Action against teacher shortage: 'A great initiative'
It is already a success, the action of two public Utrecht school boards, in secondary and primary education, to attract new teachers. “I don't believe in expensive government campaigns. Simply showing people how beautiful our work is, how the school smells and feels, that works much better. ”
Statue: AOb
Rector and chemistry teacher Peter van Dijk of the Leidsche Rijn College in Utrecht is devoting quite a few hours this week. Show interested people his school. Of the 120 people who have registered for the open days, 24 have already come to see his school. Those who dare can even give a lesson. Sander van Daatselaar's face leaves for a moment. He hadn't prepared for that. But nothing is mandatory, everything is allowed. Oh yes, just put on a green bag, then they are recognizable as followers. "That is very out of my comfort zone," jokes Remco van Dijk. “The entire education is very much out of your comfort zone,” rector Van Dijk counter with a smile.
I sat on a mountain in Nepal and knew: I am going to be a teacher
By the way, Remco van Dijk already knows for sure. This will be his path. High school biology or math teacher. "I was sitting on a mountain in Nepal and got an idea: I will be a teacher." He almost had a job, including a side-entry program, at a school in Amsterdam. But they did not come to an agreement in the negotiation. “I have been in business my entire career: of course I am getting worse. That's fine too. But I have to be able to come out every month. Parking costs and travel costs went wrong. A shame of course. You work for the union? Something can still be done about that. ”
Shortage box
In a group of three, the followers behind Van Dijk continue to the school. Sander van Daatselaar's future also lies in secondary school. In September he will start a side-entry program towards a physics teacher, one of the shortcomings in secondary education. “I already considered it in 2004, but now is the time. Also because I know there will be work for me soon. ” A friend drew his attention to the open week of the Utrecht schools. “A great initiative of course. Every opportunity to participate in the lesson is one. ” And what does he find most exciting about a job in front of the classroom? “Keep it in order, I think. And whether I will keep it up. It is so intensive, you cannot lose your attention for a moment and you are actually constantly in conversation with twenty to thirty young people. ”
And, if he sees the followers like that, will Rector Van Dijk immediately remove the future teacher? "No. In the past, when the teacher was more of a figure who mainly worked directive and perhaps kept order. But now it's about: can you make contact with students? And: do you have eyes on the back of your head? Because if you lose yourself completely in contact with one child, the rest will break down behind your back, so to speak. ”
From the Rabo to the Pabo
What will be the hard result of this week, Van Dijk does not find the most interesting. “You got people thinking: they just went into school for a while. I don't believe in expensive government campaigns on these types of topics. Recruiting word of mouth, showing our own passion for the profession. We came up with this a few weeks ago and look how many people come to it. ” Another hundred people from Rabobank will also be visiting soon, especially in primary schools, says Van Dijk. "We sometimes joke from Rabo to teacher training college."
More interest in secondary education
The promotion will officially last until Thursday, but Bram Donkers of Nuovo says that there is so much interest in some schools that the initiative will get a tail end, early next week. Incidentally, there is more interest in secondary education, 75 people, than in the primary schools of SPO Utrecht, where 45 people look. Donkers: "We also noticed, but I don't know yet what the explanation is."
