Teaching is one of the few careers where the free will of others routinely and negatively impacts an employee’s livelihood. For example, when a student doesn’t do their homework and their grade suffers, it somehow becomes the teacher’s problem to solve. But when a patient doesn’t get an eye exam and their vision worsens, the patient is accountable, not their optometrist. The rest of the world seems to understand the value inherent in natural consequences. Just look at how these other professionals can do their jobs without repercussion of someone else’s irresponsibility hanging over their heads!

1. An unhealthy person doesn’t affect a doctor’s salary, but low test scores can result in a pay cut for teachers.

Blatantly ignoring medical advice to quit smoking, doctors diagnose a person with a pack-a-day habit with emphysema. Unwilling to change their high-fat, high-cholesterol diet, a person suffers from obesity and heart disease. Do these unhealthy outcomes negatively impact their doctors’ salary? Absolutely not! Now let’s flip the script: can apathetic students’ low test scores negatively impact school funding, thereby hurting teachers whose pay is linked to those scores? Yep. Imagine if all professionals lost money each time they could lead their horse to water but couldn’t make it drink.

2. The architect’s expertise isn’t questioned, yet teachers are constantly doubted as highly qualified.

Every day all over the world, people walk into buildings and homes without fearing that the buildings will collapse. Why? Because we assume that the architect’s skill and expertise protect us. People do not place this level of confidence in teachers, despite our multiple degrees, certifications, hours of professional development, and involvement in schools. Teachers know what works for their students, yet we’re constantly having people who have never set foot in the classroom question us.

3. Dentists aren’t blamed when their patients don’t brush and floss, but it’s the teacher’s fault when students don’t complete work.

When we don’t practice good oral hygiene and end up with cavity-filled teeth and funky breath, we know we can’t blame the dentist. No one expects dentists to offer free or additional services to those who aren’t caring for their teeth in the first place. Yet, admin and parents expect teachers to pass students who don’t do their work. Things that make ya go hmmmm…

4. Pilots aren’t forced to fly into a hurricane, but teachers are expected to continue “business as usual” despite countless hurdles.

From inclement weather to unruly passengers, even the best pilots aren’t immune to how external influences affect their ability to fly safely. Understanding the severity of these outside factors, airlines have long since implemented certain safeguards, like restricting the weight of carry-ons, to ensure the efficiency and safety of air travel. Too many teachers wonder what it’s like to have that kind of practical support when trying to teach in the face of oppositional parents, students with serious learning needs, and a dwindling pile of classroom supplies.

5. A chef isn’t expected to feed diners who aren’t at the restaurant, but teachers are expected to pass students who don’t come to school.

If I make a dinner reservation then don’t go to the restaurant, the chef is not responsible for my order. I didn’t show up for my reservation, so I don’t get to eat my meal as planned. However, this seemingly simple cause-and-effect relationship doesn’t hold true in schools. If a student doesn’t go to class, admin often don’t hold them accountable for their absence. In fact, it’s the teacher’s job to hunt them down and offer remediation. Helping a learner catch up after missing one lesson is reasonable; cramming an entire school year into the last few weeks of May because a repeatedly truant student finally decides to show up is the opposite of reasonable! *breathes into a paper bag*

6. Companies only cater to their target market while teachers have to engage all students.

Starbucks knows their consumers are coffee drinkers, so the company crafts products geared toward coffee drinkers. Teachers, on the other hand, don’t have the luxury of solely marketing to a target audience. We peddle math skills to people who don’t want them, and then evaluators judge us by how much our “disinterested buyers” know about math. I doubt Starbucks marketing directors receive negative professional evaluations for not convincing coffee-haters to drink a Starbucks blend. But principals don’t tell students who don’t want to learn to try harder. Instead, they unfairly label teachers as not good/experienced/fun/smart enough.

7. The public views skilled laborers as irreplaceable but believe any warm body can lead a classroom.

Seems reasonable to rely on a person with extensive experience and knowhow to get an important job done. We seek out plumbers, electricians, and other professionals for their expertise and skill. Yet here we are, in a national teacher shortage, accepting any adult with a pulse to educate our children. It’s as if the public truly believes teachers are that dispensable…

Teachers won’t deny that kids tend to make bad decisions and do dumb things—it’s part of growing up! But schools should be the safe place where kids practice being accountable for their behavior, instead of learning how to use others as scapegoats. We aren’t doing students any favors by sheltering them from the very consequences they’ll encounter once in the real world.

