Why is there a teacher shortage?

[Anonymous]

Are you expected to work all day and then do all your paperwork at home, unpaid, on your own time? Because we aren’t actually allowed to do any of this at work. They took away all our administrative time this year so we could stay with our kids in the classroom all day, and we’re not even permitted to check our email. I teach special Ed so this amounts to hours each week. I also have the distinct pleasure of creating and differentiating the entire curriculum myself. The cherry on top is that there is no ventilation system and the kids aren’t required to wear masks due to their special needs. You have no idea what my job entails, weird how you think it’s no different than your own.

This.

As I type, I am listening to one of my fifteen required virtual trainings I must complete before school starts (each taking 1-3 hours). Our contract days before school starts are spent doing different in-person trainings. Planning and preparing for the actual teaching part of my job is happening in my "free time."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If there was really a teacher shortage, teachers should trade tenure protections for higher pay. No district is going to needlessly fire a good teacher if there's a shortage, and Republicans would probably get behind it, particularly if it included a pay-for-performance element.

That has not worked well for teachers in private schools or charters. A friend taught at a charter in another city. She was warned that the board liked to cycle out even good teachers every three years so no one cost too much.

Most of the school systems with pay for performance don't offer good salaries to begin with. It is typically something that anti-teacher and anti-union areas try to suggest, but it is really just a tactic to lower overall teacher salaries or remove more expensive teachers.

Perhaps, although that wouldn't be my goal. I'd absolutely support an overall increase in sending on teacher salaries. It should just be done sensibly. But part of that does mean that it makes no sense to pay a 60 year old teacher twice as much as a 26 year old teacher for the same job. I'd be perfectly happy paying everyone the current rates for highly experienced teachers, if that's what it would take to attract good teachers.

And to be clear, I do think there's some value in experience and retention. But that value is probably closer to 20% than 100%. And it also makes sense to pay entry-level teachers less because you don't know much about their quality yet. But that effect should be largely gone by year 5.

This x 1000! As a teacher new to MCPS but with a variety of experience in different educational settings not recognized enough by MCPS to have a significant impact on my step level, I have found myself frustrated over the extreme salary disparity. Using myself and several co-workers as an example (we are dedicated, enthusiastic, always spending $ on school supplies, working weekends to individualize instruction, constantly taking pd out of pocket, heavily invested in the Science of Reading, etc.), and thinking about other co-workers making 108k or 125k who are not even doing half of what we are doing is insane. I agree that there should be some compensation for experience, but not double or triple the amount a starting teacher makes. This is especially apparent when contrasted to the private sector (as another PP pointed out) where increased salary = more responsibilities. Not true in the world on education!

I am almost at 20 years of teaching and I spent the first 10 working insane hours prepping lessons, content, new preps, etc. I probably worked close to 60 hours a week. But since then I’ve become much more efficient at planning, have lots of quality materials I painstakingly created that I now can just modify and have set more boundaries on extras like sponsoring clubs or joining committees. I’m still very much a member of my school community but I want to enjoy my free time outside of work with my kids. And as far as salary goes I am comfortable but am pretty sure I make no where near double any of my colleagues.

[Anonymous]

PP and I forgot to add that my first few years of teaching were hellishly difficult. The only reason I made it through was the veteran teacher next door who supported me. She deserved double my pay for sure because without veteran teachers in schools they start to fall apart. At least the schools I’ve taught at.

[Anonymous]

Our principals tend to move teachers around every few years so once you get like the PP, bam!, it's time to move and start all over again.

[Anonymous]

Our principals tend to move teachers around every few years so once you get like the PP, bam!, it's time to move and start all over again.

That's horrible. I worked in three different school districts in my career. The second one was due to my husband's relocation. I got a job working in 3 different subject areas at two schools (traveling) that year. At one school I was with kids who had been pulled out of other classes to "form" new classes (and you know which kids those teachers sent!). I was in parent and principal meetings a lot. It was hell. I told my husband that he could not relocate with his job because it would make my job hell on earth every time. Thankfully he did not have to relocate again.

[Anonymous]

I guess I’m fortunate to not be super burdened by paperwork and testing and to have competent, supportive admin. I’m not quitting this year. But I fantasize about it all the time. For me the difficult part is, frankly, being there so early and having to be so shiny and fresh with students all day long. Post-Covid it all just feels too peopley!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess I’m fortunate to not be super burdened by paperwork and testing and to have competent, supportive admin. I’m not quitting this year. But I fantasize about it all the time. For me the difficult part is, frankly, being there so early and having to be so shiny and fresh with students all day long. Post-Covid it all just feels too peopley!

