Teacher Shortage - Solutions

[WorldWatcher]

I work in HR for a school system.

We do OK with pay and benefits. I do turnover reports for the Executive Director and HR Managers and of course attend department meetings where teacher recruitment is an issue, but the bigger problem is teacher retention. If you hire for a position and don't have to fill it for 10-15 years you are in a better place then having to fill it over and over again over that same time period.

Regardless of pay it's the lack of respect from parents, the lack of respect from students and the lack of support in maintaining classroom discipline as a climate problem that drives people out of the profession.

The of course laymen just don't understand how much work and stress new teachers are under for the first 4-6 years as they get experience and their feet under them.

WW

 

[Unkotare]

I have taught secondary as well. ....

All you have ever done here is bitch about how much you want to quit. Just quit and shut the fuck up already.

 

[TheParser]

Why would anyone other than a masochist want to get into teaching today?

No conscientious person today wants to spend five years in college getting accredited (let alone wasting the tuition) only to be sent to a public school where the words "discipline" and "punishment" are considered obscene concepts.

Except maybe for a few nice suburban schools, the profession of teaching -- like the profession of law enforcement -- should be avoided. The best advice to a loved one who is thinking about becoming a teacher or cop is: DON"T!

 

[SweetSue92]

I work in HR for a school system.

We do OK with pay and benefits. I do turnover reports for the Executive Director and HR Managers and of course attend department meetings where teacher recruitment is an issue, but the bigger problem is teacher retention. If you hire for a position and don't have to fill it for 10-15 years you are in a better place then having to fill it over and over again over that same time period.

Regardless of pay it's the lack of respect from parents, the lack of respect from students and the lack of support in maintaining classroom discipline as a climate problem that drives people out of the profession.

The of course laymen just don't understand how much work and stress new teachers are under for the first 4-6 years as they get experience and their feet under them.

WW

I have never in all my years known, or even heard of, teachers leaving their classrooms in the middle of the year. Not for family issues, health issues--but burnout.

I have never heard of teachers walking out in the middle of the day, only to have to be coaxed back.

But boy, I have now. In my own building, as a matter of fact. And for the very issues you cite:

1. Lack of respect from parents

2. Same from students

3. Lack of discipline in the buildings

For me the hierarchy is No 3, No 1 and No 2. Namely, a very few, very troubled students are given the run of the place and are blatantly violent to the point of hurting other children and staff. And we are told, "all behavior is communication" so we should "empathize" while they're, I don't know, beating us down or something.

I am trying to find another profession where it's acceptable to be beaten down and you're told, meh, deal with it. I am failing.

 

[SweetSue92]

All you have ever done here is bitch about how much you want to quit. Just quit and shut the fuck up already.

Never once, not once, have I said I want to quit. Because I do not.

If you are a teacher, you're one who is not vigilant on the job. Sorry you don't like that I figured that out, but there it is.

 

[WorldWatcher]

Another JMHO of course post...

Growing up in the 60's and 70's, your Assistant Principals (or Vice Principals as we called them) were all experience teachers with a minimum 10-years in the classroom under their belt before they were even a serious consideration for an AP/VP job. They weren't there to be your friend, they were there to run the school.

The trend is what I call 3- year wonders now. Go into teaching with no intent to stay in the classroom, but to get a 3-year ticket punch and then start trying to get an Assistant Principal (or Teacher Specialist for a curriculum area) job to leave the classroom behind. Typically it's a significant bump in pay as Teachers (in my school district) are paid on a 10-month contract, AP's are 12 months.

You can get a pretty good read on these from their applications and licensure status. If they have classes or endorsements dealing with administration and supervision, that's a pretty indicative flag.

WW

 

[SweetSue92]

Another JMHO of course post...

Growing up in the 60's and 70's, your Assistant Principals (or Vice Principals as we called them) were all experience teachers with a minimum 10-years in the classroom under their belt before they were even a serious consideration for an AP/VP job. They weren't there to be your friend, they were there to run the school.

The trend is what I call 3- year wonders now. Go into teaching with no intent to stay in the classroom, but to get a 3-year ticket punch and then start trying to get an Assistant Principal (or Teacher Specialist for a curriculum area) job to leave the classroom behind. Typically it's a significant bump in pay as Teachers (in my school district) are paid on a 10-month contract, AP's are 12 months.

You can get a pretty good read on these from their applications and licensure status. If they have classes or endorsements dealing with administration and supervision, that's a pretty indicative flag.

WW

Yes, I think this is very often the case. My district is pretty good about culling these folks out and moreover, teachers have to put in many more than three years before moving "up". In 30 years, I have worked with administrators who made me such a better teacher there's no way to put words to it. And as you can imagine, I have worked with ones that were....truly terrible. I think education has some of the worst managers around tbh

 

[WorldWatcher]

Yes, I think this is very often the case. My district is pretty good about culling these folks out and moreover, teachers have to put in many more than three years before moving "up". In 30 years, I have worked with administrators who made me such a better teacher there's no way to put words to it. And as you can imagine, I have worked with ones that were....truly terrible. I think education has some of the worst managers around tbh

What's pretty bad is when you walk into a school...

Ask one of the students where the AP's office is....

And the individual says "I'm the AP, how can I help you."

That's when you know it time to review your retirement planning.

WW

 

[SweetSue92]

What's pretty bad is when you walk into a school...

Ask one of the students where the AP's office is....

And the individual says "I'm the AP, how can I help you."

That's when you know it time to review your retirement planning.

WW

Yeah, but also. Our profession is really, really bad for this. I am in my lower 50s, in great health, my kids are young adults themselves. I think I have probably never been a better teacher. But I feel pushed out. I've "been around", so what do I know?

It's a real shame because we lose great workers with that attitude, and it's pervasive. I have wisdom and now, TIME. Maybe not as much pep as I did when I was 23, but I make up for it.

We have Congresscritters who are 89 but teachers at 50-something? Get out!