Blog Comment of the Week - Teacher Turnover and Losing Passion for the Classroom
Monday September 29, 2008
You all had a lot to say to about passion and teaching. Is it necessary to be passionate in order to be an effective teacher? How do you maintain it? What should we do about teachers who lack it?
To this point, MDKTeacher offered this comment:
I think you are asking the wrong question. I think you should be asking why so many good teachers leave the profession. I think it is something like 50% over their first 5 years. After I retired form the classroom I mentored student teachers for a local college. Many of those students would have made great teachers and had a real passion to make a difference in children’s lives. But somewhere along the line that passion got throttled. Maybe it was too little support, or too much work, or low pay?There's no denying that attrition rates are a huge problem in education. What do you think accounts for passionate teachers who lose their enthusiasm?
Comments
I believe part of the high attrition rates are due in part from lack of solid parenting and fragmenting family structure at home. Teachers that I know are quite frustrated with the fact that they are expected to not only teach the future, but fill in the gaps (such as manners) of the past that today’s parents either will not, or cannot provide. It’s a domino effect, and teachers should not be baby-sitters.
I work in a residential program with very troubled teenagers. Teachers in our on campus school left public education to work here and like being here because they are expected to teach creatively and have the benefit of strong teamwork with clinicians. They saw public education as stifling, with static, unmotivating curricula and no support for kids problems. Maybe they are just really unique to want to come here, or maybe public education is stifling for both teachers and kids.
Teachers are leaving the profession due to the numerous amount of expectations that are being placed on their shoulders. Curriculum is constantly changing. Resources to aid the struggling student especially in early intervention continues to be lip service. Teachers are being told that they are the ones accountable for each child’s learning even though it is a team effort. Most importantly teachers are being ignored when they raise concerns about students and working conditions.
I left my first teaching position when the salary carrot got yanked from me too many times, evaluations skewed to meet the department head’s agenda, and mediocre teaching was applauded (good grades prized vs. quality learning). I left the second job when too much time was expected from my life in order to GIVE grades to students (again, good grades were prized over quality learning). Administration and parents demand fantastic grades without the students learning the material (opening the books or calculators). No mentors, no teacher’s editions/support materials. I was told to sacrifice my family during my first year at this school. Call me disenchanted and not willing to entertain.
God bless those teachers still in the education field. They deserve all of our admiration and support. Currently, I substitute teach (another sometimes thankless role).
After obtaining a degree in Science Education just 3 years ago, I decided to go into a higher paying field (engineering) in order to be able to pay off my student loans. I found quickly that first-year teaching positions were not going to effectively pay down the student loans I had needed to get the degree. I definitely have NOT lost my passion for teaching (I miss it everyday), but I cannot rationalize losing financial stability for any career field. I did not have parent’s helping to pay for college, and it took six years, while working two jobs to graduate with a degree in which I’m proud. I agree with most of the previous comments about working conditions & professional expectations of teachers. I plan to go back to teaching and get my Master’s degree, but as soon as I do, you can bet that I won’t be able to pay an equal share of my household bills (and I don’t even have kids yet!).
I have taught for 15 years (I entered the profession as an adult) and I think the problem is lack of parental expectations for their children, more expectation on us to fill the role as parent, and the stifling atmosphere created by state-mandated tests. Parents want us to excuse poor behavior, late work (or no work at all) and just “give the kids a break.” I have become the teacher I swore I’d never be: a worksheet dispensor to prepare students for assessments. I have shelved the creative projects that my students and I used to love. Ignoring Bloom’s taxonomy, I copy worksheet after worksheet to prepare kids to meet benchmarks and standards for three crucial days of testing. I get so fed up with the way things are. The kids are bored and I’m bored too.
I agree with many of the people on here. I am in my third year of teaching. It’s kind of hard not to become a little cynical when you’re in the environment that many public school teachers face. The biggest problem I’ve had is not with the kids that I teach, but with many of their parents. The kids control the parents, who control the administrators, who control the teachers. I am tired of some behavior being “acceptable” for certain kids but not others because the administrators don’t want to deal with their parents’ complaints. I actually overheard our principal tell one of our teachers here to “just give the kid all A’s and B’s” so that we wouldn’t have to put up with parent phone calls! How is that in the best interest of the kid???
Many teachers are also feeling frustrated about the amount of time they are being required to spend “teaching to the test” for their particular state. This test is being used to judge their capability as well as that of the administration on their respective campuses. Since the administration is being targeted as well as the teacher, this generates even more pressure on the individual teacher to make sure his/her students do well on the state test.
