Recruiting and Retaining Secondary Mathematics Teachers: Lessons Learned from an Innovative Four-year Undergraduate Program

Source:  Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, Vol. 11, Number 3, August, 2008, pp. 243-251

In response to the critical shortage of qualified mathematics teachers in the U.S., the TIME 2000 Program was created with funds from the National Science Foundation, at Queens College of the City University of New York. Now institutionalized, the program is designed to support the recruitment, preparation, and retention of prospective
teachers through a close-knit learning community in which participants experience an innovative and multifaceted program for their four years of undergraduate study. This article describes the innovative aspects of the program that show promise of preparing highly competent teachers whose careers span a lifetime. Short- and long-term strategies
for recruiting students from high school are described as well as the program components that are designed to increase retention of candidates in the program and in teaching.