Teacher shortages! School districts rush to find needed teachers!

According to a recent article, in The New York Times, it started out, during the great recession, giving pink slips to teachers, since school districts didn't have the money, in their budgets, to pay for them.  And now......

Across the country, districts are struggling with shortages of teachers, particularly in math, science and special education — a result of the layoffs of the recession years combined with an improving economy in which fewer people are training to be teachers.

At the same time, a growing number of English-language learners are entering public schools, yet it is increasingly difficult to find bilingual teachers. So schools are looking for applicants everywhere they can — whether out of state or out of country — and wooing candidates earlier and quicker.

Big school districts are now having trouble finding enough teachers, before school opens in about a month.  Maybe now the teachers have the upper hand and maybe get the pay, which they deserve.

Some people think they are overpaid and have the summer off, but they don't stop to think that conscientious teachers do whatever they can to learn more about how to reach their students.  

During the summer many take extra classes or go to summer school, to advance their knowledge, in their field.  During the school year, they spend an inordinate amount of time preparing lessons and correcting papers.  It's not a 9-5 job 5 days a week.

Since the budgets have been so tight, they often buy supplies and other items, using their own money, to help their students learn.  Many people don't understand the sacrifices they make and the money they spend on their students.

More below the orange squiggle.