Chances are, if you’ve been floating around somewhere in the teacher orbit, you likely agree with the proclamation that all students deserve great teachers. We’ve been working hard to give you the training you need to become the teacher they all need.
As we continue our mission together, it’s time to tackle the next issue – What can be done to address the needs of all? Wherever you are in your teaching journey, whether you’re a casual lurker, dream of becoming a teacher, are currently studying to become a teacher, or if you’re already a teacher, you’re probably aware that there is an ongoing teacher shortage. In fact, all 50 states report teacher shortages, meaning Indiana is no exception.
The teacher shortage is real – there’s no dispute. Teachers of Tomorrow has worked diligently over the past 15 years to address this serious issue. Let’s circle back the small word packed with a big significance: all. If serving the needs of all is the goal, we need to start by providing teachers to the populations who need them most. Within the teacher shortage in Indiana, some areas are critically short. These areas are deemed “high-need subject areas”.
Make yourself more marketable as a teacher by adding or pursuing a high-need field! These positions are so greatly needed, you may find yourself one of the only qualified candidates. This could be the ticket to your immediate hire. Indiana Teachers of Tomorrow is here to meet you wherever you are in your teaching journey and help make the next step of pursuing a high-need subject area easily accessible to you. Here at Indiana Teachers of Tomorrow, we help license teachers in the following high-need subject areas:
- Exceptional Needs (All Levels)
- Mathematics (5-12)
- Sciences: Physics, Life Sciences, Earth and Space Science, Chemistry, Physical Science (5-12)
Becoming a teacher helps combat the teacher shortage. Go one step further and become a high-need subject area teacher to provide all students with the teachers they deserve. Together, we can work to remove Indiana from the teacher shortage list, and it starts with addressing the critical high-need subject areas openings.
What exactly does pursuing a high-need subject area entail? For starters, high-need subject area teachers can earn higher pay, get hired faster and have job security. Read more about the benefits here. Let’s take a brief walk through each of the subject areas on the list:
Exceptional Needs
Becoming an Exceptional Needs teacher is arguably one of the most rewarding careers. Exceptional Needs teachers work with students who have a disability. The objective is to ensure that curriculum is accessible for these students who learn differently from their peers. Learn more here.
You may have read this acronym before, but what does it mean and why is it important? STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. It is important because teacher shortages are reported for each subject area. The remaining two subject areas on our high-needs list fall under the umbrella of STEM. Read on for a brief overview of each.
Mathematics
The key responsibility of a mathematics teacher is to teach general and advanced math topics to students. There is an important difference between knowing how to do math and knowing how to teach math. If you have a knack for explaining sticky concepts, consider becoming a mathematics teacher. Learn more here.
Sciences: Physics, Life Sciences, Earth and Space Science, Chemistry, Physical Science
This group contains 6 different subjects, so you’re sure to find one which interests you! Let’s explore each of them and to help you discover the right fit for you. Learn more here.
Physics: If you’re all about matter, energy, force and the laws that relate to them, physics is for you. If you grew up as a Isaac Newton mini-me, parroting “an object in motion stays in motion”, here is your time to shine! Become a physics teacher and you’ll teach all the laws of motion.
Earth and Space Science: From geology to astronomy, your teachings will cover some serious distance. As an Earth and Space Science teacher, you will teach the fundamentals of geology, meteorology, oceanography and astronomy.
Life Science: Fascinated by living organisms? Teach your students how they came to be, how they function and how they interact with their surrounding environment. You’ll work your way through cell theory, evolution, homeostasis and various other biological subjects.
Chemistry: Were you the student who actually enjoyed memorizing the periodic table? If so, you may want to consider chemistry. Chemistry teachers help student learn about elements, molecules, compounds and chemical reactions.
Physical Science: If all subject descriptions sound interesting to you or you don’t want to limit your teachings to just one subject, perhaps Physical Science is the path for you! From astronomy, geology, to biology and more, you will introduce your students to a range of different topics.
