Don’t we all have that one friend who could teach us what they are good at? They have got a passion for teaching and can make us understand something much more effectively. We always ask them to be a teacher. He chose education as his major to go further with his ability and passion. Fast forward five years, he is quitting his job and looking for another job. Have you ever asked why? Well, you should start asking the question. Or, a very alarming future is waiting for our upcoming generation. In the following post, we’ll give you a quick rundown of the problem and the reasons behind it. It does not matter if you are a future teacher or just a concerned guardian of a toddler. You should know about the facts. It will help you to make wise decisions for the foreseeable future.
A Quick Glimpse at the Situation
The 2018-19 school year met with an unwanted situation. Hundreds of thousands of educators participated in walkouts. The pay disruption motivated them to raise their voice, and many of them decided to quit. A recent Gallup poll shows, almost half of the teachers in America are watching for better opportunities. This information is enough to be scared and will affect the stability of the industry majorly. For getting some insights on alternative career options for teachers, Suzanne Klein’s tips are a great resource.
7 Reasons to Quit Jobs
When asked the professionals, they pointed out the challenging physical conditions, emotional stress, unrealistic expectations, health, and personal reasons.
- Challenging work conditions: The problems start with the demanding workspaces. When asked the teachers about their workplaces, they identified almost the same difficulties. Some repeatedly mentioned factors are,
- Unmanageable class size
- Shortage of materials
- Poor building conditions
- Long working hours, including weekends
- Pointless meetings and regulations
- Unfit administration
- Unsupportive disciplinary action
- Lack of support system: Another glaring flaw in the system is the insufficient support system. It is overwhelming to be a new teacher. And the administration fails to provide the proper support. Too little preparation for the new school year and unrealistic expectations push the teachers to rethink their job. Monitoring, collaboration, and extra resources are a part of a strong teacher network. But according to a study by the Learning Policy Institute, only 3% of new teachers receive these supports.
- Overwhelming stress: A national survey shows that 58% of classroom teachers checked their mental health as “not good.” And another survey confirms that almost two-thirds feel their jobs are always or often stressful. Teaching is already a challenging job. Educators struggling with their mental and physical health can’t provide their best for the students.
- Lack of respect: A lot of educators feel that they are not respected enough for their job. The administration often tries to micromanage them. This behavior often makes them feel that their opinion doesn’t matter.
- Discipline issues: The teachers have to put up with a lot. They deal with attitude, insufficient cooperation, yelling, physics attacks, even shootings that could take place at any moment. Still, a ten-year-old can hold the career of a teacher. Even for necessary disciplinary action, the parents often involve police and the school board.
- Testing and data collection: According to an NEA survey, 72% of teachers felt moderate to extreme pressure to increase test scores. Both the school and district administration have got “teach for the test” mentality. And this is often frustrating for both the teachers and students.
- Developmentally inappropriate expectation: The schools stopped working for the best interest of every student. The system is now more of a machine to increase test scores. This forces teachers to give more attention to the well-performing students, rather than each one.
To be perfectly honest, these reasons are only the tip of the iceberg. There are a lot of other reasons underneath these. And these can make a society towards a shipwreck.
The Scary Result
While we are busy dissecting the actions, we are endangering the future of our next generation. The longer this situation prevails, the fewer students are encouraged to take this honorable profession. Teaching already pays less than the work it demands. Applying these new difficult conditions will make others less interested in this job. Therefore, we are losing a lot of potential educators. A teacher is the backbone of a society. As teachers quit their job, society loses its strength to prevail.
Conclusion
Teachers are the northern star of a society. They guide the young minds and reshape them towards their potential. But they had to come to the streets and raise their voice due to the situation. If you are still not alarmed by this, a very dark future is waiting for us. The society nourishes its teachers and is more likely to be a prosperous one. Decide for yourself what’s best for your upcoming generation and do the best of your ability. Your today’s choice is the most important decision that can save hundreds and thousands of humanity.
