vocational Interests, State Regulation, Administrative Organization, Public Policy, Conferences (Gatherings), Educational Policy, Occupational Surveys
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A