Professional educators need to sort out the reasons why teachers leave their profession, and arrange them in the order of their importance. Besides my own classrooms, I have visited over 800 other ones as a supervisor of student teachers. By far, the biggest reason teachers quit is the negative disposition of their students, my career indicates. Until this situation is overcome. I predict teacher turnover will remain high.
Patrick Groff, Professor of Education Emeritus. San Diego State University
No Child Left Behind, standardized tests that test little of importance and administrators insisting all students be given good grades are all contributing factors to teacher discontent and the hollowing out of education.
Some of the other’s comments have prompted me to remember a true tale I tried hard to forget. An autocratic principa,l in a middle school where I once taught, decreed that all students would be given good grades. Teachers that didn’t comply were subtly punished. The result was that at year’s end 89% of all students made the honor roll, which was defined as for “those with above average grades”. The principal was willfully blind to the fact that 89% of the population cannot, by definition, be above average. The parents didn’t know the details and didn’t care. The teachers who said something were ignored. And the emperor continues on with no clothes.
Having made a name for himself as running a school that produces superior results that principal left for a higher paying, more prestigious job in higher education. I pity the college that hired him.
I have taught for about 7. I started out as a substitute while working on my certification. There are many issues in our public school systems. The biggest problem I faced in my first teaching job was administration. This administrator was focused on implementing a program that was state initiated more than teaching the children.
This administrator was very nasty at times but professional enough to so that she could keep her job. There was no support. For example, the administrator allowed the students to run wild in the school and all over the teachers that she didn’t care for. The students were not dealt with until they crossed her. I got in trouble with this administrator. Partly, because she obsessively visited my classroom. Then, I became paranoid and thought that everything she did was against me because I new I couldn’t trust her. The administrator fired me for being an incompetent teaching. However, the students in my classroom recieved high scores on the CRCT, 21 out of 23 passed the writing test. I realize now that I let my fears get the best of me. Yes, she was a bad administrator. I got to the point that I was late because I didn’t want to go to work because of the problems.
Additionally, I had the worst parents that you could possibly image. One wouldn’t even speak to me when she came to pick up her child from the classroom. Another parent acted as though she wanted to attack me. Another problem in education is the parents should teach their children at home as fervently as teachers are teaching them at school. Our system place too much pressure on teachers.
This is my fourth year of teaching, and while I love what I do, I feel I am losing the passion. I cannot pinpoint one specific reason, but can detail a combination of many things that add up over time. Lack of parent involvement is a huge problem at our school. Students do not see the value in learning anything that requires more than minimal effort. Teaching to the test is pushed on us yearly, and an amazing amount of ADD/ADHD kids makes life exceedingly difficult, especially if parents choose to not medicate them. Selective support by administrators tends to be an issue, as there are always the special few brown-nosers on campus. Large classes in small classrooms has become a big challenge for us this year, as we have no cap on numbers in 5th grade-as many as we can fit in the room, regardless of special needs. Although I get frustrated and stressed every day, there is almost always that one kid who will say or do something to make my day, and remind me why I choose to teach for a living. Those kids are the ones the lift me up and spur me on.
I bless the good teachers now days whom are few and far between but most of them do not stay and theres many many reasons why that happens,,I am a parent whom has worked with my 3 kids throught school and likes to work with my children at home besides the school hours they attend mainly because it will stick into thier minds better and make it easier for them to learn so they dont forget also but I have a daughter whom is in the 5th grade right now and we have only foud 2 of the great teachers i am speaking of so far in 5 years one was my daughters 3rd grade teacher and her teacher she has now works very well with her and I am happy with him,,he is also the assistant principal and works as title 1 teacher also and with them special teachers I try to show my appreciation by remembering their bdays and holidays because those are the teachers that care and make a difference plus it helps the child to learn better and be more eager to learn when the teacher does show the kids that they care enough to take the time to make the difference,,even under the crappy pay and expectations they go through. So to all the great teachers like I have mentioned,,I wanna thank them for making the difference in a childs life for the children to see there is a light at the end of the tunnel and all teachers are not mean and all teachers dont ignore thier students needs as some might.
