Teach Today, Teach Tomorrow?

It’s the end of April. For many of you, this is the time that you will be receiving your notice of rehire or learn if you are going to be awarded tenure. In most places, if a district plans not rehire a teacher, it must give that teacher 60 days notice. Conversely if this is the year you are choosing to retire or resign, you will need to notify your district officials of your intent to leave.

If you are graduating from college this year and in on the midst of your job search, you should be receiving interviews, getting requests to teach sample lessons, and learning about anticipated vacancies in area school districts. Be mindful of the fact that shortages expected in the profession are basically the same as they have been for many years- teachers of science, mathematics, and special education.

I thought that it would be appropriate at this time to revisit some of the current statistics and facts regarding future job opportunities in the teaching profession.

According to recent reports from the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) this decade could mark the retirement of one third of America’s teaching force. Many of these anticipated retirements while be from Baby Boomers – those teachers born between 1946 and 1964, but not all. Many teachers who have been in the profession for just a few short years are also choosing to leave the profession. These are generally men and women who have been in the field for less than five years. They cite the fact that teacher morale is low and expectation grow ever higher. While some leave the profession for personal or family reasons, like the relocation of the job of a spouse, others cite additional reasons. Some feel that their college teacher preparation program was inadequate. Others underestimated the time and commitment required to be an effective and successful classroom teacher. Teacher turnover can be costly to a school district. According to a report issued by The National Commission of Teaching and America’s Future (NCTAF), it cost districts nationwide over $7 billion (yes, that’s BILLION) in 2005 to recruit, hire and train new teachers. The revolving door in the education field is usually found in urban school districts, and school districts with a high poverty rate. The attack on teachers’ unions and changes in tenure laws, and teacher accountability has had a lot to do with the current disenchantment in education.  First year teachers need more “hand-holding” and mentoring to help them navigate the  ins and outs of  a new job. Administrators need to be clear about expectations from day one. Additionally, teachers in the United States need to be afforded the respect and dignity that their peers in other nations get.

c. 2013 j. margolis