The Saddest Graphic of All
I came across this chart while researching the teacher shortage issue. I became instantly depressed.
I remember how proud my mother was when I got my first teaching job. She may have been shocked more than proud. I struggled in college, so I suspect she may have simply been thrilled that I found a job.
What this chart tells me is that the perception held by many (if not most) is that teaching is too hard, doesn’t pay enough, and doesn’t have the prestige it once had. Add the frequency of school shootings and one can assume that safety is an issue, also.
How do we flip this chart? What can be done? Teaching is the most important profession in the world, but it doesn’t get the respect it deserves.
What can WE do?
6 thoughts on “The Saddest Graphic of All”
I think it is the lack of support from not only from students, parents, community, but administration also. Teachers need to be listened to and their shared thoughts taken seriously. Students…it is all blamed on the Pandemic. An excuse. As Aretha Franklin said, R-E-S-P-E-C-T, something that students, most know nothing about these days. Why? It starts at home. Then, discipline needs to be given when a teacher reports the student. No, warnings after warnings. No, depending on your parent(s) are, if on a sports team, or the poorest excuse of all…the Pandemic. Everyone went through the Pandemic. It was hard. But, everything that was possible and then some was done to the best of the school systems abilities. It wasn’t perfect, anywhere. It wasn’t ideal, anywhere, it just was…was what could be done with as much effort as possible. Yet, I know that some parents or guardians just didn’t put in their share also. Yes, it’s hard, was hard while dealing with all stuff Pandemic related. Yet, it takes a village to raise a child it is said and the “Chief and wife” so to speak are the 1st in line. Plus, school started back slowly. Great! But, every teacher, custodian, office personnel, school administration, nurse, cafeteria workers, bus drivers and aides were put on that front line. Now, all these people are STILL being put on the front line and held responsible. There’s no relief coming, no respect, and no backing to help fix the behavior problems either. There is plenty of “threatening” or being felt that way if they are sick, don’t show the “scores” expected because they are too tired, scared, and constantly dealing with usually the same student and disrespect. Discipline that student, back that teacher or driver. Make the student and parent/guardian understand that, “for every action, there is a re-action” and stick to it.
Safety-wow! Has anyone NOT heard the news? A 6 year old. Let me repeat that, a SIX YEAR OLD, is able to get a gun, get it into school, AND knows how to use it. Mind Blowing! Now what? Give Gun Safety class in Kindergarten that is mandatory? Guns do not kill, people. It can sit on a table all day long. Loaded. Safety off. Nope. Nobody gets shot. It is the hand of the person whom picks the gun up that kills. Question? Where did this 6 year old learn how to handle a gun? He did make it all the way to school WITHOUT it “accidently” going off. Right? Why wasn’t the gun stored/locked properly? So, do we put metal detectors in every school? What about buses? Hmmm….scary. Guns are NOT the only weapon that can be carried and cause some damage. Just a thought. What about those angry parents/guardians at bus stops? You know, because of shortage of drivers also, there are many drivers covering routes of others. Late? I have to go to work. Drive the student then. The bus came too early, rules say to be at bus stop 5-10 minutes early. Have the student ready to board when doors open. Need driver to come back? NO. You don’t have a car or license to drive? That is what gets told to the office. Driver: They have two running cars in driveway. Well, I just passed them pulling into the shopping center yesterday, driving. Come on! Stop putting the pressure on teachers and drivers. It only helps create the shortage. Frustration. THAT is just SOME of the reasons there is a shortage of both teachers and drivers. Please…stop the SOL’S. Exams were always good enough in my day and age. The SOL’S may help the County with funding, but it literally isn’t allowing teachers to teach. What they can teach, how long they can spend on this and that section. Ridiculous. Sometimes, most students may get a section that is required to spend 5 days on, in 2. But, a section 1/2 the class isn’t understanding gets 3 days and then it’s, time to move on, so sorry, that 1/2 gets LEFT BEHIND. Maybe, I am wrong on the process and I apologize if so. One thing I do know, it causes more stress for both teachers and students. Let me just say, my intentions is not to put anyone down. I just think that at some point, we all in this world have to find a way to get back on track in these still difficult times…togther.