Reference: https://boredteachers.com/post/not-like-other-professionals

I was just been informed that in NJ, Praxis core exams are no longer served as one of the requirements for entrance to teacher’s college. I was shocked and felt a bit unfair at the beginning. However, I believed that there is no invalid experience. I have learned how to teach English math and explain math concepts in English. Among all the bullet points, I feel strongly about the lack of respect for teaching career, mentally and physically drained each and every day, and teacher autonomy is nonexistent. I hated to be controlled by the director and be treated as the teacher’s personal assistant. Now, I finally got rid of these two factors. I am more delighted to contribute myself in the educational field.

1. Parents bubble wrap their children.

Bubble-wrapping parents see danger for their children in everything and everyone and go to great lengths to protect their kids. They are the ones challenging teachers and writing messages to us as long as War and Peace about their child’s grades or behavior.

They see us as a threat capable of popping a few bubbles.

2.  Lack of respect for the teaching career is at an all-time high.

here was a time not too long ago when I was proud to say that I was a teacher when asked about my occupation. Now, I am hesitant and feel judged.

It doesn’t help that social media is fertile ground for people who wish to teacher bash for any mistake that a teacher may make. In the “olden days,” parents would just talk to the teacher or administration, now they broadcast their issues to thousands of people and end up destroying reputations.

3. Solutions are aimed at attracting new teachers and not keeping the old ones.

Yes, attract the young ones with incentives, but for goodness sake reward the Ol Veterans too. We are the ones that can mentor the newbies and get them to stick around for more than a year. We need the opportunity for growth in the form of monetary compensation, as well.

4. We do not wish to be mentally and physically drained each and every day.  

Extreme behavior from students and condescending administrators make us question if the intrinsic rewards are worth the abuse and mistreatment.

The lack of resources and programs for behaviorally challenged students makes it impossible to teach effectively.

Our exhaustion prevents us from being emotionally available to our own families, and that’s not worth it. 

5. Teacher autonomy is nonexistent.

We didn’t get advanced college degrees to be told what, when, and how to teach. Teachers have been written up for not following their lesson plans to the letter or going long on a math lesson.

This type of micromanagement is extremely harmful to the overall teaching profession and causes massive teacher flight.

6. Test scores are emphasized over all else.

It’s no wonder the teacher shortage is greatest in high transiency areas. It is very hard to be held accountable for student test scores when students pass through a revolving door; yet, we are held responsible.

Let’s put Maslow before Bloom and care more about the overall well-being of our students and educators than numbers on a page.

7. Teacher education programs need to provide more hands-on experiences.

According to Dr. Stephanie Livers, associate professor of Michigan State University, education programs should structure more time in the classroom with their educational methods and behavior management courses.

This would prevent future educators from having a glamorized view of what really happens in the classroom. They would have a better chance of being successful and not quitting.

8. Legislation keeps adding more needless paperwork.

Why are things like student learning goals still on the plates of teachers when they are not helping student achievement? The endless stream of in-depth lesson plans, attendance reports, and reflective analysis is often a complete waste of a teacher’s creative energy.

Eliminate what does not help students to learn. Period.

9. Fewer people are majoring in education degrees.

According to The Hill, there has been a drastic decline in the number of students pursuing teaching degrees since 2019. When students hear in the media about all of the major problems that teachers are having and the low pay, do you really blame them?

10. Shortages cause more shortages.

When there are many vacant staff positions, other teachers have to fill in the gaps. They lose their prep, take on more students in already crowded classrooms and have extra duties.

This leads to burnout and burnout leads to quitting. More shortages ensue. Vicious circle.

What are the solutions for the staffing shortages that we are facing? We can start by changing the culture of our schools back to one of respect and value for our educators.

 If we make our decisions with considerable input from our teachers and staff, things will change. If we continue to ignore the mental well-being of one of our greatest community assets, the teachers, education will continue to die a lonely death. 

Reference: https://boredteachers.com/post/teacher-shortage

As I was told that due to teacher shortages, the Praxis Core exam is exempted for several states. As a teacher, I, myself, experienced the differences between being valued and taken for granted in two schools. Honestly, my college told me that I should have stated the fact that I left the school because of the toxic culture at the school. Last but not least, as I proposed a presentation and discussion on “Hearing Teacher’s Voices” at TCNJ EdFest, I feel every teacher needs support form each other.

