Teacher Satisfaction

 

Well, I certainly read an interesting article in The New York Times this week.  I know, you’re thinking, he reads The New York Times?  Really?  No actually, not typically.  There was a link from a ACSD bulletin I received.  Anywho, the article stressed that teacher morale is at an all time low in the States.  It appears that our colleagues to the south are feeling a little blue as of late.  Over half of the teachers surveyed expressed at least a little trepidation in regards to their  jobs, the highest rate since 1989.  Forty percent of them were not confident that learning would improve in the coming years and one third of teachers were planning on exiting the profession in the next 5 years.  Wow!

That got me thinking about how very lucky we are in Alberta or at least in Evergreen.  The teachers I deal with are exceptionally optimistic about their students potential to excel.  I wiped my brow, glad we were so much better off then our neighbours to the south.  Then I watched the news . . . a story that came out this week was that 25% of those students graduating from the faculty of education don’t ever teach.  Not only that, another 25% get out of the profession in the first five years.  That really struck me.  What is it about teaching that results in such poor teacher retention numbers?

The 25% that never teach after graduation I can understand.  Some don’t get jobs right away and start their careers in a different direction.  Once they get going down another path, they stick with it.  Some may well realize during their practicum teaching that they have picked a career that they do not love, they get their degree knowing full well they will never teach.  I have many friends that I graduated with who never used their degrees to teach.  They found more lucrative work or simply felt that it wasn’t their calling.  I admire that – knowing when you’re not in a good place for yourself and fixing it.

As for the 25% who leave the profession in their first five years that makes me sigh.  Why are they not sticking it out and loving the huge impact that they have on students and thus society?  I know, some realize that it is not their calling and move on.  Again, that’s admirable.  We’ve all had teachers we know aren’t loving what they are doing and the impact they have on young people can be negligible if not negative.  I think teaching is a vocation  worthy of the very best.  It can be trying, tiring and down right frustrating at times.

So – what’s my point?  Take heart teachers you are in a great profession that makes a real difference in people’s lives.  When most of us look back on our schooling, some faces really stand out as pivotal in who we have become.  I think to Mrs. Short, Mr. Timeteo and many others.  Without them I would not have been the person I am today.  Take heart teachers – you make a profound difference.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/08/education/teacher-morale-sinks-survey-results-show.html?_r=1

 

Keep on learning,

 

Dave

 

Interesting Reads

Mindsets - Carol Dweck
Teaching Boys who struggle in School - Kathleen Palmer Cleveland
Drive - Daniel Pink
Outliers - Malcolm Gladwell

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