+1
A teacher who cares about students/teaching knows the quality of relationships matter more than anything else. It can be hard to keep up the mood/patience needed over a long career to be a good teacher. Add in all the stressors lately and it's even harder. I know my brother who is a high school teacher (at a Catholic school not in the area) is really struggling with this--he knows he needs to be fully present and fresh for his students, but his own well is running dry. It's worse because so many more of his students have mental health concerns too, so the relationships feel even more important.

[Anonymous]

Single mom teacher here. Personally, I make MUCH more babysitting, tutoring, began my own craft kit business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Single mom teacher here. Personally, I make MUCH more babysitting, tutoring, began my own craft kit business.

Do you factor in benefits when you say that babysitting and crafting make more than teaching? Or are you reliant on a spouse for health insurance (for example)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Are you expected to work all day and then do all your paperwork at home, unpaid, on your own time? Because we aren’t actually allowed to do any of this at work. They took away all our administrative time this year so we could stay with our kids in the classroom all day, and we’re not even permitted to check our email. I teach special Ed so this amounts to hours each week. I also have the distinct pleasure of creating and differentiating the entire curriculum myself. The cherry on top is that there is no ventilation system and the kids aren’t required to wear masks due to their special needs. You have no idea what my job entails, weird how you think it’s no different than your own.

This.

As I type, I am listening to one of my fifteen required virtual trainings I must complete before school starts (each taking 1-3 hours). Our contract days before school starts are spent doing different in-person trainings. Planning and preparing for the actual teaching part of my job is happening in my "free time."

x1000

During winter break this past school year, we received an email the last morning of classes with mandatory training that needed to be completed before the start of classes again on January 3. It consisted of 9 videos - the shortest was 45 mins. and the longest was 2h15m. These aren't simply videos you can throw on in the background while you do something else, either, because you have to interact to get "credit" for the video and also answer questions along the way. It's stupid, pointless training. We don't need more training. We need admins who will support us when we say "this student needs XYZ services ASAP in order to remain in my classroom or they need removed ASAP." Because to be blunt: not all kids are capable of traditional learning. It's a fact. We need less "everyone is special and equal" BS in education right now and we need to go back to accepting that some students are better academically than others. Does it make them a better person? No! But treating all 22 kids in my classroom as if they are on the same level is not working. We're hurting 90-95% of the class to bend over backwards to accommodate 5-10%.

My corporate husband had to answer one 30-minute work call on Xmas eve and his company gave him a bonus day off in his bank for his trouble. He had a coworker slapped by another coworker during a heated fight and the slapper was immediately fired. In teaching, the kid who throws a chair at you will be right back in your classroom the next day to hurl a stapler at your head.

[Anonymous]

In my district, get partial lifetime benefits after my 15th year of teaching, which is this year, and I'll be finished. If I want my full benefits, I need to put in 10 more years and I don't have it in me.

I'll be leaving a profession I dreamed about doing since I was a kid (and I'll only be 38). My first 10 years were amazing! It's the last 5 years that have been soul-crushing.

[Anonymous]

I have a question for the teachers of this forum. It seems clear that a reason for job dissatisfaction is the demand for teachers to work beyond their contracted hours. Does that mean that the expectation is that all of a teacher's work should be accomplished during the regular work day?

In my county, the teachers' contract calls for a 7-hour, 35-minute work day which includes a 30-minute duty free lunch. If the expectation is that all work can be done during the contracted hours, does that mean that teachers are only expected to work 7 hours per day?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Are you expected to work all day and then do all your paperwork at home, unpaid, on your own time? Because we aren’t actually allowed to do any of this at work. They took away all our administrative time this year so we could stay with our kids in the classroom all day, and we’re not even permitted to check our email. I teach special Ed so this amounts to hours each week. I also have the distinct pleasure of creating and differentiating the entire curriculum myself. The cherry on top is that there is no ventilation system and the kids aren’t required to wear masks due to their special needs. You have no idea what my job entails, weird how you think it’s no different than your own.

This.

