Changing numbers of teachers
“That is such a noble profession.” Teachers enter into the job field with excite and enthusiasm about changing kids lives and hoping that they can motivate and educate them enough so they can be accepted to the college of their choice when that time comes. However, there is a good chance that teacher may never make it long enough to see that student enter into college before they become too burnt out or not be able to make it financially. Due to the amount of turnover within the first few years of working, the question is, are teachers really getting the students prepared and ready for college?
Soon to be teachers are leaving college with more education than ever before. Over 50% of teachers are graduating college and entering into the teaching profession with a Masters Degree. The idea for this is to increase their starting salary. Everyone knows that teachers are getting paid a very minimal amount of money, causing many of them to leave the profession early on. The average salary of a teacher in Colorado is $48,020 a year. It is highest in California, where the average is $55,600. However, it is the first few years when teachers leave the profession. The first year average of teaching in California is just under $35,000 and in South Dakota and Montana it is less than $25,000 a year. Please see charts below for the info provided.
http://www.teachersalaryinfo.com/average-teacher-salary-colorado.html
http://www.educationworld.net/salaries_jp.html .
What starts out in college as a noble profession and a burning desire to change the world ends up being a difficult way to live a life financially. Finances end up being the top reason why teachers leave the profession early on. 14% leave after their first year, and 46% leave before their 5th year of teaching. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/08/AR2006050801344.html. I have a friend that left after year 2 to help a friend open a medicinal marijuana store. He is making more than 2 times the amount he was making as a teacher, and as he states, “without the paperwork or parent complaints.” This is the frustrating part because he taught AP English and was gearing his students for college writing and how to succeed in college. http://www.good.is/post/why-are-great-teachers-leaving-the-classroom/. With great teachers like him leaving across the nation, the question becomes what is happening at the collegiate level to these students. Are professors in college seeing a decline in the preparation of these students because of the amount of turnover occurring within the high schools? If teachers were getting paid more, would that entice them to stick around the profession longer, in turn getting the students better acclimated for college?
For the 13 years I have been in higher education, teacher education programs have been some of the most popular at each institution for which I have worked. Additionally, the data regarding new teacher turnover hasn't changed a whole lot during that time. Much like the nursing profession, if newcomers can make it five years, then they're generally going to stay with the profession for a long time.
ReplyDeleteIt has not been my experience that turnover in the field has decreased the number of college students pursuing a teacher education preparatory program. On the contrary, that turnover continues to leave open positions which need to be filled (that is of course, if the K-12 institution has the budget to fill the position).
Although salary plays a key role in the turnover in the field I belive thre are many variables that contribute to this issue. Like Darcy, several of my friends who started with aspirations to teach are no longer in the field. They would tell you that this is due to the lack of freedom that they have in the classroom. Often times they have informed me that they feel as though they are teaching students to pass a standardized test and not preparing them for college.
ReplyDeleteI recently wathced the movie "Waiting for Superman" which captured many of the problems polluting our education system. There is no doubt that there are minimal incentives for teachers who are wanting to embrace the daunting task of entering the education system. This is unfortunate as students lose out on opportunities to learn from those who have a strong desire to help prepare them for their pursuit of an advanced degree.
The profession of teaching is the Mother Profession as the source of the basics for other professions which provide them the elements of qualified human scientifically, socially, technically and morally. The teaching profession contributes in forming the future of communities by creating the characters of young people who carry responsibility in the future of their countries.
ReplyDeleteClassroom management and working with children and young people, and supervising on the process of education in a balanced manner are not easy job and the teacher is the most important inputs in the educational process. He is capable to achieving the aims of education and translating it to reality.
Teacher works on the development of capacity and skills of students, by organizing the educational process and control it, also, he manages and uses of learning technologies and accurate methods, and he has knowledge of the needs of students and the ways of their thinking and learning, and to identify the objectives of education in developing and progressing the society, by educating young people and raising them in a good ways.
I am with any increase in teachers’ salaries and improve their career. The nature of education and particularly schools is different from any job, no matter how hard work is, because working with children and adolescents is not easy, and the work of teachers does not end at the end of the school day, but may extend to the house to meet the daily work requirements such as preparation, correction and grading. He also faces several destinations in one time; student, parent, and administration.
If teacher is not comfortable in all aspects of his work both money, psychological, social and health, how will he carry responsibility, and we shouldn’t forget that his work a mission more than a job, so we have to support him to ensure our student’s future.
These statistics are alarming as to how many teachers leave the profession. As a mother, it is even more frustrating to think of the quality teachers that are being lost. I have always felt that teachers were underpaid, coming from a family of teachers of all levels. My dad is a retired college professor and we have elementary school teachers, a high school principal and a middle school coach within our family. Pay is a big factor for many people to not choose the profession but it is also a reason for many to leave the profession.
ReplyDeleteMy opinion is that the college professors have seen a decline in the preparation of students that are coming into college. And I would say that it is attributable to the turnover of the teaching staff in high school, middle school, and elementary school. I have know some amazing teachers that have passion, commitment and a love for their job but have chosen to leave the profession for a higher paying career. Turnover rates at the schools that my kids attended were unusually low so I felt fortunate. More seasoned teachers seem to understand the kids better, have better classroom control, and are able to adapt to the needs of the kids. These teachers are successful at teaching their students. My oldest son attended a brand new high school and I was amazed that the turnover in the first four years of its existence. It was truly an alarming and discouraging when a good teacher left. I also thought about what the impact was on students and I felt like the students definitely struggled.
Also answering another of your questions, I also feel that if teacher pay was better, retention would be increased and the students would benefit from the continuity and experience. I do think that the college professors would notice the difference in the students.
I truly believe that if the American society would focus on praising our teachers, paying them what they deserve, and increase the amount of quality teachers that our children would be better prepared for the academic challenges at the university level.