New "Teach" Campaign

The Department of Education is trying a new approach to get top students to become teachers. With help from Teach for America, Microsoft, State Farm, the teachers' unions, "Make More. Teach," videos feature teachers doing interesting work and show teaching as a rewarding profession. 

Taylor Mali narrates the videos. Mali became associated with teaching after his comedy bit, "What Teachers Make." His commentary responded to criticism from someone asking the question about a teacher's salary.

The recruiting campaign is important, considering how the U.S. lags behind other countries in recruiting the best students. The comparison is clear in a McKinsey report, "Closing the Talent Gap: Attracting and Retaining Top-third Graduates to Careers in Teaching," which is featured in of Business Communication: In Person, In Print Online, Chapter 10.

Discussion Starters:

• Watch the videos. In what ways are they similar to the military recruiting ads?
• Analyze the persuasive strategies used. What examples do you find of logical arguments, emotional appeals, and credibility? How are visuals, voice, and music used? What types of people are portrayed, and so on?