IBM+Transition+to+Teaching

(UNESCO)

International Business Machines (IBM) Transition to Teaching Program

 * Critical need for Math and Science teachers in an increasingly technological world
 * It is estimated that by the 2008-2009 school year more than 260,000 new teachers will be needed to teach math and science.
 * IBM has a record of promoting education and community service
 * IBM’s Reinventing Education program has trained more than 100,000 teachers
 * IBM’s employees have volunteered almost 2 million hours of service to local schools
 * Baby-boomers are retiring
 * Large numbers of highly educated employees are preparing to retire
 * Many want to retire, but not stop giving back to their communities
 * The “Transition to Teaching” Program provides the necessary training to allow IBM employees to start a second career as a high school or middle school teacher
 * Provides money and leave of absence for student teaching etc.
 * Allows students to have access to these highly educated and accomplished engineers as teachers

This program could have enormous potential as a model for providing necessary and superior teachers to schools. These IBM retirees were educated in prestigious schools and have spent decades using their knowledge on a practical level, combining to make them teachers who intimately know the subjects that they will teach. Also these teachers will not have the financial difficulties that many career teachers face as this is only a second career, almost a volunteer opportunity for them. These teachers are motivated simply by the impulse to give back and to inspire students, and will not be distracted by the low pay. All in all if this model were to be followed by other corporations might be possible that experts in certain fields who have spent their lives actively applying their knowledge could semi-retire and share that experience and know-how to the next generation. This provides both over-qualified teachers and could even help lift some of the financial difficulties facing schools (these teachers would be receiving money from pension plans and would not need the same kind of salary that a career teacher would).

Citations: "IBM Launches "Transition to Teaching" Program." __ibm.com__. 16 Sep 2005. IBM. 15 Nov 2007 http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/7885.wss "IBM teams with California Universities in Its Transition to Teaching Program." __ibm.com__. 08 Jun 2007. IBM. 15 Nov 2007 http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/21662.wss "Transition to Teaching." __ibm.com__. IBM. 15 Nov 2007 http://www.ibm.com/ibm/ibmgives/news/transition_to_teaching.shtml.