WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — The U.S. Department of Education Teacher Shortage Reports show Georgia needs more K-12 teachers for core subjects like English, science and special education. One Houston County teacher said her career happened thanks to mentoring from fellow teachers.
Reagan Ayers is in her fourth year of teaching at Northside High School. But before becoming an instructor, she sat in the same seats as her class as a Northside student.
"This community poured so much into me,” Ayers said. “It's a gift to be able to pour back into it."
After graduating, Ayers started at Mercer University. Soon after, she became a Northside student-teacher. During that time, she said her mentor-teachers gave her invaluable guidance.
"I feel blessed that my mentors now are the same mentors I had almost a decade ago when I was in school,” she said. “And I do believe that if people can have that rallying cry behind them, there's no reason more people cannot succeed in this profession."
She said a former mentor passed down classroom decor that she still has in her room today. Even as a full-time teacher, Ayers relies on the teachers around her for support.
One of her mentors teaches right across the hall from her. Katherine Branch taught Ayers during her high school years. Branch is in her 30th year as a teacher at Northside. She said the key to a long career is always being open to learning new strategies.
"Younger teachers who are coming in with different ideas and different perspectives are able to show you different ways to do the work, different is to engage with the students,” Branch said. “And that's a really very helpful thing."
Ayers said the main lessons she learned from her mentors is the importance of forming relationships with the students and patience.
If you are interested in becoming a teacher in Georgia, you'll need a bachelor's degree, to complete a state-approved educator preparation program and to pass the Georgia Educators Exam.