These days it’s getting harder for administrators to retain staff, but there are ways to boost teacher morale and turn things around.

1. Learn to appreciate the efforts of others. If you work in schools, your job is challenging, full stop. Rolling your sleeves up and working in the classroom is as hard as evaluating teachers and managing student interventions. The problem we face in schools is a lack of perspective. The days can become so encompassing that we forget to see the school from the eyes of the others who call it home. All administrators have been there; we were teachers once, too. The problem is that the further we get from the role, the easier it is to forget how hard the job truly is.

The number one reason people leave their jobs is that they don’t feel appreciated. Take a step back and learn to see the job through the lens of your staff. Once you have that perspective, you can appreciate how difficult everyone’s job is.

2. Eliminate toxic cultures. You can usually feel a school’s culture as soon as you walk through the main entrance. You can tell if it’s a building where teachers love to teach and where the students flourish, or if it’s a place where teachers complain that students aren’t happy. Ask yourself if there’s a feeling of community in the air or something far less welcoming.

Negativity is contagious. It spreads like wildfire. A building’s culture is often invisible, yet it can be one of the most critical components of a school’s success and a teacher’s desire to stay. What can start as the dismay of a single staff member can quickly become the culture of an entire building. For young, up-and-coming teachers, this can become a dealbreaker.

Overwhelmed by logistics and responsibilities, new teachers are often oblivious to the toxicity they’ve been enveloped by until it’s too late. They often cannot see that their change in mindset, attitude, and motivation directly results from the toxic culture in which they work. Instead, they believe teaching isn’t for them, that toxic environments are normal, and that the profession, unfortunately, is not what they thought it would be.

As educators, we must pride ourselves on pointing out the positives we see. Just as negativity is contagious, so is positivity. You may be the only one noticing great things, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Give compliments, leave a note, do something that shows you notice the great things happening around you.

3. Connect with your staff on a personal level. Humans are social beings. We are more likely to reach our full potential when we feel connected to others. When we are forced to work in isolation, we struggle with motivation, appreciation, and success. Showing staff they are cared for beyond the schoolhouse walls makes them feel valued and connected. When we feel valued, we become committed and more likely to stay where we are.

Be authentic. The more real you are with your staff, the more real your staff will be with you. You are more than just an educator. You are likely a mother or father, sister or brother, aunt or uncle, neighbor, best friend, etc. Talk about the other roles you play in your life.

Ask staff questions, and get to know them as more than just teachers and educators. Get out of your office and get involved in the day-to-day activities of your school. Gain a better understanding of what’s happening at each grade level or department, and create opportunities for effortless conversations. Bottom line: Take care of your employees personally.

4. Give teachers a voice. Besides being a good listener, leaders should empower staff and encourage them to lead. When educators realize they are being heard and have a voice in the important decisions of the school, they tend to show more attention and productivity in every task they are delegated. This starts by showing you value their voice and work. Moreover, giving every individual a say makes them more satisfied at work and puts them on positive terms with the school leaders.

Teaching is hard. If it were easy, anyone could do it. Retaining staff is an active proposition; it requires a degree of sacrifice that other tasks do not. We’re in the business of people, and people are fluid, easily influenced by positive reinforcement, and vulnerable. We require constant recalibration. It’s our job as school leaders to do the recalibrating and ensure that teachers work in optimal conditions. If we had taken care of our teachers in the spring of 2022, we likely wouldn’t have found ourselves replacing so many of them in just a matter of weeks.

Improving teacher retention can support more significant learning for students in your building and educator growth in the art of teaching. A high turnover rate makes it incredibly difficult to institute educational initiatives or change. Experienced teachers who are familiar with the needs of a school and its students are best poised to educate and prioritize student needs.

When teachers leave your building or the profession, those voices are lost, and education suffers. Reducing turnover and dependence on substitutes is an integral step toward enhancing schools and our students’ futures.

Reference:https://www.edutopia.org/article/4-ways-increase-teacher-retention/?fbclid=IwAR14mm4ix-7VCT5Iaif3OerPnvrC-39OsSEg0eFx4O5z-3SCkCeQkzPxYas