Many school divisions across Virginia are struggling with a shortage of qualified teachers. To help encourage more high school students to consider becoming teachers, Virginia Tech invites them to campus once a year to learn from education professors, and the University is planning a second event.
The program is called VTeach, and it introduces high school students to teachers, who share why they went into education.
“Really bringing students and showing that there is joy in this profession,” explained Natalie Ferand, an assistant professor in Virginia Tech’s school of education.
“Students see us and they think maybe we were teacher’s pet or the perfect person,” said Ferand. “But I like to tell my story about how I was truant in high school. I had to go to court and do community service in order to graduate.”
Ferand went on to go to college and became a high school teacher, and now helps teach future teachers at Virginia Tech. She said it’s important for high school students to recognize that many different types of people go on to become educators. VTeach also shows students the different ways they can become licensed to teach.
“And Virginia Community College System are a major cost savingopportunity, and we recognize that here at Virginia Tech,” Ferand said.
Students learn about financial aid, and transfer programs, where students get their associate’s degree at a community college, then transfer to Virginia Tech or another university.
“If students are first generation, you know they’re able to take those classes that are maybe smaller, with more people from their area, before they’re ready to go to a four-year college,” Ferand said.
The program reimburses school divisions for transportation costs. Virginia Tech is planning another VTeach event next spring. The date has not yet been announced, but interested schools can reach out to Virginia Tech’s School of Education for information.
