By Wes George
As a rising college senior approaching the proverbial precipice that is the real world, I face a dilemma with which many young people find themselves wrestling. Do I follow my heart and reenter the classroom from the other side of the desk, or do I follow my head and climb the corporate ladder? Fair or not, this question today seems to come down to a dichotomous debate between idealism and pragmatism.
Over at the Center for Teaching Quality, Barnett Berry’s “The Teachers of 2030” (featured in this blog in April) proposes a solution for the future of the teaching profession that might help to satisfy both of these needs. In order to attract bright, motivated people to the teaching field, Berry contends, there must be potential for upward mobility. My interest would be piqued more so if teaching had opportunities for growth in both title and compensation. He also argues that there should be professional challenges outside of the classroom on the horizon for young educators.
To address these issues, Berry offers the concept of a hybrid role – both teacher and administrator. This idea would allow talented instructors to continue teaching while also providing an avenue for professional growth. A leadership role combined with student interaction provides both incentive and future challenges for the field of education. Simultaneously, it appeals to the romantic optimism that someone like me would cherish in searching for his calling. Berry’s model serves as an attractive destination for those deciding between teaching and other, more lucrative career paths.
This thought is especially inspiring to those facing such a decision today. As for myself, my heart is set on teaching. But the financial and practical concerns are valid. As an intern for A+ Education Partnership, it is my hope that I become convinced that I will be better served teaching than arguing over needless settlements in a courtroom. Perhaps if Berry’s ideas were realized, the internal conflict that I have experienced might be avoided altogether. I could fulfill both my inner idealist and pragmatist.
Wes George is interning at A+ through a fellowship from the Hess Center for Leadership and Service at Birmingham-Southern College.
