Teacher Retirements Might Swamp Schools

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Teacher Retirements Might Swamp Schools

According to your article, many teachers will retire in the next several years and many new ones are not lasting even five years.

There are many very qualified candidates of all ages with many years of experience but state rules drive them all away. For instance, if a competent person in his fifties wants to teach in a school, he must pass rigid background checks, take an endless stream of Praxis tests and pretend he relates with thirty year olds or he will not even be considered for a job, much less get hired.

He or she may be very skilled in algebra, trigonometry, calculus and physics but if he misses a Praxis score by ONE point the person is rejected and discarded. If the candidate resents being forced to agree with endless, goofy policies, the person is diminished or left in the cold.

We need to create opportunities for older teachers to be themselves, have autonomy and not be forced to improve with feedback "clickers," i-pods, interactives or other trendy technologies when their style is to teach what they know in ways that work. Many of the efficient demands of new technologies pulls them off their game.

The states and the districts think they have all the best answers in the form of "best practices" that come from PHd's who don't even teach in the classrooms. All the standards are crammed down the throats of teachers and teacher applicants and it drives them out of the teaching field.

Teachers need to be treated with respect as "individuals" and not team members, unionists or sports afficionados. Some teachers,especially older ones, just want to teach what they know. They care about the students and their own subject knowledge but they despise the state bureaucrats and their rules. They don't like politics but instead like chemistry and physics. The knowledge they have is not the same as the state standards that are thrust upon them. They don't want to answer every question the same way that Princeton University or Praxis thinks is perfect. The intrusion of the College Board is just as bad. Being forced to emulate them is taking all the fun out of education. It is absurd to act as though people want to give up their individualism to be like he "collective." We are Amercans, not Soviets!

Every teacher, especially older ones, want to teach what they know, how they know it and in ways that feel comfortable to them. To force them to teach endless tests, correctives and bubble scantrons is stupid!

Let teachers teach what they want, respect them and get out of their way and you might have a few that actually enjoy teaching again.

Education and his problems

Teaching is a career very important may be the most important. if you want to be a lowyer, a president, a doctor, you have to go to school. When a teacher pass the most of his time to prpare his lessons to go in the class and he can't work because a bad discipline, that a shame. he his discouraged. The students who do more problems, some times have reason because the can lye.

@) The efforts don't give to the teachers the chance to have a good money. The doctor act into the body, The teachers act on the brain. You can't realize the progress immediately. but after some monts, some years when you meet your students, you are glad. But for all those things the teachers have to be honored.

3) Teacher can't pass their life in the same class. No promotion

You start in Kindergaten you finish in Kindergarten. Where is the progress in your life. When you are promoted you can do more actions. You have grown. You can be teacher in Kindergarten, in primary, in segondary, in college. This is a process. The person is not static but dynamic.

4) Teacher can be recycled, The continuing formation of teachers is important to keep them in the career. Formation give you the idea you don't know anything and you have to perform your knoledge. When you contact teachers who know more than you, you have the passion to go in advance.

Those are my opinions about teaching.

You reap what you sow.

So there's going to be a teacher shortage?

Why would anyone want to be a teacher? Disrespect. Low pay.

And complaining about losing all of that expertise? While superintendents want to fire all of the experienced teachers (because they're the most expensive) and replace them with green teachers (because they're the cheapest). They also want to fire those new teachers after a few years when they start to move up the salary schedule and make more money. If they keep that revolving door moving they can staff their schools on the cheap.

You get what you pay for.

Teachers are professionals with master's degrees, yet every yahoo and politician thinks they can do a better job. You can't say you respect the profession and then say "Oh, we'll just staff the schools with ex-G.I.s or any high school graduate that walks in off of the street."

I read a recent article where a superintendent said that advanced degrees aren't all that important for teachers.

Well, if anyone with a high school diploma can do the job, there's no reason to fear all of those experienced, educated professionals leaving the workforce. I hope they make huge bucks being hired by their districts as independent consultants to train whatever warm body the districts can hire to go in the classroom.

