It's no secret that teachers are getting burnt out quicker and quicker. According to the National Public Radio, half of newly hired teachers will transfer schools or leave the professional completely, after five years. But, why are all these educators leaving so soon?
Top Reasons Educators Quit:
-No Autonomy: Teachers aren't given a voice in major decisions that affect their career.
-Student Behavior/Discipline: Schools with parents and administrators that don't respond with urgency for behavior problems, have higher rates of turnover.
-Respect: Teachers receive very little recognition for the work they do and many hats that they wear (teacher, counselor, nurse, parent, etc.). Parents, administrators, and policy makers are known to blame teachers for failing students, despite the extreme efforts they've taken. (Also, see: No Autonomy)
-Work Related Stress: A teacher's workday does not end when students leave the classroom. Teachers are working after hours, on weekends, and throughout the summer. This can quickly breed exhaustion.
So how exactly do we start to see a turnaround in teacher perspective, retention, and overall happiness?
First, we give teachers a voice inside and outside of the classroom. Teachers oftentimes do not speak out about injustices or share new ideas, for fear of being reprimanded, targeted, or ignored. Creating a safe space for educators to voice their opinions, concerns, and advocate for themselves and their students is extremely important. Recently, social emotional learning has become very popular in schools and serves as a way for teachers to help students communicate their feelings. However, if educators are stifled in sharing their own thoughts, it is difficult to truly make a positive change in the climate of an entire school.
Second, we provide teachers with access to REAL and RELEVANT trainings. I have taught in low income schools and I can 100% say that many of the educators are not utilizing the resources they have been given correctly. However, I DO NOT blame the teachers for this. Oftentimes, teachers are provided with new initiatives and technology, but not given the proper training on how to effectively use and implement it. We must stop wasting teachers' valuable time with random weekly meetings and listen to their specific needs. That way, teachers are able to perform at their highest level of capability and ensure the students are receiving a quality, equitable education.
Lastly, we focus on the "whole teacher" to guarantee personal and professional growth. If teachers are stressed at work, then we need to figure out ways to help them cope with these feelings. Mental health is a serious issue and on the rise right along with teacher turnaround. Celebrating teachers and building a community amongst educators will make them feel supported and valued. Please, do not translate this into buying a teacher some useless keychain or t-shirt with the school logo on it! Really focus on organizing events and avenues for educators to shine!
Teacher Magic was established to alleviate the high levels of stress amongst teachers and help school districts retain high quality teachers by sharing relevant information, inspiring great minds, and building a strong network of educators. We are committed to helping educators keep up with the steady stream of new initiatives by providing affordable, relevant hands-on training, resources, and outlets to advocate.
Our Productivity Workshop: Week of Magic was developed based on the conversations teachers are having online and with us. It is specifically designed for educators working in low income schools that are struggling with the lack of support from parents and educators. The presenters chosen for this workshop each bring a unique set of skills that will help you create an amazing learning environment, increase student and parent engagement, manage work related stress, create additional streams of revenue, and power through thoughts about wanting to "give up" on education.
This workshop is valued at over $1000, but thanks to the commitment of each presenter, we are able to make it available for $59. You seriously can't beat that price for a workshop of this magnitude. Check out what will be covered in each module, and then be sure to reserve your spot.
Don't forget to share this post with every educator you know! We don't want anyone to miss out on this opportunity.
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