I’ve been teaching for 20 years (8 in the same school) in Italy, I think teaching is a blessing. You can see the growing of new generations, everyday is a challenge: your own knowledge has to be improved and kept up-to-date in order to satisfy your students’ knowledge and education hunger. Unfortunately I’m actually losing my passion because I’m veru tired. Burocracy and the administrative aspects of the job are eating up my energy and my serenity. I have a bad relationship with the secretaries. For instance, in Italy we usually ask for class supplies like paper, colours, glue, etc at the beginning of the school year, and once I asked for a soft ball; the ball never arrived, so I bought one with my money and used it for games that motivated my children to make questions and speak in English; after three years that I wrote my request for the ball to the main secretary of the office, she called me and asked, What “the hell” are you going to do with a ball during language lessons?? Are you a PE teacher??. No comment…. This year I’ve stopped with gymnastics and music and organized dance during my English lessons, and I’m going to work on textbooks because I’m really very tired. I’m going to move from that school next year, to search and find a different environment. Parents don’t want me to go, but I have to, or I’ll lose even my health.
I agree with all the comments I’ve read. The lack of parenting and especially the lack of support form administrators. I have a student in my room who assaulted her teacher last year. The Friday before the beginning of school, I was given the class she was in. The superintendent came to a meeting with the parents and guaranteed the school could do something for their child without any consultation with me or the Educational Assistants. We haven’t seen her since. The spec ed specialist has shown up twice with one or two suggestions. It’s time to move some administration people back to the classroom
I am currently student teaching after 20 years in Early Childhood ed and 7 years subbing. Teachers in general have bad attitudes because they have been allowed to have their own bitch rooms for years (ie: the teacher’s lounge). These snake pits breed contempt for teacher’s jobs, children, and the entire education profession. No one is safe in these rooms, and it is not surprising that more students seem to get in trouble after lunch…after teachers have had a chance to REALLY get into a negative mood!I have never heard an inspirational word said in a teacher’s lounge, and I have entered numerous times in a great mood and left nearly always in a sour mood. The teachers who continue to be inspired and have positive attitudes are the pnes who stay out of the teacher’s lounge!! Try it one day…seek out other teachers in your building who feel the same and eat together in one of your classrooms, making a pact to keep conversations positive, even if it means talking about something other than school!
I’m currently working on my education degree. I’m about a year away from graduation. I have also seen many people in my college drop out or change their major. There are many things that influence these decisions. Most of the time the situation is a little different for each of us. Although the situations are different, we almost always have one thing in common: LACK OF SUPPORT! I personally find this to be my biggest obstacle to overcome. My parents hate the fact that I hve decided to be a teacher. They have actually refused to pay for my college. This makes my educational experience extremely difficult. I’m putting myself in debt up to my ears, knowing that it will take forever to pay it off with a teacher’s salary. I want to be a teacher so bad. I think I can make a difference. I just need a little more support! It would be great if someone would tell my that they appercieate what I’m doing. Another think I hate is when people on campus ask you what your major is, and when you tell them they reply, “O that sucks. You know you are never going to make any money.” Why can’t anybody be a little supportive? Without teachers none of us would be anywhere!
the important thing here is not why i’m a good or a bad teacher. The issue here is how to start loving the profession? What shoul i do to accept that tiring, though enjoyable job?Any tips??!!
I stay in the profession because I believe my contribution will affect the lives of young people for the better. I just started my seventh year. Everyday I honestly believe that I will teach students and they will learn something. It is a battle for me most of the time. I have wanted to quit every single year and during testing…every day! (I have worked in special ed as well as general ed). My husband sees me stress-out and reminds me that I could make more money doing anything else. He doesn’t get it, but I remember why I entered the field. Sometimes I have to say to myself, “If not me, who?” I can lay my head on my pillow every night knowing I didn’t purposely hurt another or lie to someone or cheat someone out of money for my own profit and gain. You should not get into this profession just to have a job or to make money; you will NEVER be happy.
By the way, I entered the profession when I was 38 years old and I have four children, one with autism. Sometimes life isn’t fair. Remember that and look for even the smallest thing that is positive to help buoy you up. Also be a good person. That is reward in itself.
Teaching today requires an energy and love that teachers dont always have. I dont see how you could leave teaching because of pay, the love of it is in your blood. But society has changed so much and what the students dont get at home they look for at school. It can be draining on both sides, but I believe it takes a different type of teacher training now.
There are many reasons that teachers are leaving the profession, and one of these reasons is low pay. Your heart really has to be in it to stick with this profession, and be a good teacher. I believe you must be passionate about this in order to be a good teacher. Therefore, you must go out of your way to do the little things to help students, because sometimes its the little things that make a big difference. If you share the stories that motivated you with your fellow teachers it might help them to become more passionate about teaching.
Thank you teachers for your comments! After 15 years of trying to maintain a positive attitude against the negative ones, I find myself heavily outnumbered and fizzing out fast. Now, it has simply become a game of ‘Survivor.” Every Spring I wait with baited breath to see if my contract will be renewed and now, it looks like I have won the immunity idol for another year… Whooppeeee!