Looking back at 35 years of teaching

I taught for 35 years in the same public school and classroom. I was the 7th grade science guy. We only had 80 teachers in th edistrict - many of us started at the same time. Every kid from the town spent a year with me or went to the Catholic school across the street. Our 6th grade science - social studies - and English classes were covered by 3 married women about my age. The 3 of them never had children - their students were their kids. These 3 ladies seldom missed a day - and provided an excellent foundation for those 12 year olds. I was always happy with the kids they promoted to my science classroom. Those ladies seldom took a sick day - they were well-prepared - spent lots of their own money on supplies - and were very professional. All 3 of alumni of our school. All of a sudden - about 30 of us retired in the span of a year or two. Those 3 ladies all left at the same time. Imagine what it was like the next year with 3 rookie teachers. Today - the average teacher lasts 5 years. Those that leave exodus for a better paying job or just they can't take the constant pressure of being "up" for the whole day - every day. When I retired after 35 years - I was earning about $60,000. I had 2 masters degrees - one in education - and one in science. Now I live on a nice pension with medical insurance - I hope I live long enough to break the bank. This story made me think back to those 3 ladies that personified dedication. We were called dinosaurs - but I didn't want my kids with anyone else.

Why there are less Teachers

I think one thing teachers are tired of is all these new 'programs' constantly churned out by the political machine to try and fix America's schools.

Teacher Retirements Might Swamp Schools

to Less Hoops, More Teachers, ICAM. The hoops career changers need to jump thru to try to teach a subject with which they are probably more adept at than current teachers are ridiculous. A few years ago, I thought I wanted to go into teaching. I took the two basic NY State teaching exams (the LAST and the ATS-W) and passed each one on my first try before taking any education courses. Meanwhile, I've heard stories about how other teachers going for their certification repeatedly failed those exams.

I did eventually take some education courses, but frankly the whole process doesn't seem worth it -- esp. the part that requires you to work someplace for almost 6 mos. w/o pay -- and only sub now.

The education establishment has got to wake up to the fact that people with professional experience in certain areas are much more knowledgeable than many of their current certified teachers.

TEACHING

I AM CURRENTLY A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER, I HAVE TAUGHT FOR 20 YEARS AND AM EARNING A BIG $41,000 A YEAR. MY HUSBAND ALSO TEACHES AT A COMMUNITY COLLEGE. WE REALIZE THAT RETIREMENT WILL BE A LONG WAY OFF BECAUSE HOW ARE WE SUPPOSE TO LIVE ON $2200 A MONTH, COMBINED SALERIES? THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS NATION WHO REWARDS OTHERS FOR THEIR BAD INVESTMENTS ON THE BACKS OF THE HARD WORKING MIDDLE CLASS. WE DID'NT HAVE A LOSE IN THE STOCK MARKET BECAUSE THAT IS NOT A LUXURY WE COULD AFFORD. I OFTEN WONDER WHEN IT WILL ALL END AND WHERE WILL THE MIDDLE CLASS END UP.

Less hoops, more teachers

Imagine: you get a Masters degree in Physics or some other science/math and want to teach it to high school students. You know the pay is low, but you still want to teach it. Great, right?

Wrong. Most states require that you get a degree in "Education" so that you can teach your subject to students. That degree in "Education" requires two more years of your life. You know your area, but must jump through hoops so you can teach it at public schools. "Education" degrees don't add anything other than teaching someone how to teach something they don't know.

Get rid of the hoops and more people would be willing to teach for a year or two, and if they enjoy it, perhaps a bit longer. Students might actually learn the material and come to colleges ready.

Swamped schools

If you truly want to improve the quality and number of good teachers in our schools, then you have to pay a competitive wage that will entice the best of the best to go into teaching. Other wise, you are just dancing around the problem. You get what you pay for!.