Thursday, February 7, 2008
Teaching Issue
The teaching issue that I am most interested in is the high teacher drop out rate. This was my concern when we needed to choose a teaching issue for our School of Education interview. The NEA has stated that many of the first year teachers drop out because of various reasons. They feel that there are ill prepared, they feel overwhelmed, they feel overworked and underpaid, and sometimes they don’t feel welcome. I thought this was a horrible issue, I had no idea that many teachers felt this way or went trough this. From what I found it consists of a lot of teachers: “US studies into attrition show that nearly one-third of new US teachers drop out in their first year and that education authorities there have poured millions of dollars into induction programs to deal with the problem hoping to retain more teachers to work in the already under-resourced education sector.” I think part of this issue is that the teachers really are excited and ready to go out there and teach but they just don’t know what it is really like until they are all by themselves. I also feel that some teachers don’t have a good support system to back them up. In anything it is important to have people behind you but especially in teaching because you can’t tell the students and you always have to appear happy. So you need people you can talk to. In pedagogy I had to teach a lesson on how to become an effective veteran teacher and it gave a lot of good tips to battle this issue. The key topic of that lesson is that teaching is not a private practice. We are in the business of helping so in essence we help other people and we have to let other people help us. We have to talk with our colleagues to gain advice and help and maybe just a listening ear. The lesson also said that how the word “location” is important to real estate agents, the word “listen” is very important to teachers. If we just listen to others we will be better off. I also feel that the School of Education program is very helpful with this issue. When we do our O & P and the student teaching we actually get to see what it is like out in the real teaching world. Because I think I would be a little overwhelmed just graduating and then being pushed out into the schools. In short I think it is very sad that so many people drop out of teaching because it should be your passion if you went through all the schooling just to be a teacher. I hope that there will be better ways to combat this issue and that it will be solved. Thanks for reading some of my ideas.
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6 comments:
Teachers dropping out????
Yes, it's hard for new teachers to prepare for the unknown classroom, especially with high school students. I remember when I was in h.s. and there was a substitute...I think they don't pay subs enough due to what they go through.
Anyways...in light of your blog, I can't help but refer to my husband's first teaching experience. He teaches high risk students and he got his degree in criminal justice....so he knew how to handle the students from day one as far as behavior/attitudes. However, he's learning how to teach them. How did he get the job? He was an emergency hire. The qualified, licensed teacher dropped out cuz the students were overwhelming her. So I think what new teacher's should anticipate in the classrooms is the unexpected, to work hard and to remember that being a teacher as you put it should be a passion. I enjoyed reading your insights.
WOW this is really interesting! I can see why teachers would get frustrated. I mean I'm already frustrated and I'm not even teaching yet. The sad thing is that we are in the business for the kids and they arn't even the issue of why first year teachers are leaving. Rather its the envirnoment and lack of support! In any profession support is needed and with a highly trusted profession you would think it would be there.
I agree with you. It is a terrible thing that most teachers leave teaching after only the first year. Teaching is never easy and its one of the most demanding professions. Most teachers leave b/c they feel a lack of respect in schools and the pay is hardly enough if you have a family to support. You're right too about teaching not being a one-person operation. A teacher must have support by others and it also has to come from the students. If the students aren't motivated to learn, the teacher can't teach properly, it has to come from all sides...the teacher...students...school...community.
I really hope you decide to stick with teaching once you've graduated and have a teaching job. It'd be a shame to go through all the schooling on how to be an educator and not even put it to use, b/c that means you've wasted your money and most importantly TIME in college!
This is a super interesting topic!
Wow, I didn't know that this was such an issue. It seems like it really is a big problem if all the teachers are dropping out of the profession, only after teaching for a short while. If this pattern continues, the need for teachers is going to increase and then schools will probably look for almost anyone to come and teach, even without a certificate. This is a scary issue if you think about it. I know that I don't want my future children to be taught by just anyone in the classroom. I think there needs to be qualified teachers in the classroom, that know how to work with children. Hopefully this issues doesn't continue to increase.
Thanks for the interesting information. I have heard a little about how so many new teachers dropping out of the profession early on, and it just seems like such a waste to me. I mean, to go through all of that schooling (such as we are right now:), and then to throw it all away because it wasn't what they expected is so unfortunate. I do feel that a stronger teaching program to introduce more of what is expected, would definitely help some of the potential drop out teachers. Also, the idea of asking for help and turning to your fellow teachers during the first few years is a perfect way to get a feeling stability. I will keep this in mind, for sure!
sad to think that the people that have perhaps the greatest influence on children are being driven from the occupation. there is obviously a need for a strond support network for new teachers. and veteran teachers for that matter...
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