It’s a top challenge for programs this year. For a variety of demographic reasons, it is tougher now to attract instructors who want to teach.
Three practitioners from three different institutional settings have developed innovative and successful ways to recruit instructors. Here’s what they do.
Cast a Wider Net
Cast a wider net, says Michael Seppi, with a community education program in Ellisville, Missouri. Seppi has added Indeed to his list of online resources to recruit local instructors. Indeed is in addition to social media, blogs, websites and other online ‘nets’.
Seppi also casts that wider net in-person. He has added yard signs in front of his building as another way to get the word out.
Target Potential Teachers with Flyers
Nicola Morgal is an experienced practitioner with a large recreation department in Columbia, Maryland. She is having success recruiting instructors with low cost tri-fold flyers aimed specifically at different target audiences for instructors.
Her best targets for instructors are:
-Older retired adults;
-Young adults growing their career;
-High school and college students.
Morgal recommends to have an image of an instructor with you from the demographic group and customize your message to the motivations and positives for each demographic group. Mail them individually to those who inquire or distribute them selectively at events.
Recruit Former Instructors
Leslie Brock is with a university in Edwardsville, Illinois. She has developed an expertise in getting back instructors who stopped teaching with her during the pandemic. One of her best tips:
Once an instructor leaves, make 3 contacts with that person. Do a phone call and ask the teacher why they left. And do two follow-up emails.
Brock advises to keep communication open. Never say good-bye. Continue to stay in touch. Be available anytime the former instructor wants to talk.
Leslie Brock, Michael Seppi, and Nicola Morgal will all be presenting sessions on recruiting instructors and classes at the big LERN Annual Conference, Nov. 17- 20, 2025; Online.
