In recent years there has been a marked shortage in the number of people wishing to train to be teachers. In reaction there has been a huge government led drive, including advertising funding etc. to find people to undergo teacher training.
Despite this, the teacher shortage in Britain remains a problem. The Department for Education said it had committed to spending over £1.3bn on attracting new teachers into the profession up until 2020.
Politics students could ask why young educated people are feeling unmotivated to becoming a teacher. One reason could be deduced as being as a result of the fact the British curriculum has been changed a lot. Traditionally, the curriculum was fairly creative; however, recent changes have increased testing. This might have created discontent and apathy with students and teachers.
Sociology students might look into why these changes have happened. Increased globalisation could suggest there is a trend towards more competitive international social systems- other countries such as China have a more ordered and strict curriculum and could be used as points of critical comparison.
From another sociological perspective, students wishing to study psychology could look at the potential risk and effects of the teacher shortage. The Education Select Committee and the Health Select Committee found schools and colleges in England were struggling to provide adequate time and resources for pupils’ well-being. BBC News quoted that ‘The MPs said financial pressures were putting a squeeze on the provision of mental health services, such as in-school counselors, at a time when there was growing concern about young people’s mental health. This could have negative effects on wider issues in society.’
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