San Francisco Student Becomes Principal Of The School He Once Attended
Although public and private schools in San Francisco added 3,200 jobs between September and October, there remains a teacher shortage. A third of all California teachers are nearing retirement, and the state will need an additional 100,000 teachers over the next 10 years. As San Francisco continues its population growth, more teachers are needed than ever before.
Bay Area resident Adam Welcome is an educator who returned to the school where he began his educational career. He offers career advice to those interested in the field of education.
What is your background and education?
"I actually attended John Swett Elementary as a student. My entire educational career was spent at Martinez Unified and I graduated from Alhambra High School in 1997. I earned my B.A. in speech communication from CSU Chico. I then attended St. Mary's College in Moraga for my Teaching and Administrative Credentials."
What is your current position?
"I'm currently the principal at John Swett Elementary, but am also a blogger, mentor, consultant and all-time quarterback at recess!"
What advice can you share with students interested in a career in education?
"First, I would say to go for it, but most importantly you HAVE to love kids. It's the greatest job in the world but requires a lot of passion, commitment and innovation on a daily basis. In coming years, I think the mobile trend will only increase and teachers MUST collaborate with others, especially those outside of their schools. I use tools like Remind, Twitter, and Voxer, and attend conferences as often as possible. Educators must focus on next practices. Ensuring our kids are ready for the workforce is paramount."
"Second, we use Twitter in a major way at John Swett, so figure out a social media presence that works best for you to connect with them – I like to use hashtags like #eduawesome and #teamkid to help bring people together to engage in meaningful conversations about the future of education."
"Lastly, I think it's super important to not always just look at the education space for ideas and motivation. The business section of The New York Times, and articles in Fast Company and the Harvard Business Review give me lots of inspiration and ideas to think about. Be open and flexible in your learning--you never know who may inspire you!"
Randy Yagi is a freelance writer covering all things San Francisco. In 2012, he was awarded a Media Fellowship from Stanford University. His work can be found on Examiner.com Examiner.com.