Traditionally, public school systems have hired only full-time teachers that must conform to a strict schedule set by the district. It’s no secret that the US is facing a massive teacher shortage and districts are fiercely competing for available candidates while also trying to get new graduates certified to teach in order to build their pipeline. Opening up part-time teaching opportunities could go a long way in helping to relieve this shortage.
Teachers are quitting left and right…but many of them don’t actually want to leave education-they simply feel like they have to. Teaching in the public school system has become a profession that requires a near impossible amount of time and effort. They’re tired and they’re looking for the same kind of work life balance and hybrid work options that are becoming commonplace across other professions. Offering passionate educators the opportunity to teach part-time while pursuing other opportunities could keep those passionate teachers in the classroom, at least partially.
Teachers are subjected to rigid schedules and mandated contract hours which present a problem for those with caregiving duties. Many teachers are leaving the profession because of an inability to balance their teaching schedules with the demands of managing a family. Hiring teachers to teach part-time would allow those with dependents to continue working in the profession they love without having to give up time with their own children.
Creating the “master schedule” (the schedule of all the teachers, the classes they’ll teach and the times they’ll teach them) is a herculean task. Getting each teacher scheduled for exactly 6 classes (or whatever number their bell schedules dictate) in their content area is a process that often results in having less than ideal circumstances for teachers, students or both. Sometimes students are unable to take their desired classes because of scheduling conflicts, while other times teachers are forced to teach subjects with which they are unfamiliar. Having part-time teachers would allow flexibility for instructors to come in for one or two classes per day at times that worked for both teachers and students.
Particularly where electives are concerned, high school classes can get highly specialized. Welding and floral design, for example, both fall under the agriculture specialization. The likelihood that a school system that only has room for one ag teacher is going to find someone that is both an experienced welder and florist is slim. Part-time instructors would allow districts to hire people with this type of specialized experience.
In colleges, many professors are considered “adjunct,” meaning they are only part time instructors. They provide rich learning opportunities to their students because they can draw on the real world experience they get in their industries. Many professionals enjoy sharing their experience with others and want to give back to the community, but there is little room to do so without fully transitioning into education. Providing the opportunity for industry professionals to come into classrooms and share their knowledge with students would be a valuable experience for both teacher and student.
What we’re doing in public education is clearly not working. Education professionals must start thinking of new and innovative ways to bolster our educational system and hiring part-time teachers could be one way to do it.
Comments