LIHU‘E — Earning a teaching license is one way individuals can practically guarantee a job, said Dr. Ka‘ani Blackwell, University of Hawai‘i teacher education coordinator on Kaua‘i and Growing Our Own Teachers educational adviser.
One hundred percent of all Kaua‘i graduates from the University of Hawai‘i Online Education Program have found employment on island, she said during a presentation Friday.
While “things are shifting for sure” in the economy — especially when comparing the demand for teachers on the Neighbor Islands two to three years ago — educators are “always coming and going” and jobs frequently pop up, said University of Hawai‘i Student Academic Services Assistant Specialist Karen Wilson.
“There are several teaching opportunities available,” said county Office of Economic Development Director George Costa. And there is “a greater need for special-education teachers.”
The demand is certainly higher for special education and secondary educators (grades seven to 12), Blackwell said. For example, one person who recently graduated from the course with a post-baccalaureate degree in special education found employment in three days.
More people are interested in elementary education (kindergarten to sixth grade), which explains why those positions are more difficult to come by, said Wilson, who was also on hand Friday to present the online-educational program to the four individuals who attended.
But no matter which license a student chooses to obtain — elementary, secondary or special-education — teachers must have a passion for what they do because they have chosen “a profession that is so underpaid,” Blackwell said.
Average starting salary is some $43,000 with a teaching license, Wilson said.
Even with the elimination of furlough days, a teacher’s salary does not equate to the meaningful work they do and their dedication as “caring human beings,” Costa said.
“Our teachers aren’t appreciated enough for what they do,” he said.
Starting salaries for teacher’s with a bachelor’s degree is a little more than $32,000, according to Costa. Those with a master’s degree receive some $35,000 and teachers with doctorates can make more than $55,000.
“With an education like that, a person is able to make twice as much in the private sector,” Costa said. “That in itself shows the dedication of our teachers.”
But if “teaching was about money, our schools would be empty,” he said.
Educating has “got to be in your heart and blood,” Blackwell said.
The cost to complete the virtual-education program varies from around $12,000 to $20,000 depending on which area of specialty is chosen, Wilson said.
The program requires a full-time commitment with some travel to O‘ahu.
However, UH will “cover most cost” of travel, Wilson said.
And financial assistance abounds for students, including $4,000 offered to student-teachers during the final semester by the Growing Our Own Teachers organization, Blackwell said.
Ultimately, if an individual is “passionate about becoming a teacher, I will support them 110 percent,” regardless of income and economic climate, Costa said.
“This island and state would be in a terrible condition if we discouraged our youth from the teaching profession,” he said.
Most teachers who he knows “live very modestly and are frugal with their earnings” anyway, Costa said. “Those that really love Kaua‘i find a way to make things work. It’s the price of paradise.”
When she started out in the teaching profession, Blackwell said she had to take on extra jobs to make ends meet.
Teaching is difficult financially, but it is a rewarding profession, she said. “I still get chicken-skin.”
Visit www.coe.hawaii.edu for more information.
