Where to Find Teachers?CASBI 2018: Elmer D. Glick

There is no shortage of teachers! We just need to find them!

1. Keep what you have—retentiona. If every school has teachers presently, and if we can keep all we have, than we have

enough!b. Then we only need to find teachers for new schools opening, or for schools expanding

with more grades or just a growth of amount of students.c. Why do Teachers leave?d. Teachers getting married and becoming home makers.

1. We surely cannot fault this reason for leaving, in fact, we need to bless them!

2. The call to motherhood is one of the high callings of God.3. Teachers feeling they have served their term,,,4. A left-over idea of teachers being in some kind of VS work.5. Now we have that behind us and get on with real living—getting a real

job.6. Lack of appreciation or respect for the calling.7. Granted, this varies widely from one community to another.8. Teacher burn-out—what causes it?9. Poor preparation and training10. Maybe just not cut out to be a teacher. 11. Some come into the classroom with wrong expectations that cannot

be fulfilled.12. As above, lack of respect for the calling.13. How can burnout be prevented?14. Give enough support in their early years of teaching.15. Pay their way for extra summer training.16. Partner them with a seasoned teacher to mentor them.17. Example of parochial schools in Canada18. Give long term teachers a Sabbatical…19. Share my experience…20. Pay them if you can and encourage them to pursue further teaching

experience.21. Not enough pay to survive long term.22. While this has improved tremendously since my early days of teaching,

there are many pockets in our communities where it is still a problem.23. Especially if it is difficult for a married man to provide for his family.

2. Grow your owna. Teacher’s aides can become teachers.b. Watch out in your middle and upper grades for potential teachers, and then groom

them!i. Apprenticing, give high school credits for teacher activities.

Where to Find Teachers?CASBI 2018: Elmer D. Glick

ii. Take them along to teacher meetingsiii. Send them to summer teacher trainings, even a year or two before they are

ready to teach.iv. Assign specialized reading lists; have them write summaries

1. On the job teacher training; have them teach some classes under supervision

c. Advantages:i. They know the curriculum

ii. They know the school culture—This is BIG!1. There are so many nuances in our schools that you can hardly teach to

a person from another community.iii. They know the families and the students. This can have pros and cons.iv. Another downside is if they are young and not out of school very long.

1. It is difficult for the older students to make the transition from peer to authority.

v. So I recommend they start in lower or middle grades, not with their peers in the youth group.

3. Hire other experienced teachersa. First, don’t take them from other schools unless they have expressed a desire for a

change.i. Sometimes a change of school or community gives a fresh burst of

enthusiasm. b. You may have a teacher from your area who has taught somewhere else for awhile and

is ready to move back home.c. It amazes me each summer in teacher training sessions how widely our teachers move

around!i. I am so amazed that I frequently ask individuals how they get a job in that

community.ii. And it amazes me again when they tell me the series of events and dots

connected to make it happen. d. However, from my experience, I would much rather grow my own than hire

experienced teachers from other communities.i. I hired a few long time teachers in the past that didn’t always work out like I

had hoped.1. Why?

a. There may be some hidden reasons why they are looking for a change.

b. Make sure you get open and honest with the former board and administrator.

c. They say you cannot teach an old dog new tricks!

Where to Find Teachers?CASBI 2018: Elmer D. Glick

i. Especially be ware if you are asking them to teach a different curriculum!

ii. Most seasoned teachers do not like to switch curricula4. Hire those willing to become teachers.

a. This may be similar to growing your own.b. But you may know of someone from another community looking for a teaching job.

i. We have all kinds of connections from community to community!5. Sources:

i. The Dock for Learning website.ii. Attend Teacher and School Functions; keep your ears to the ground.

iii. Ask your youth who have attended Bible schools; maybe a friend, dorm mate etc.

iv. Call Bible school principals for recommendations. (Use with caution; they are busy men!)

1. Maybe better would be to ask a returning Bible school teacher…a. Calvary Bible School, Maranatha, Heritage, SMBI, Ebenezer,

Numidia, and othersv. VS Units: someone terminating soon who would make a good teacher.