TEACHERS NEED TO SELL MATHEMATICS TEACHING: Reaching Out to Excellent High School Students

This article addresses the mathematics teacher shortage by suggesting innovative recruitment methods.  It describes how recruitment into an undergraduate secondary mathematics teacher preparation program can occur while students are still in high school. One method described is as simple as having mathematics teachers extol the joys of teaching mathematics to their own students.  Another strategy is to specifically encourage their outstanding math students to consider teaching as a profession. A third very unique approach is for the college to host a math-teaching conference for high school students with motivating teacher speakers. The undergraduate mathematics teacher candidates facilitate the operation of the conference. An inspirational keynote speaker sets off the conference where over 300 students are in attendance. Speakers consist of high quality mathematics teachers who are asked to conduct workshops where they share their most innovative, engaging, hands on mathematical activities with the high school students.  At the end of their workshops they share the many reasons they love being a mathematics teacher.