The teacher labor market happens to be in what looks like a crisis now with the news of shortage in teachers on the increase.
Shortage in teachers is very real and the consequences are very serious, many of which affect the students. Feedbacks of users on ReviewsBird.com show the many negative impacts shortage of teachers can have on the educational system.
There is an increasing reluctance to teach or not to teach among the existing teachers which points to the possibility of more shortage in the coming years. While general shortage in teachers is an issue, there are some areas of education that are most affected by this and require serious attention. They include:
1. Counseling
One area of education that is experiencing serious shortage in teachers is the area of counseling. Schools all over are in need of counselors that can address personal and educational needs of students outside those that are being addressed in the classroom. Lack of counselors in schools affects the students because they are the specialists in listening to and providing the best advice to students on the next step to take per time during their stay in the school.
2. Behavior analysis
Behavioral analysis is a key area of education that helps students understand themselves and those around them. With a good knowledge of behavioral analysis, interpersonal relationships can be strengthened among individuals. At the teaching end of this education area are behavioral analysts that are not so common in many schools. In the United States for example, there are many states that are in dire need of behavioral analysts to teach students.
3. Social work
We cannot have enough social workers in our educational system; we can only have more of them. Sadly, this is one area of education that teachers are really lacking. Social workers help to ensure that students can balance their family life with their educational life. The recent spike in emotional trauma being experienced by students as a result of the many challenges they are facing in their homes is a clear proof that more social workers are needed in the educational sector.
4. Language learning
Learning different languages helps to broaden the communication skills of students and open them up to a wider audience. However, the shortage of language teachers is limiting the possibilities of students learning languages outside those that make up their native languages. More schools, especially those that are offering special education programs, need language teachers to fill up the gap that exists.
5. Special Education
Special education that meets the needs of students with disabilities is an area of education that lacks teachers. The ratio of students on the special education program to teachers is very low. More special education teachers are required to teach at the elementary and secondary levels of schools that are offering the program.
It is high time we began paying attention to this issue of shortage in teachers before it develops into something that will explode the educational system. More analysis needs to be conducted into why there seems to be this shortage and how it can be rectified. Education is essential in the development of any society and to ensure proper education there has to be adequate number of teachers.
