If I could be a book character, I would be Fern from Charlotte’s Web. It is not often in classic literature that a young female’s opinions are valued. She has such conviction that Wilber should be saved, her family allows her to raise him. Fern grows in grace and dignity, and while she spends less time with Wilbur as she gets older, she still has concern for his welfare. Though Charlotte is the heroine in the end, it is Fern’s actions that incite the story.
News and social media are flooded with reports of teachers leaving the profession in droves. Teachers, viewed as the unsung heroes of the pandemic, are now portrayed as the quintessential villains as American student performance is the lowest seen in decades.
The Winston School of Education and Social Policy at Merrimack College, in partnership with Education Week, conducted a national survey of more than 1,300 K-12 educators. Teachers have a feeling of disillusionment, with only 12 percent of teachers being “very satisfied with their jobs” compared to 86% in 2008. However, 76% reported they felt respected by the parents, and a staggering 84% felt respected by their administration. How can a teacher feel both respected and unsatisfied at the same time? Money and politicizing of the classroom.
USA Facts reports the average national salary of a teacher is $65,090 which includes pay from all 52 states and territories, as well as starting and end of career salaries. When teachers are reportedly working an average of 54 hours a week and spending their own money to facilitate activities, decor, and rewards in their classrooms, it is understandable they would feel underappreciated.
Politics compound the dissatisfaction. Teachers who were once trusted to be the experts on their curriculum are now facing issues like indoctrination and new book bannings. Rising concerns in political affiliation are rampant, and social media exacerbates problems.
Nearly every person in America has been in a classroom in one aspect or another as a student, most for 13 years. Teaching is one of the few professions where everyone seems to know what it should look like, but that doesn’t mean we know what it takes to educate and engage students. The climate of education is changing, yet what are we losing in the process?
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