School districts nationwide are facing teaching shortages, with 86% of public schools reporting challenges in hiring teachers. To address this issue, many school districts are turning to military veterans as potential teachers. Each state sets its own requirements for military veterans to qualify as teachers, but generally, they need to have a bachelor’s degree and pass a background check. Veterans who have become teachers often encourage others to do the same, citing their skills such as resilience, mission-critical approach to work, and experience working with diverse groups of people.
Ryan Pavel, a former Marine Corps member, found his calling as a 9th grade English teacher in Detroit with the help of nonprofit Teach for America. Pavel emphasized that veterans have many of the skills needed to be successful teachers, including the ability to work with diverse groups of people, accomplish missions, and build resilience. Following his success as a teacher, Pavel now runs his own nonprofit called the Warrior-Scholar Project, which helps veterans earn degrees and find careers across the United States. This initiative highlights the significant impact that military veterans can have in the education sector.
ASPIRE to Teach is another program that has helped over 2,500 veterans earn their teacher’s license. This alternative teacher preparation program in Colorado supports teachers in all Pre K-12 educational settings. Jessica Bell, a graduate of the ASPIRE to Teach program, now works as a 7th grade literacy teacher in Denver. Bell’s experience serving in the military inspired her to address mental health in the classroom, leading her to educate students on the subject. Teaching has become more than just a job for Bell; it has become her passion.
Bell encourages veterans who feel a calling to teach to step into the role, emphasizing the importance of using their talents and joy in the classroom. By leveraging their unique skills and experiences gained in the military, veterans can make a significant impact as teachers. With the dedication and passion of individuals like Bell and Pavel, more veterans are finding fulfilling careers in the education sector, helping to address the ongoing teacher shortages faced by school districts nationwide. These veterans bring a mission-critical mindset, resilience, and a commitment to serving something bigger than themselves to the field of education.
