Meeting the Need for Competent, Caring, Committed Teachers in Low-Income Schools

Public school enrollments have been increasing since 1990, and this trend is likely to continue according to the Illinois State Board of Education.

The need for new teachers is also increasing. Illinois schools report more than 1,200 unfilled teaching positions, especially in under-served and low-income communities.

A quality teaching force tops the list of crucial ingredients for schools to work, especially in impoverished schools. The quality of a child's teacher is a key factor in learning.

A critical period for future teachers is in their final term of preparation when they must complete their student teaching internship. Student teaching is the keystone experience for the aspiring teacher, and a rite of passage that virtually all educators share.

A time to synthesize knowledge and skills that shape a professional image, student teaching is the bridge between study and the real world of the school classroom. Only in the classroom can teachers in training cultivate their early practices under the guidance of an experienced professional. Nearly every teacher has vivid memories of the student-teaching experience, citing it as the strongest influence on their learning to teach.

Future Teachers Need Our Help

Unfortunately, many future teachers are finding it impossible to complete their student teaching because of financial burdens. Student teaching assignments are unpaid and because student teaching requires a full-time commitment for 12 weeks, student teachers are discouraged from working at other jobs. Consequently, many individuals cannot afford their tuition and basic living expenses while they student teach. Many talented students of modest means are forced to postpone their student teaching and interrupt their education while they save or borrow additional funds. And when students interrupt their education before completing their degrees, many do not return.