If only university systems could clone Christine Sweigart by the tens of thousands.
The Silver Spring native is the rare American who loves math enough to make it her college major. She has also wanted to be a teacher since the sixth grade, when she got a mini-chalkboard as a symbol of her career ambitions.
"Teachers have such an influence on whether students leave loving a subject or loathing it," said Sweigart, a rising junior at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. "Working with kids, seeing that light bulb come on, those are the rewards I want in a career."
From the White House to the Maryland legislature to the offices of university presidents around the nation, experts are becoming increasingly concerned that the United States doesn't produce enough teachers like Sweigart for public school systems. Many who do end up teaching science, technology, engineering and math aren't expert enough to spark the next generation of scientists and innovators. Thus, the U.S. finds itself in grave danger of falling behind growing economic powers - such as China, India and South Korea - that excel at teaching those disciplines, known collectively by the acronym STEM.
Next month, a panel created by Gov. Martin O'Malley will release its plan for improving STEM education in Maryland. One of the most ambitious goals will be to triple the number of such teachers produced by Maryland colleges and universities by 2015.
The state's schools need about 350 STEM teachers a year, but Maryland institutions produce only about 120. Maryland colleges and universities have created dozens of programs designed to bolster the ranks in those areas.
"There's no question that it has become a major focus of our campus," said Donna Wiseman, dean of the College of Education at University of Maryland, College Park. "We hear it from the governor, we hear it from our president and our chancellor."
But if every school and university system in the country shares the same desperation, how can the shortage be filled?
Sharper recruiting
The answer seems to be a mix of sharper recruiting backed by financial incentives, creation of streamlined programs for potential math and science teachers, and aggressive efforts to lure math and science professionals into career changes.
