Certain criteria could lead professionals to teach, study says

McClatchy Newspapers (MCT) - Midcareer job changers may be the nation's best hope to fill an estimated 1.5 million teaching vacancies expected in the next 10 years.

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But $50,000 a year may be the magic number to entice most of them to the profession.

A study conducted for the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, released Sept. 11, found that four in 10 adults who are not now teachers would consider teaching.

In fact, that same proportion of adult workers said they had considered teaching in the past.

But perceptions of low pay (or at least lower pay than what they now earn) and lack of information about degree or certification requirements have kept many would-be teachers from investigating further.

Interviewers found that baby boomers, particularly, are intrigued by the idea of teaching as a second career. It fits with their desires to "do something meaningful" or "give back to society" in the latter part of their work lives.

The report laid out the challenges to attract more college-educated, midcareer professionals to the classroom. They include better pay, safe schools and clear, "accelerated" pathways to obtain teaching credentials.

Furthermore, "although there has been an upsurge in programs to tap career changers in the past 20 years, much more needs to be done to create programs that meet the needs of experienced adult learners," the study concluded.

The Metropolitan Community College system in the Kansas City, Mo., area may be meeting some of that challenge with both credit and noncredit classes, designed to help "nontraditional" students launch new careers.

For example, there is an associate of arts in teaching degree that can be obtained online and in night classes that allow full-time workers to study toward a teaching career.

The college system also offers noncredit short courses _ some just four sessions long _ that provide midcareer workers a chance to learn about different professions, including teaching.

Thomas Bloch, of H&R Block fame, has been getting a lot of attention lately for his new book about his decision to leave his CEO job for the classroom.

In a recent interview, he acknowledged that he had no financial concerns in taking time out to go back to school and no worries about future income levels. In fact, he's eschewed a teaching salary.

Clearly, most workers _ no matter how motivated to make a difference _ will have financial considerations. Bloch understands this and is among those who call for higher teacher pay.

We, as a nation, are bombarded daily with warnings that U.S. schools are not turning out enough well-educated students to keep pace with global competitors and fill our own domestic business needs.

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The burden to do better falls on students and teachers _ those already in the classroom and those to come.

But the burden to make teaching an economically attractive career falls on taxpayers and policymakers.

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(Diane Stafford is the workplace and careers columnist at The Kansas City Star. Her blog, workspacekc.typepad.com, includes daily posts about job-related issues of wide interest. She can be reached at stafford@kcstar.com.)

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© 2008, The Kansas City Star.