Make teaching a more desirable career to improve education

Douglas Fick:

Imagine this scene: A young high school graduate, the class valedictorian, sits at the kitchen table with his parents, his newly opened acceptance letter from Cornell lying in front of him. Mom is crying softly, while Dad awkwardly pats his son’s shoulder with a goofy grin plastered on his face.
“What about the money, Dad?” his son asks.
“We’ll figure it out somehow,” Dad replies as he starts to wonder how to come up with anything close to the $43,000 yearly tuition. The boy has worked so hard and come so far; there is no way he is letting money keep him from his dream school.
Now comes the second big moment. The boy has been mulling it over for months.
“I finally decided what I want to study when I get there. I know it’s right for me,” he hesitates. “I want to be an elementary school teacher!” His parents leap from their chairs and literally jump for joy as the pride and excitement washes over them.