Over the past several years, there has a been a consistent decrease in the number of individuals entering the teaching profession.
The drop-off in teacher certifications is particularly steep in Pennsylvania, tumbling from 15,000 in 2011 to a just over 4,200 in the 2021-2022 school year, according to data provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
Mark Spinola, a social studies and economics teacher at Gateway High School in Monroeville, developed a new course to address the lingering teacher shortage, while at the same time acknowledging the need for diversity among future faculty members. The district is comprised of 53% minority enrollment, which is higher than Pennsylvania’s average of 37%, according to the Public School Review.
“There is still a big discrepancy between the percentage of minority students and faculty,” Spinola said.
During the 2021-22 school year, Spinola proposed a “teacher academy,” in which students could learn firsthand what it’s like to be an educator. The goal of the program is to encourage diversity and get students excited about the teaching profession. The program was approved, and the 2022-23 school year marked the first for the academy, which is a two-semester course.
The school has partnered with Carlow University for the academy, so the courses count as approved credits for the college. Although the credits are free this year, beginning next school year there will be a fee. The high school also partners with Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and college education majors come out to the high school and talk about their experiences.
“The first 18 weeks is learning what it’s like to be a teacher,” Spinola said. “There is a lot of reflection in this class.” Described as an exploratory course, students discuss the advantages and disadvantages of being a teacher and hold fun activities, such as designing their own classroom.
The second semester is a practicum, comprised of 15 weeks in class and three weeks visiting classrooms on campus.
“There is real exposure to real kids, so students can get an accurate sense of what teaching is about,” Spinola said.
Senior Alli Gusky had praise for the academy.
“I always knew I wanted to get into education,” said Gusky, who applied to University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown to study history and secondary education. “Even if you don’t go into teaching, this class really helps to expand your knowledge.”
Spinola stressed that, even if a student decides teaching isn’t for them, they are still learning valuable life skills in the class, including reflection, writing and presenting. He added that some students are not necessarily interested in teaching, but in careers such as coaching or counseling, which require similar professional skills.
Junior Kate Thompson agreed.
“Mr. Spinola is a great teacher. Even if you’re not sure what you want to do, you should definitely try it out,” Thompson said.
“I wasn’t really clear about what I wanted to do,” junior Ashley Young said. “But this course gave me room to explore what being a teacher is like.”
“It is a ‘grow your own program’,” Spinola said, pointing out that there is a proposed third semester, which would be equivalent to an internship, with 12 weeks being spent in a classroom conducting lessons.
Senior Breanna Rutter said that she initially planned on going to college for pre-med.
“I like science and math, but decided I was just too social. And I genuinely like being the classroom,” Rutter said. She is considering attending Robert Morris University.
And although the students said that many people point to perceived drawbacks to becoming a teacher, Spinola and the class focus on the advantages: teaching keeps you young, encourages having fun and being creative, a salary and benefits are competitive, and teachers enjoy summers.
Since there is a growing demand for the profession, educators can also make decisions about where they’d like to teach.
“I love this job,” Spinola said.
Leslie Savisky is a Tribune-Review contributing writer.