“American K-12 education appears to be in the midst of an immediate and menacing development: a teacher morale crash,” writes Paul DiPerna. the vice president of research and innovation at EdChoice, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to advance educational freedom and choice, in the Portland (Maine) Press Herald.
Only 15% of educators say they would recommend the teaching profession to friends or family members.
“Recent research tells us the appeal of the teaching profession and job satisfaction of teachers have been declining for years. In a new Annenberg working paper, “The Rise and Fall of the Teaching Profession,” Matthew Kraft and Melissa Lyon show stagnant teacher wages, higher costs of postsecondary education and teacher preparation, perceived losses of professional autonomy and job security are some of the factors that likely have contributed to the modern decline of teacher disengagement and dissatisfaction.
“Late last year, Gallup surveyed teachers and only one-third felt engaged in their work, a sharp decline from previous years. Nearly 40% said they felt frequently burned out. One stark example of this disillusionment manifested dramatically last summer in Garfield Heights, Ohio, where approx. one-third of teachers resigned en masse ahead of the current school year.
“Reasons for burnout and frustration have emerged in various surveys. EdChoice’s survey shows 47% of teachers say student misbehaviors in their classrooms are more frequent this year compared to last year. According to a Pew survey of public school teachers, 67% said they don’t have enough influence over disciplinary practices at their school.
“Hopeful developments are beginning to appear on the horizon. One is the emergence and growth of microschools, often launched by former teachers looking to create more intimate and responsive learning environments. According to a recent report from the National Microschooling Center, 48% of prospective microschool founders, as well as 38% of current microschool founders, are currently licensed educators.
“A few other positive developments are the broader appeal and higher visibility of differentiated teacher pay, hybrid schooling and tutoring. The latter has been a hot topic lately because of the growing body of research showing positive impacts on enormous challenges like student absenteeism and learning loss.”
Portland Press Hearld
