Schools are reaching for alternatives to the classroom due to a teacher shortage
As the shortage of teachers is growing, schools are turning to alternative solutions. The Education Magazine lists three of them: the hybrid teacher, the class student and the retired teacher.
Hybrid teacher Stef van der Linden (28) combines his work as a social studies teacher with two own companies: Stef works and 365Voetbal.
“My entrepreneurship started as a hobby when I was seventeen. Already during teacher training I was building websites and helping clients with what they are now online branding to mention. Then I chose education, but I couldn't say goodbye to my clients. In fact, I started another company 365V: an online platform for football news.
I have never been able to choose between being a full-time entrepreneur or a teacher, I just really enjoy both. Now, after ten years, I can truly say that I am a hybrid teacher and would not want it any other way. I think teaching VMBO students is the best there is. I love teaching them something and seeing how proud they are when they get a good grade. Because I do something different for two days, I continue to enjoy it. I see this variety as an enrichment for my students, the school and my clients. I learn a lot from teaching, such as explaining something well, which I can apply in my other work. Conversely, I can liven up the teaching material with examples from my own practice. I also want to improve things and I am used to thinking in terms of targets, something that the school can also benefit from.
The hybrid teacher is not the solution for the teacher shortage. It is important that the majority of the teachers come from the study program and prefer to teach full-time, because this is the most useful for an organization. As a hybrid teacher, I am just as dedicated, but I simply cannot always be there when I feel that it is necessary. The solution lies in how the government views teachers and the profession. I see investing in better appreciation and a higher level of education as necessary. "
The hybrid teacher combines teaching with another job. One in eight teachers in secondary education is already doing this. In addition, one in five highly educated people would prefer to teach part-time. This has emerged from research by the Hybrid Teacher project group. This organization, with the support of the ministry, encourages people to take that step. www.hybridedocent.nl
Jeroen Stoffels (29) studied business administration and is now following the master change management at the University of Groningen. He almost has his degree in economics, teaches one day a week and works as a regional manager for Class Student.
“When I heard about Class Student during my studies, it immediately appealed to me. I used to give surfing and sailing lessons, so a part-time job in education seemed fantastic, and it is. As a substitute, we have a lot more to offer than just making sure the class is quiet. We can continue with the material where the teacher left off, but we can also give other lessons or further training to eliminate deficits in language or arithmetic. I like the most when I manage to get the mindset change in students. For example, they are not always looking forward to the summer school that we give and they try everything to do as little as possible. The best thing is when they see how fast they progress if they do start to make an effort and therefore pick up the book from themselves at home.
Schools are happy with Class Student because we can close the gaps in a good and cheap way. Students cost a fraction of what a teacher costs and students are very curious about what they have to say. In Groningen we now have three schools where we employ three students every day. A total of 55 students are active here, about 40 that we can call on from time to time. It is not a structural solution to the teacher shortage, because students are not qualified teachers. On the other hand, this allows students to experience how much fun the education is and many decide to get their qualifications, just like I did. Teaching is very rewarding. 'You have saved our lives', successful VMBO students whom I had given exam training once shouted to me from afar. Those are those moments that you will not easily forget. ”
Class Student is a national organization that employs university students in secondary schools. The students can support teachers as assistants, for example with marking, homework assistance, tutoring or supervising. They can also be used to cope with outages. Class Student also offers tailor-made technical lessons for schools in primary and secondary education. www.klassestudent.nl
Franck van den Brand (67), teacher of Dutch, geography, arithmetic and mathematics, started teaching again through Goudgrijs after his retirement.
“When I turned 65, I had to quit my job at De Rooi Pannen MBO in Tilburg. But I really enjoy teaching and I don't have geraniums, so I can't be behind that either. I can continue to be part of society through Goudgrijs. The advantage is that everything is arranged for you. The mediators can properly assess whether a job is right for me. All I have to do is fill in a claim form and a week later the amount is already on the account.
I work an average of ten to sixteen hours a week. I really like that balance between work and leisure. I like that I don't have to participate in all meetings. I can really focus on what I like best: teaching. I think especially young people with an edge are a nice target group. For example, I have taught early school leavers who took part in Chefs Level, a new municipal pathway that is quite successful. That you have experience does not say everything. It's not always easy, especially when you're just another replacement in a row. But even though I'm only here for a short time, I always try to build relationships with students. Talking to that student who seems uninterested sometimes works wonders. Often there is an explanation for his behavior.
I have already done many different jobs and I notice that the schools are happy with me. Now I am starting at Walewyc in Waalwijk, a pre-vocational secondary school where I have taught mathematics before. I do not think that the use of retirees is the solution to the teacher shortage. But I can help the school and enjoy it, so it is a win-win situation. As long as it is fun, I will continue to teach. If you like it, why would you stop? ”
Back to work after retirement? This can be done via Gold Gray, for example. This mediation agency focuses on (early) retired teachers. By encouraging people to work longer, Goudgrijs wants to retain the knowledge and experience of these teachers while at the same time reducing the teacher shortage. www.goudgrijs.nl
