teach.gov

I was surfing the web this Sunday, looking at different articles about the recent movie Waiting for Superman that we have talked about so much. I found a website called Teach.gov. This is the first I’ve heard of this website, and I was amazed by what I found.

This website is attempting to change the image of teaching. Teaching is sometimes seen as an easy job, or a job for those who can’t do. It is seen as a temporary stepping stone, or a job for the less talented. For what it’s worth, the web site is trying to inspire our generation to consider becoming teachers. Among the many reasons to become a teacher listed on the website includes be a leader, shape tomorrow, help under-served communities, and build a career with chances for advancement.

Additionally, the website features video interviews with teachers, logically, and then less logically, stars like Oprah. Oprah talks about her favorite teacher and how she was inspired by her.

I find this website to be a bit underwhelming when you consider the conversation that is taking place across the country. We talk about how great the need is for more teachers, for enthusiastic teachers, dedicated to a mission. Although, I appreciate the web-site's attempt to reach out, it does not seem like enough to get more teachers.

As a country, our education system is in crisis and more needs to be done to recruit teachers capable of achieving big changes and believing that the change is possible. Perhaps the web site is a good first step, but it is not enough. The implications for Baltimore are pretty clear. The website seems friendly enough for inviting new teachers, but how many people are looking at this, realizing that their every dream is to become a teacher in Baltimore City? Probably not many. It is not enough of an attempt to attract the people that we need. It is not convincing nor is it appealing. More has to be done to recruit the kind of high-quality teachers that we need.