AUGUSTA, Ga, (WJBF) – Teach in the Peach is a website made for teachers by teachers to not only get more teachers in Georgia schools but to educate people on why teaching is so important.
In 2022, the Georgia DOE looked at why teachers were leaving the classroom. The most common answer was teacher burnout.
Christy Todd, a former teacher and Education Program Specialist at the Georgia Department of Education, was one of the people who helped with the website, she says they wanted to find a way to bring teachers back into the classrooms.
They worked with more than 90 current teachers and others to make sure the website has anything you can think of.
Todd says, “We worked with over 250 individuals, people who wanted to be a teacher that currently aren’t, to figure out what are some of the barriers they’re facing, what are some of the questions they have.”
They worked closely with state representatives on this initiative with a goal of having all of the information in a centralized hub.
Todd says the feedback has been positively overwhelming; the day the website launched, it had almost 900 page visits.
The website has several sections — things like benefits, an interactive job map, and a career quiz. but one of the most popular is the contact form, where current and former teachers can share their stories.
“Through the contact form we are hearing stories. We are hearing stories of a business professional who owns his own multi-million dollar company that doesn’t feel fulfilled and he wants to become a teacher, so he sent us on the form saying ‘how can I become a teacher, is there a place for me.’” Todd says.
Current teachers love seeing the positive feedback on the site and Todd says teachers are the ultimate influencers.
“It’s because we change the future when we help students see their potential. There is no denying the influence of a teacher, every single one of us can think of one if not dozens of teachers who have had a massive impact on our lives.” she says.
If you or someone you know are interested in becoming a teacher or want to learn more about Teach in the Peach you can find the link here.
