In July 2022 alone, approximately 50,000 teachers and school staff in the United States quit their jobs. The teacher shortage is a complex issue that has long been a topic of conversation and must be addressed today. Even though the current situation is dire for many districts and schools, there is a clear path to solving and preventing the teacher shortage. So, what can states, districts, and schools do to solve and prevent teacher shortages?
Just as thousands of schools in several hundred districts have already done, states, districts, and schools can solve and prevent their teacher shortage problem by partnering with Elevate K-12. Elevate K-12 presents a feasible and effective solution to a highly complex problem through a live teaching model. This guide covers five ways Elevate helps schools proactively address teacher shortages.
1. Incorporate Live Teaching
Nothing can replace a real teacher in a classroom, but live teaching comes close. To incorporate live instruction, schools only need to find a paraprofessional to work hands-on in the classroom. Elevate K-12 provides the technology and a certified teacher to join the classroom on a large screen that faces the students. Students can feel like it’s a regular school day in a live classroom because Elevate Live Teaching was built to act, look, feel, and sound like every other classroom.
2. Integrate Technology into Classrooms
After many months of virtual instruction, now is an excellent time for districts and schools to rethink how classrooms work. Technology once used to keep everyone safely distanced can now bring students and teachers together. All Elevate programs have fully interactive video capabilities to create a supportive group learning environment. The instructor is projected on a large screen in front of the class and sees all the students as one class, not as individual video squares. The students can see the teacher on the large screen and on their personal monitors. Teachers demonstrate a lesson or activity, students and teachers work through it together, and then students take on the lesson independently. The in-room paraprofessional helps students navigate their technology, and teachers receive live, 24/7 tech support to troubleshoot when needed.
3. Rethink How Classrooms Work
The Elevate K-12 technology replicates many of the features of face-to-face teaching and allows for fluid interaction between students and teachers. The special features include polls, hand-raise tools, annotation features, chats, and many other technologies to create an engaging learning experience. For example, polling technology allows teachers to check in with students throughout the lesson. As another example, the hand raise tool enables students to raise their hands in the digital landscape or the classroom.
4. Allow Teachers to Set Their Hours
Many skilled, enthusiastic, and certified teachers would love to be in classrooms but are unavailable for full-time, in-person instruction. Elevate K-12 allows teachers to choose their work hours, up to 25 per week. By enabling teachers to set their hours, schools can welcome back highly-experienced teachers from retirement, empower stay-at-home moms to return to teaching part-time, and connect with many other qualified professionals who have select availability.
5. Allow Teachers to Teach from Anywhere
The teacher shortage is primarily a geographic arbitrage problem. We have teachers who are eager to teach, but they may not be living in the same county or state as the demand. To solve the zip code problem, the Elevate model allows teachers to teach from anywhere as long as they meet the certification requirements to teach in the state. For example, a Spanish teacher living in San Francisco or London can stream into a classroom in rural Tennessee. Students, schools, and teachers can benefit substantially from this approach.
“My experience with Elevate has been life-changing. I love being able to work with different schools in multiple states, while learning their different methodology and pedagogical practices that are new and invigorating for students learning virtually. I have gained so much respect for my students and I am so excited to see what the future holds.” – Allie C., Biology Teacher
“Elevate K-12 makes it possible for me to continue my teaching career- even after moving to Europe. The supportive coaches at Elevate ensure I never feel isolated, and their guidance is both validating and valuable.” – Susan L., ELA Teacher
Bring Elevate K-12 Teachers to Your School
If you’re facing teacher shortages, partner with Elevate K-12 to get access to over 1,000 certified teachers, state and nationally-aligned curriculum, and our proprietary, interactive learning platform that’s designed specifically for teaching. Fill out this form, send us a quick message in our NEW live chat, or contact [email protected] to solve your teacher shortages today!
Curious about how teaching works with Elevate K-12? Watch this video to see our highly fluid coworking tools, fully synchronous teaching, and Classroom Coach at work.
Plus: if you’re a teacher, view open positions and apply today!