Second-Career Teachers Bring the World into Asheboro Classrooms
asheboro high school, classrooms, education, learning, rita dougan, tim allgood,
Rita Dougan calls her job the answer to her prayers.
Five years ago she was a registered nurse. Today‚ she is a certified teacher.
“It is amazing‚” Dougan says. “I used to pinch myself on the way to work saying‚ ‘Am I really doing this?’”
Seeking a new challenge and a better schedule‚ Dougan gave up her 15-year career as an RN in 1999 and started working as a health occupations educator at Asheboro High School.
She was hired through the lateral entry program‚ a state initiative designed to recruit qualified teaching professionals and stem the tide of teacher shortages in North Carolina. The program allows individuals with bachelor’s degrees who have not yet completed their education coursework to enter the teaching field.
“It’s neat‚ because my kids will say‚ ‘Tell us a hospital story‚’” Dougan relates. “I’ve always got something to share‚ with what I’ve been through. And they just love that.”
Tim Allgood‚ assistant superintendent of human resources for Asheboro City Schools‚ also describes the program as a godsend.
“There is an extreme shortage of teachers in North Carolina right now and‚ to some extent‚ throughout the nation‚” Allgood says. “(The lateral entry program) has allowed us to put qualified teachers in the classroom‚ whereas otherwise I’m not sure that we could.”
So far‚ 25 of Asheboro’s 330 teachers have been hired through the program.
“It allows us to bring people into the teaching field from business‚” Allgood says. “They bring life experiences that are important to teaching. Their hearts are in the right place‚ and they are ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work and make a difference for kids.”
These new teachers are issued a lateral-entry license and then are given three years to go back to school and complete the necessary coursework and testing to get their permanent teaching license.
During that time‚ lateral entry teachers are assigned a mentor for guidance and support.
Dougan finished her licensing requirements in 2001.
“The first year was very difficult‚” she recalls. “I didn’t think I was going to make it.”
Now she sees her success as a teacher paying off. Some of her former students are now in college preparing for careers in medicine. Last year she began offering 12th graders the chance to obtain qualifications to become certified nursing assistants.
“I had three students hired at one facility last year‚” Dougan says. “That was the first year I certified (students). I was very proud of them. I think I’ve found my niche. I really do.”
Story by Karen Stone
Photo by Greg Emens
