Ways Teachers Can Help Recruit Top Technology Teachers

The Council on Technology Teacher Education (CTTE) developed this website, which contains a wealth of information about how to recruit individuals to the profession.

The additional thoughts below were compiled by Ronald D. Yuill, DTE

The shortage of technology teachers is everyone’s problem. Many of us will be losing teaching partners or friends from other schools as they retire in the next few years. Following are just a few of the many things that you can do as a teacher to make a difference in getting the top students in line to become technology teachers.

1.         Be a great positive example through your own teaching.

2.         Take the time to have an encouraging talk with potential teachers.

3.         Talk to the student’s parents about their child’s potential to be a great teacher.

4.         Constantly let your students know what you enjoy about being with them and teaching.

5.         Recognize good teacher role models in your school.

6.         Take your potential teachers to visit a university technology education program.

7.         Request a university professor to talk to your classes and have discussions with selected students about teaching technology.

8.         Remember that people are influenced to teach in many different ways so your approach must be diverse.

9.         Consider your student’s parents as potential technology teachers.

10.       Become aware of people in our community who may be looking for new career options.

11.       Send the names and addresses of five potential teachers to all university technology education department chairpersons within 500 miles. (See ITEA’s homepage for names and addresses http://iteaconnect.org/ ).

12.       Make your city council aware that there is a shortage of technology teachers and that it will affect education in their community.

13.       Attempt to place at least two articles a year in the local newspapers about your students’ work to raise the awareness of technology education in your community.

14.       Have your school counselor and teacher education institution help in putting together scholarship information.
15.       Remember that the best potential technology teacher may not even be in your class so you must always be alert to the potential of any student in the school.

16.       Work with the administration and other teachers to stage a “teaching is great” day to promote teaching.

17.       Remember that everyone is a teacher at one time or another and needs to be reminded of that.

18.       Stay active in your state/province and international associations to keep yourself sharp and constantly interacting with top technology teachers.

19.       Remember that showing enthusiasm for what you do will create a desire for people to teach like you!

20.       Encourage field trips from the lower grades to your classroom so that younger students and their parents can see a positive educational setting in action.

21.       Tell your neighbors about the need for technology teachers.

22.       Ask ITEA for basic information on technology teaching.

23.       Remember that the student in your class who may seem to be uninterested in teaching could very well become the best teacher.

24.       Help your students complete application forms for college.

25.       Choose student helpers who have teaching potential to give them closer working time with you.

26.       Promote your top potential teachers with other teachers and administrators so that they can help you inspire the student.

27.       Take your students to a university for a visit.

28.       Be aware that you are always a role model.

29.       Send a card to one of your students and parents each week complementing on their potential to be a technology teacher.

30.       Talk to local civic groups about the shortage of teachers and the importance of technology teaching.

31.       For information on where to get a degree in Technology Education, direct your students to the “Affiliate Universities” page on the ITEA website.

32.       Concentrate on the early grade levels for it is never too early to encourage a person to be a technology teacher.

33.       Don’t hesitate to talk about the fun of technology teaching in social situations.

34.       Don’t ever stop recruiting for you may be missing an opportunity to help a person get into a career of a lifetime.

35.       Be seen (and involved) in student events and activities beyond your classroom. (i.e.- athletic events, proms, etc.)

36.       Work with student organizations within your schools such as the Technology Student Association, Junior Engineering Technical Society, or others that place you in other than just classroom settings with students.

37.       Be positive, caring, and helpful to others.

38.       Have your superintendent, principal, another great teacher, the mayor, or a noted community leader to join you in talking to your students about being a teacher.

39.       Stay close to your former students as they enter and proceed through the college teacher program.

40.       Be the leader in your educational community when it comes to promoting technology teachers who will keep our next generation of leaders striving for excellence.

Understanding how and why students study technology and engineering K-12

Download/Print the TeachTechNJ.org brochure

Technology Education Careers Workshops

See video highlights from previous events

Testimonials about teaching Technology Education in New Jersey

TeachTechNJ related groups on Facebook:Career Changers College Students HS Students & Parents