The nation is currently experiencing a gigantic teacher shortage, and has declared a crisis. In fact, it’s such a crisis that they’ve decided anyone can be a teacher, with or without a degree or teaching license.
Thanks for the respect, America.
I always knew I wanted to be a teacher, from my earliest games of School and Kindergarten career day. I entered the field soon after graduating, excited to change the world one student at a time.
In the thick of my first year teaching full-time, my rose-colored glasses were forced off my face by a pressure kick to my back so powerful it caused my body to careen to the 40-year old stained carpet floor, leaving me face-down in years of Elmer’s glue, dirt, spit balls, and kid extract.
That kick came in the form of data analysis, which is essentially what teachers do these days.
We take the tests the kids will take, teach the content of that test, administer the test, grade the test, analyze that data, and repeat the cycle a million more times. Not fun.
Speaking of not being fun… I entered this field as a creative, young college graduate. My creativity was immediately stripped of me, because the District has no many required programs that don’t allow me to create or really adapt my teaching to meet the needs of my students. Teachers are not allowed creative autonomy, which prevents us from utilizing our resources and being the best teachers we could be.
Another reason there’s a teacher shortage is it’s really hard to feel good about yourself when you’re a teacher. Everything is our fault, and we get very little respect. Society is always criticizing us, parents are constantly complaining, and administrators are always telling us what we’re doing wrong. I’d rather be in a place where my hard work is appreciated and respected.
So there you have it. This is why such a high number of teachers quit within the first 5 years.