Donna Young didn’t expect to go back to teaching full time.
Young retired from Cedar Rapids Kennedy High School in 2002. She took a couple of years for herself, but missed teaching too much to stay away for long.
The family and consumer science (FACS) teacher went back part-time, splitting her days between Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School and Coe College. She was busy in the morning and had the afternoons to herself. It was the perfect schedule.
Then the phone rang. Would she consider teaching at Cedar Rapids Prairie High School — full-time — for a year? The College Community school district only had three applicants for its high school FACS position, none who had the qualifications the district sought.
Young couldn’t say no.
Young is back in the classroom, teaching six classes and about 130 students this semester. It hasn’t been easy. She’s had to get used to a new school, a new system, and longer days.
“I was exhausted the first week of school,” Young said with a laugh. “I went to bed at 8:30 p.m. every night.”
Prairie was lucky. They were able to find a highly qualified instructor willing to fill the gap. The number of college graduates qualified to teach high school FACS classes have dwindled over the years, as have incoming teachers for math, science, special education and industrial technology.
The Iowa Department of Education has identified 12 subject areas in which teachers are in short supply. Districts are left scrambling to fill those posts.
“It’s a combination of retirement and fewer young people going into the profession,” said Judy Jeffrey, director of the Iowa Department of Education.
Young believes the loss of teachers in her field began with school budget cuts as far back as the 1980s. Districts needed to trim the fat and started with electives — including home economics courses. What no one considered, she said, is the program’s long-term influence.
“When these students graduate, you don’t know what they will do” Young said. “But I can guarantee all will have a significant other. Most will have children to care for. Everyone will need to know how to manage their money, and everyone will benefit from food and nutrition courses. So much of your life depends on eating healthy.”
Read more about the state’s teacher shortage in Tuesday’s Gazette.
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Becoming a school teacher has become so difficult and the pay so low that it isn't worth it anymore for some people starting out!
It is amazing that marriage and all that it involves is the least taught subject while growing up, even though, one can spend two-thirds of their life being married! There should even be courses on dating!
The School Systems are all about getting kids into college because that is where all the money is; it isn't about developing their gifts, abilities, talents …etc.! It has become a cookie cutter, assembly line, self fulfilling prophecy. No wonder we don't have enough math, science, social studies, language arts, etc., teachers! We have condescended to the Lowest Common Denominator which becomes the educational system's modus operandi!
And what are all of the areas that are hard to fill. Five appear to be listed–what about the other seven???