Most Teachers Discourage Pursuing Teaching: Three Strategies for Improvement
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Loading... - Jeffery Watt
- 06 Nov 2024
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A recent national survey reveals that more than half of elementary school teachers do not recommend the profession to young people. The reasons for this discouragement vary widely, including concerns over low salaries, overwhelming workloads, classroom management challenges, and insufficient professional development opportunities. According to a Pew Research Center survey, only 44% of elementary and veteran K-12 educators would suggest teaching as a career, while a separate survey by Educators for Excellence found that just 16% of teachers across all grades would endorse the profession.
In light of these concerning statistics, USA Today spoke with several educators who believe the teaching profession can be revitalized. Here are their top suggestions for improving the teaching experience.
1. Provide Continuous Feedback and Professional Development
Treasure Jones, a first-grade teacher in Indianapolis, expressed her surprise at the lack of oversight during her initial years in the classroom. She noted that she received minimal feedback on her lessons and rarely had access to an instructional coach. The professional development offered by her previous school did not address her specific classroom challenges, leaving her feeling isolated and stagnant.
Jones emphasized the importance of staff support, particularly for new teachers. She believes that having more instructional coaches and better supervision from administrators would significantly enhance the teaching experience. After switching to Sankofa School of Success, where she now receives daily coaching, Jones feels more confident in her ability to provide quality education. "It's night and day to go from a school where I had no one in my classroom seeing what I'm doing to where they’re in my classroom every day," she said.
2. Increase Support Staff to Share Workload
Julie Cusano, a kindergarten teacher in Manchester, New Hampshire, highlighted the multifaceted role of educators, which often extends beyond teaching to include emotional support and family engagement. The extensive hours required for lesson preparation and communication with families can be overwhelming, leading her to work unpaid hours to ensure her students' success.
Cusano advocates for the addition of classroom assistants or paraprofessionals to help manage the workload. She believes that more staff dedicated to family support would also be beneficial, as many students arrive at school unprepared to learn. The Pew Research study found that over half of U.S. teachers feel burdened by the extensive labor involved in their roles. Veteran teacher Brittany Archibald-Swank from Urbana, Illinois, echoed this sentiment, noting that she spends an additional 12 to 15 hours each week on her job. More support would allow her to focus on teaching rather than administrative tasks.
3. Enhance Mental Health Support for Students
Archibald-Swank also pointed out the increasing need for mental health support in schools. She frequently has to pause her lessons to assist students who are struggling emotionally or behaviorally, a situation exacerbated by the trauma many children have experienced, particularly since the pandemic. With limited access to social workers—only one full-time and one part-time at her school—she often finds herself stepping in to help manage students' emotional needs.
She believes that increasing the number of mental health counselors and social workers on campus would greatly improve the teaching environment. This additional support would allow her to teach with fewer interruptions and focus on her students' academic needs. "At the end of the day, I could just get in bed because I’m so tired," Archibald-Swank said, expressing her concern about the sustainability of her role in the long term.
The teaching profession faces significant challenges, with many educators reluctant to recommend it to future generations. However, by implementing strategies such as ongoing professional development, increasing support staff, and enhancing mental health resources, schools can create a more sustainable and rewarding environment for teachers. Addressing these issues is crucial not only for the well-being of educators but also for the success and development of their students.
