There is a lot of news in local papers about the loss of teaching positions in Canterbury, future teacher redundancies and lack of positions for the number of teachers seeking employment – yet students are still flooding to complete teacher training.
This isn't a bad idea if you are seeking to find employment overseas where there are shortfalls in teacher numbers, but maybe not so great if you are planning to stay in Christchurch. Last year saw the most number of graduating teacher numbers in the Canterbury area and also nationwide; it will be interesting to see what the numbers of graduating teachers are like at the end of this year.
So, what does the growing number of trainee teachers tell us? The number of people being made redundant across New Zealand rose these last couple of years, which resulted in people rethinking their options and considering retraining – but moreover it shows that we live in a caring society. People who have lost their jobs or who have come to teacher training by any other route are thinking about others more than themselves.
Canterbury is truly a community, not without it problems, but regardless a true and genuine community invested in helping each other and investing in our future generations. Teaching is professed not to be an easy occupation and not everyone is suited to the challenges it presents. How blessed are we that in Christchurch with all the challenges that everyone has faced this last two years and continue to face in the future, so many are willing to give so much more of themselves to others. Not just to others, but to our youth – the future of Christchurch and New Zealand.
Teaching is one of the few career paths that one does not undertake for money but rather for love, passion and hope. It is a step in faith that it will all work out in the end, even with over-production of graduating teachers. There is no reason that all graduates, with enough passion, perseverance and hope cannot realise their teaching goals whether overseas, nationwide or, with a bit of faith, in Christchurch. There maybe an oversupply of teachers but Canterbury also seems to have an abundance of goodwill, community spirit and hope for the future. As more families arrive, youngsters enrol in schools, we'll need teachers... so the figures may be glummy now, but that won't always be the case, and when the city takes off again, ready to take the plunge, will be newly trained, up to date, enthusiastic teachers. Yep! Christchurch has a lot to look forward to.
