Tackling Teacher Shortage in Rural East Asia: Teach For America’s Alternative Teacher Pipeline in Taiwan

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 3:20 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 1
  In Roundtable Session: Bridging Gaps in Diversity and Inclusion: Exploring Creative, Collaborative, and Equitable Educational Practices Across Cultures (Table 6)

Abstract

In contrast to America’s teacher shortage, Taiwan faces a teacher surplus due to sub-replacement fertility. Qualified teacher candidates can’t secure full-time jobs. However, schools in Taiwanese rural areas struggle to recruit qualified teachers, resulting in an ongoing teacher shortage and high turnover rate. "Teach For Taiwan (TFT)," inspired by "Teach For America (TFA)," aims to address educational challenges in rural Taiwan by recruiting recent college graduates to serve in underserved areas. This qualitative research used an ethnographic method to assess the advantages and disadvantages of implementing an alternative teacher pipeline from the U.S. and how localization was made to cater to local needs and overcome challenges. Suggestions were provided to strengthen TFT's teacher training and facilitate collaborations with various stakeholders.

Author

• Mike Yuchuan Shen, National Chung Hsing University