The US Has a Teacher Shortage — Here’s How To Fix It | Randy Seriguchi Jr. | TED

Summary

Randy Seriguchi Jr. addresses the US teacher shortage, emphasizing its impact on students and the nation's future. He suggests drawing inspiration from the G.I. Bill to attract and retain teachers, proposing a similar comprehensive support system. Seriguchi Jr. shares San Francisco's Urban Ed Academy's success in supporting Black male teachers, highlighting the need for community investment to improve teacher quality and student outcomes.

Takeaways

• 📉 The U.S. is experiencing a historic teacher shortage that impacts student outcomes nationwide.
• 💡 Addressing the teacher shortage requires significant investment in teachers to improve student learning and societal progress.
• 🏫 Effective teachers are key to student success, and the shortage is more critical than a fast-food worker shortage because it affects long-term education.
• 📊 The U.S. ranks poorly on international education metrics, which could hurt the country's ability to compete in the future global economy.
• 🎓 Recruiting and retaining teachers long enough for them to improve in their profession is crucial to solving the shortage.
• 💰 A 'Teacher G.I. Bill' could help attract new talent by providing financial, educational, and wellness support to teachers, similar to what was done for veterans after World War II.
• 🏙️ In San Francisco, Urban Ed Academy worked to support Black male teachers through collective investment in housing, education, and wellness, inspired by the G.I. Bill.
• 👨‍🏫 Investing in Black male teachers addresses the unique challenges they face and can benefit all teachers by creating more inclusive systems.
• 🏘️ Community involvement is essential, with collaborations between local institutions, property owners, and mental health professionals to holistically support teachers.
• 🌍 Like the curb cut effect, solving problems for the most vulnerable (Black male teachers) can lead to solutions that benefit everyone in education.

Q & A

What is the current situation regarding teacher shortages in the US?

The US is experiencing a historic teacher shortage, which is impacting millions of students nationwide by having under-qualified or substitute teachers guiding a full year of school.

How does the teacher shortage affect student learning?

When teachers are missing from schools, children usually aren't learning up to standards, leading to disappointing educational outcomes, such as the US scoring 26 out of 81 nations on an international math exam.

What is the difference between a teacher shortage and a fast-food worker shortage as mentioned in the script?

The difference lies in the impact on service delivery. While McDonald's can still sell burgers even if they're missing cashiers, when teachers are absent, children's learning suffers and does not meet educational standards.

What is the proposed solution to the teacher shortage according to Randy Seriguchi Jr.?

Randy proposes exploring new ways to recruit and retain teachers, including providing basic allowances to make teaching more attractive, similar to a teacher G.I. Bill, to help reset the value placed on educating children.

Why is the G.I. Bill mentioned as a reference for solving the teacher shortage?

The G.I. Bill was an unprecedented investment in American public service that provided education, workforce, financial, and wellness supports to veterans. Randy suggests a similar approach could work for teachers.

What was the impact of the G.I. Bill on the US?

The G.I. Bill resulted in over eight million people continuing their education and millions of new home loans granted, showing it was considered one of the best investments the US government ever made.

How does the Urban Ed Academy in the Bay Area relate to the teacher shortage discussion?

The Urban Ed Academy had success in addressing the teacher shortage by providing cost-free credentialing, graduate school tuition, subsidized housing, free therapy, and financial support, showing a community investment in teachers.

What is the 'curb cut effect' mentioned by Randy, and how does it relate to education?

The 'curb cut effect' refers to the idea that solutions designed for the most vulnerable in society, like wheelchair users, end up benefiting everyone. Randy suggests that if we build a system that treats Black male teachers well, it will benefit all teachers.

Why was there a focus on Black male teachers in the Urban Ed Academy's approach?

The focus was to address the underrepresentation of Black male teachers, which is only 1.3 percent of the teaching population, and to create a system that, if successful for them, would benefit all teachers.

How does the concept of 'it takes a village to raise a child' apply to the teacher shortage?

The concept implies that the entire community should support children's development. Randy extends this idea to support teachers as they are crucial for student success, suggesting a village mentality of support for educators.

What is the final call to action made by Randy Seriguchi Jr.?

Randy's call to action is to invest in teachers as the service men and women they are, suggesting that in the richest nation in history, the US can afford to do so collectively.