As I type, I am listening to one of my fifteen required virtual trainings I must complete before school starts (each taking 1-3 hours). Our contract days before school starts are spent doing different in-person trainings. Planning and preparing for the actual teaching part of my job is happening in my "free time."

x1000

During winter break this past school year, we received an email the last morning of classes with mandatory training that needed to be completed before the start of classes again on January 3. It consisted of 9 videos - the shortest was 45 mins. and the longest was 2h15m. These aren't simply videos you can throw on in the background while you do something else, either, because you have to interact to get "credit" for the video and also answer questions along the way. It's stupid, pointless training. We don't need more training. We need admins who will support us when we say "this student needs XYZ services ASAP in order to remain in my classroom or they need removed ASAP." Because to be blunt: not all kids are capable of traditional learning. It's a fact. We need less "everyone is special and equal" BS in education right now and we need to go back to accepting that some students are better academically than others. Does it make them a better person? No! But treating all 22 kids in my classroom as if they are on the same level is not working. We're hurting 90-95% of the class to bend over backwards to accommodate 5-10%.

My corporate husband had to answer one 30-minute work call on Xmas eve and his company gave him a bonus day off in his bank for his trouble. He had a coworker slapped by another coworker during a heated fight and the slapper was immediately fired. In teaching, the kid who throws a chair at you will be right back in your classroom the next day to hurl a stapler at your head.

This breaks my heart, but it is consistent with what I hear from teacher friends. I'm so sorry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Are you expected to work all day and then do all your paperwork at home, unpaid, on your own time? Because we aren’t actually allowed to do any of this at work. They took away all our administrative time this year so we could stay with our kids in the classroom all day, and we’re not even permitted to check our email. I teach special Ed so this amounts to hours each week. I also have the distinct pleasure of creating and differentiating the entire curriculum myself. The cherry on top is that there is no ventilation system and the kids aren’t required to wear masks due to their special needs. You have no idea what my job entails, weird how you think it’s no different than your own.

This.

As I type, I am listening to one of my fifteen required virtual trainings I must complete before school starts (each taking 1-3 hours). Our contract days before school starts are spent doing different in-person trainings. Planning and preparing for the actual teaching part of my job is happening in my "free time."

x1000

During winter break this past school year, we received an email the last morning of classes with mandatory training that needed to be completed before the start of classes again on January 3. It consisted of 9 videos - the shortest was 45 mins. and the longest was 2h15m. These aren't simply videos you can throw on in the background while you do something else, either, because you have to interact to get "credit" for the video and also answer questions along the way. It's stupid, pointless training. We don't need more training. We need admins who will support us when we say "this student needs XYZ services ASAP in order to remain in my classroom or they need removed ASAP." Because to be blunt: not all kids are capable of traditional learning. It's a fact. We need less "everyone is special and equal" BS in education right now and we need to go back to accepting that some students are better academically than others. Does it make them a better person? No! But treating all 22 kids in my classroom as if they are on the same level is not working. We're hurting 90-95% of the class to bend over backwards to accommodate 5-10%.

My corporate husband had to answer one 30-minute work call on Xmas eve and his company gave him a bonus day off in his bank for his trouble. He had a coworker slapped by another coworker during a heated fight and the slapper was immediately fired. In teaching, the kid who throws a chair at you will be right back in your classroom the next day to hurl a stapler at your head.

This breaks my heart, but it is consistent with what I hear from teacher friends. I'm so sorry.

Mainstreaming special education students is required by law. It's not some fluffy policy that admins dreamed up. They are sued if they don't follow the law.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a question for the teachers of this forum. It seems clear that a reason for job dissatisfaction is the demand for teachers to work beyond their contracted hours. Does that mean that the expectation is that all of a teacher's work should be accomplished during the regular work day?

In my county, the teachers' contract calls for a 7-hour, 35-minute work day which includes a 30-minute duty free lunch. If the expectation is that all work can be done during the contracted hours, does that mean that teachers are only expected to work 7 hours per day?

The adults I know who work corporate jobs usually work either 9-5 or 10-6, and they take lunch too. That’s eight hours, minus a lunch that ranges between 20 minutes to an hour plus, depending on the day. Is there a reason you think teachers should work longer days than other similarly educated professionals? Most of them also take half days for appointments or work from home on days when the weather is bad, they have a sick child, they have a plumber coming, etc. and teaching offers none of that flexibility. If they asked us to work for any longer, when would I schedule anything? Every business closes at 5 and we start at 8:00 in the morning (most teachers are there by 7).