Teacher Fair Arrives at Liberty Hall Academic Center

By Victoria Cifelli

The College of Education at Kean University hosted a job fair for education majors on Thursday, March 24 in the Liberty Hall Academic Building to help future teachers gain outreach to future jobs. 

Schools around the state of New Jersey have been on the hunt for teachers for several years, who can help students within specific K-12 subjects. The New Jersey School Board Association noted a decrease in education degrees given out. 

According to the New Jersey School Board Association, “between 2006 and 2019 there was a 22% decrease in the education degrees conferred by American colleges/universities according to the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education.” 

With the ongoing teacher shortage that is being amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic, the university held a Teacher Job Fair. Students were able to connect with K-12 schools around the state who came to the job fair, who gave information on job opportunities around the area. 

Susan Kandell, the Managing Assistant Director of Clinical Practice and Teacher Placement, said the fair was big this year. 

“It was bigger. We have expanded our district partnerships throughout the State, and many of those districts were represented at the fair along with several districts from other states,” Kandell said. “78 districts actually participated, on campus, at the fair and this can be attributed to several factors: an eagerness to hire the high quality of teachers that Kean produces as well as a teacher shortage in the State of New Jersey.” 

Student Makenzie Powell, a senior Elementary Education major with a Teacher of Students with Disabilities certification, comments on how she thinks the teacher shortage will affect her after graduation. 

“For me, I always wanted to be a teacher; it’s probably a little more discouraging the fact that there is such a shortage. I am still determined, it is still my goal, and it is something I always wanted to do,” Powell said. 

Representatives from school districts such as Belleville, Morristown, and Newark were at the fair to help students find a district that would work well for them in the future. Students were able to meet with these representatives and speak to them about what their school district offers for their teachers. 

There were students who had an opposing viewpoint of how they think the teacher shortage will affect them after they graduate, such as Natalie Munoz, a senior Early Childhood Education major. 

“I’ve always wanted to be a teacher, for me it is a bit encouraging since there are so many more positions open since there is such a shortage, so that motivates me,” Munoz said.

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