Afterschool as a teacher pathway

By Sam Piha, founder and co-director of Temescal Associates and The How Kids Learn Foundation, both organizations dedicated to promoting the learning and healthy development of youth.

Our national teacher shortage predated COVID-19, however there is growing evidence that suggests that the shortage of educators will grow in coming years due to the pandemic. We also know that families of color were disproportionately affected by COVID-19. This will only exacerbate the shortage of teachers of color.

Afterschool/ out of school time (OST) programs can be part of the solution to these issues. There are many reasons to think about OST as a teacher pathway. The first is that the knowledge and skills that OST workers gain is very similar to those required of teachers. Another reason is that many OST workers are people of color and bring a unique understanding of the communities that their young people reside in. Afterschool leaders should explore this pathway with their staff.

Below we bring your attention to two innovative organizations that see afterschool experience as a natural step toward teaching.

Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) recognized the great talent they have within their afterschool communities and developed a grow your own program entitled, “After-School 2 Teacher Pipeline,” to enlist afterschool workers as future teachers.

“A grow your own program is designed to recruit, develop, and retain teachers who are already in the community. It draws from people who are connected to the school or community but may not have considered teaching or who need (or want) additional support to enter the profession. Grow your own programs typically include financial support, guidance, and the promise of a job upon graduation. The program is run by a school district, or a partnership between a school district, higher education institution, and a community organization. The goal of a grow your own program is to create teachers who are already connected to the community, and ideally, share lived experience with the students they serve.” - Grow Your Own Teacher Programs: A Win For All 

According to OUSD’s Priscilla Parchia (Program Manager, Expanded Learning) and Soo Hyun Han-Harris (Coordinator, Retention and Employee Development), “After-school staff are uniquely suited to teaching, particularly here in Oakland. Youth development practices are relationship-centered and focused on the whole child which is directly related to culturally competent teaching practices. Furthermore, many after-school staff have an already established interest in working with youth and often through their experience discover a desire to expand their career trajectory in education. Their work in afterschool gives them a unique and important perspective and experience of students and families that they can bring to bear in their teaching practice. In addition, many after-school instructors and program coordinators are not only local to Oakland but to the 10 - 15 block radius of the school. This gives them an unprecedented perspective of a student's experience.”

The California Teaching Fellows Foundation (CTFF) views work in afterschool as an important practicum for future teachers. To this end, they operate 200 afterschool programs in California’s Central Valley.

We asked Malia Villarreal (Public & Strategic Development Manager) and Mike Snell (CEO) of CTFF to describe their program. They responded, “CTFF at Fresno State University (FSU) links college students with opportunities for paid placements working in afterschool, summer, and regular school day programs in public schools, charter schools, and community centers. These college students gain experience working with school site leaders, students, and families so they know the climate and culture of the school well before becoming a teacher. They’re diverse and have built relationships so they’re well prepared and reflect the community they serve. We also provide ongoing monthly paid professional development via our Teaching Fellow Academies; where tutors gain access to incredible out-of-school time professionals as well as K-12 and Higher Education leaders who help professionally develop them.”

“After-school/OST workers bring essential skills in building relationships with students and families, fostering positive classroom communities, and managing instruction. As teachers of color, they also bring an understanding of the varied strengths and needs of students of color and find a great deal of meaning and commitment in working with students of color.” - A Natural Fit: Supporting After-School Staff of Color in Teacher Pipelines