Today America faces a shortage of 60,000 teachers – a number that’s expected to grow to 110,000 by 2021. Only 9% of the top one-third of college graduates pursue a career in teaching.
In an effort to raise awareness for the national teaching crisis, the Ad Council partnered with TEACH.org and volunteer ad agency DigitasLBi to create “Teachers Have Better Work Stories,” a campaign that demonstrates the benefits of teaching through storytelling.
The campaign targets high-achieving high school and college students to positively change the perception of education as a career.
The two new spots – “Victory” and “Camping” – present exciting, intellectually stimulating stories of how teachers found innovative ways to teach their students, contrasted by the mundane tales of their friends in entry-level positions. The campaign shows that teaching is not what many envision it to be. It is a collaborative, creative and fulfilling career path worth exploring.
Students who encounter the campaign’s PSAs are encouraged to visit TEACH.org where they can explore the opportunities of teaching, get counseling from current teachers through the site’s “Talk To A Teacher” matching system, watch inspiring content from real teachers, and access an interactive tool that recommends personalized steps towards exploring and becoming a teacher, depending on education, location, and interests.
The website also connects students with teacher training programs and information about certification, helping them cement their entry into the profession.
