by Gary Beach

I’m Out of Here!

Opinion
Jun 19, 20071 min
IT Leadership

So say 66% of CIOs in a June 2007 CIO Magazine when asked if they would consider giving select members of their staff a one year sabbatical to help improve the teaching of science and math in America.

This is encouraging news. Particularly so when you factor in that 40-60 percent of math and science teachers in middle and high schools in America teach those subjects “out of field”….ie, they have no degree in math or science.

If you have a science, engineering, math undergraduate degree would you be willing to go on a one year sabbatical to improve science/math education in America? Would your company support such a program? Does it already have one?

One of the more innovative ones is from IBM. Google “IBM Transition to Teaching” for more details.

14 years ago I started a non-profit called Tech Corps (www.techcorps.org) that challenged IT professionals to help link schools to the internet. Over 10,000 of you have volunteered since then.

Now the challenge is even greater. If we do not improve systemically our education system – particularly in the sciences/math – our country will be “left behind” by 2027.

Share your thoughts.

Gary Beach