Right on!
I agree this is sad, and I also originally had told my daughter not to pursue teaching because it’s “too difficult.” However, after more years in the classroom, and reflecting on my previous career before teaching, I’ve changed my advice for her and others. Although teaching is one of the most challenging careers I’ve had, it outshines the rest in terms of the satisfaction it gives me. Our challenge as seasoned educators and administrators is to provide intense support to our newest teachers and also reach out to potential teachers to answer their questions and encourage them to join the profession. I recently came across this from the CO Dept. of Education – https://colorado.teach.org/services/coaching. They connect potential teachers with a coach to help guide them through the process and provide encouragement. I think we also need to promote the benefits of a career that gives you summers off, rather then trying to pretend that’s not a motivating incentive. Despite the move to more virtual classes and tech-integration in the classroom, we still need dedicated teachers to support and guide students.
Your post is quite though provoking, but one would be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge the fact that dealing with todays parents is hard. We have crossed a societal threshold where kids can do no wrong and teachers are the scape goat. While I understand why you would leave that out, I would venture a guess that this would rank high among reasons teaching as a profession is declining.
I would also like to state that teachers have ALWAYS been more than educators to many of these children – they are also mentors, and in some cases parents (I know, gasp). I think its important that we are getting the right people in the classroom. I personally, as of late, have the immense desire to become an educator. (and that’s another story for another day… becoming an educator at 40 is expensive and time consuming… I’m pretty sure, outside of learning how to write a lesson plan or two – I do not require any formal training). Anyways… moving on:
At the age of 40, with two quickly growing children of my own, I feel that I am now in a position in my life where I truly understand what it means to educate… and its WAY more than 1+1=2.
After watching my daughter struggle through middle school, I realized that many of her teachers were fresh off the bus themselves. They are young, still impressionable, and not yet worldly enough to see the young people in front of them. Instead, they still see the bully in the hallway that haunts them from their time in school; or the jock who threatened to take their lunch. This mentality allows for knee-jerk reactions to some of the more normal behaviors expected in the classroom – and this has terrible consequences… as the students are not privyed to the teachers own feelings/thoughts, and therefore just begin to see the teacher as a bully themselves. I say this, because these are the actual terms my daughter has used when describing the actions of certain teachers. It gave the impression of someone of the equal position (student and teacher) with a terrible imbalance of power (teacher vs. student). The student naturally begins to feel threatened, or worse, embarrassed – and I know from experience that anyone in that type of situation will eventually push back. Add the encouragements from your other student-peers (who are likely too afraid to react themselves) and you now have an individually who is super-charged with emotion… and this my friends, are where we have SIX year old children coming to save the day. They become hero’s.
Instead, I see young men and women trying to find themselves – naturally inclined to push boundaries – and who just need some help and guidance back on the right path.
Most of the students today (as they have been throughout time) are inherently good. We need to do better to nurture this, and not be so quick to draw such deep lines in the sand when mistakes are made.
We need to emulate respect in the classroom, in an effort to teach respect. We need to respect ourselves as educators – stand tall, but not be hard. I’m begging all of our more seasoned educators to please help and mentor the newest staff. I’m begging administrators to please work closely with all decision made by the newest staff, to ensure they are well guided and successful. I’m begging supervisors/directors to please push for educational amendments that allow for people like myself, to enter the classroom with their life/employment experiences as enough, so that we can jump in and help out!
I wish the best for our children, and all of the educators.
As much as I love teaching, it is a struggle to pay my bills. I should not have to work 2-3 jobs to make ends meet – especially when I have a master’s degree. While my school and admin do a great job of treating us like the professionals we are, the general public does not. They act like we are little more than babysitters. The blatant disrespect from students is exhausting. I’ve had several lately tell me that they weren’t going to do the work because they just didn’t want to – and these are students that I have a good relationship with! Calls home do nothing. Sending them to the office does nothing. It’s incredibly frustrating to face the apathy and unkindness day in and day out. And then add the financial struggles on top of that, and to realize that the general public thinks we don’t deserve to be paid as professionals, well, it all takes a toll. At some point, our mental health and well-being has to come first.