FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES TEACHERS: THE BEST RESOURCE FOR RECRUITING NEW TEACHERS

A host of publications provide evidence for the teacher shortage (e.g., Jackman, 1996; Miller & Meszaros, 1996) and list suggestions that various groups of FCS educators can use to effectively recruit new professionals (e.g., Miller & Tulloch, 1999; Tulloch & Miller, 1999). Of these suggestions, the involvement of teachers is “perhaps the most critical component in attracting students into the profession ” (Miller & Tulloch, 1999, p. 2). The purpose of this article, therefore, is to vividly describe a teacher recruitment project in which secondary teachers played a vital role. Recommendations for future efforts are included. A host of publications provide evidence for the Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) teacher shortage1 (e.g., Jackman, 1996; Miller & Meszaros, 1996) and list suggestions that various groups of FCS educators can use to effectively recruit new professionals (e.g., Miller & Tulloch, 1999; Tulloch & Miller, 1999). Our ideas for involving teachers in past and future recruiting efforts grew out of having read these publications. What is now needed in the literature are detailed accounts that describe how these suggestions have been used. “Teachers are perhaps the most critical component in attracting students into the profession ” (Miller & Tulloch, 1999, p. 2). The purpose of this article, therefore, is to describe the FCS Teacher Recruitment Project that was carried out at Brigham Young University in November of 2000. The focus of the project was to hold a recruiting reception. Our hope is that such vivid, concrete accounts will make it easier for teachers and other professionals to take action. Many more strategic, united efforts are needed to address the national crisis in the suppl