Teaching+is+a+CAREER


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Overview

 * Stereotypes: ** Teaching is an easy job, anyone can do it. Teachers have great schedules and are compensated accordingly. Teachers get off work at 3:00pm daily. Teachers have only one job-to teach the content. If any of the aforementioned were true, there would not be such a high attrition rate.


 * Background Information: ** There is a high attrition rate among teachers within the first five years. For decades, the role of the classroom teacher evolved minimally. However, on Jan. 8, 2002 President George W. Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act which required classroom teachers to be “highly qualified”. According to NCLB, a highly qualified teacher must have “1) a bachelor's degree, 2) full state certification or licensure, and 3) prove that they know each subject they teach.” No Child Left Behind Act allows states to develop more specific requirements for highly qualified teachers (Berk, 2004). Secondary education classrooms are to be led by highly qualified teachers. Highly qualified teachers are subject matter experts with the instructional skills to help all of their students achieve at high academic standards (Daniel & Petersen, 2015). According Daniel & Petersen (2015), Goal II Part-A mandates that all students have highly qualified, effective teachers (Daniel & Petersen, 2015). The highly qualified mandate has led to significant changes in the duties and responsibilities of the classroom teacher. The aforementioned is among the various factors have led to an increase in teacher attrition.


 * Misconceptions: ** The public education system is complex with a myriad of both federal and state regulations which lead often to various misconceptions. According to //eSchool News //(2011), some of the worst misconceptions among the public educational system include the following: a) Things just keep getting worse; b) The “achievement gap” is the schools’ responsibility c) Poor grades means poor abilities and d) Charter schools don’t count. The aforementioned are dark misconceptions which continuously impact negatively the educational system. Majority of the stakeholders such as parents and researchers will have an opinion pertaining to the public education system and teacher attrition ( //eSchool News, 2011 //).

“ In 2014, the nationwide attrition accounted for approximately 95 percent teacher vacancies. Teachers are leaving the classroom.  However, in our nation’s current climate, saying the word “teacher” is like Forrest Gump opening a box of chocolates: you never know what you’re going to get, as teachers too often are seen as a convenient scapegoat for the perceived problems that are plaguing public education” ( //eSchool News, 2011 //).

//Education Week is //<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">one of the educational industry’s top sources for education news and analysis. According to Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education (2017), between August 1, 2016 and October 21, 2016, saw a series of headlines like the ones listed below:
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">“Help Wanted: Teacher Shortage Hot Spots” Aug. 26, 2016
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">“Amid Shortage Fears, States Ease Teacher-Licensing Rules” Sept. 7, 2016
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">“We Know What to Do About Teacher Shortages” Oct. 19, 2016
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">“Is STEM Education in Permanent Crisis?” Oct. 26, 2016 <span style="color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">8

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">In addition to the misconceptions pertaining to the schools and student performance, there are misconceptions relating to teachers’ performance and evaluation. One of the most naive misconceptions is that all teachers are the same. //<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">eSchool News (2011) //<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;"> recently published an article in an effort to address misconceptions pertaining to teachers and to also learn how teachers feel they are perceived by others. Many of the misconceptions fit within the category of the evaluations and qualifications of teachers. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Misconceptions pertaining to teacher qualification and evaluation include the following: a) If teachers are good at what they do, student grades and test scores will be good, too; b) Teachers aren’t as good as they used to be; c) Teaching is easy and anyone can do it d) Teachers are solely responsible for learning; d) Those who can’t do, teach. If any of the aforementioned were true, there might not be a high rate of attrition among teachers (eNews, 2017).


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 * Trend or Issue **

A **trend** is a shift or tendency within a system. Trends are important factors which influence how the educational system operates. Possible trends include economic developments, changes in society, in employment, or in attitudes and behaviors. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">For instance, some believe a layperson can recognize and implement “teaching”. This belief is supported because majority have been students in a class led by teachers. <span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">An **issue** is an important topic or problem for debate or discussion. There are several topics or problems I education which warrant debate and discussion. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">The education community is filled with an abundance of trends and issues linked directly to all stakeholders. Issues and trends may be linked to teachers and students. More specifically, the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education identified teacher recruitment and retention as the second issue to watch in 2017.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">According to the Georgia Department of Education (2017), there are 10 state-wide issues. These issues are not isolated to Georgia. Teacher attrition is a national issue which impacts the state of Georgia. Georgia Partnership for Education Excellence (2017) surveyed 53,000 teachers. There are four factors contributing to teacher attrition can be grouped into four general categories:
 * < ISSUE 1: The Shifting Federal Landscape and State Policy –What’s Ahead? ||< ISSUE 6: Funding – Equity for All ||
 * < <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">ISSUE 2: Teacher Recruitment and Retention-Keeping Teachers Teaching ||< <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">ISSUE 7: Early Learning – Increasing Quality and Access for All Children ||
 * < <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">ISSUE 3: Leadership – New Challenges, New Opportunities ||< <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">ISSUE 8: Student Mental Health –Time to Take Center Stage ||
 * < <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">ISSUE 4: Preparing the Workforce –Role for K-12 ||< <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">ISSUE 9: The Economics of Education – Breaking the Poverty Cycle ||
 * < <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">ISSUE 5: Higher Education –Barriers to Completion ||< <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">ISSUE 10: No Opportunity School District – What Now? ||


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Standardized tests and teacher evaluations
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Level of teacher participation in decisions, non-teaching responsibilities and pay
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Level and quality of support and resources necessary, and school and district leadership
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Level of teacher preparation

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">A research study by the Learning Policy Institute (LPI) revealed more the 200,000 teachers leave the profession yearly. Of the 200,000 former educators, approximately two-thirds left the profession for reasons other than retirement. The findings from LPI were very similar to the research finding presented by Georgia Department of Education. Teachers left the profession for various areas of dissatisfaction. Approximately two-thirds of those who left reported areas of unhappiness including the following: teaching conditions, class size, salary, administrative practices, lack of support in the classroom, lack of classroom autonomy, policy issues, the effects of testing, and accountability. The long list of areas of dissatisfaction is being addressed by legislation in Georgia.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">The attrition rate is higher among high school teachers which is more problematic than elementary school teachers. According to a 2015 study for the Georgia Professional standards Commission (GaPsC), attrition in Georgia’s high schools was the highest among the teaching subgroups (Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, 2017). <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Due to the federal regulations and requirements for highly qualified teachers, standardized assessments, and various misconceptions teachers are leaving the profession. A job is <span style="background: white; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">a post of full-time or part-time employment. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">The data below is the attrition percentage of teachers that left classroom within the first five-years. The data is by teaching subgroups and high school teaching fields.
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Teaching Subgroups: **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">High school 40.5% - Kindergarten 29.2% - Elementary 32.5% -Middle school 33.4% -Special Education 31.8%
 * ** High School Teaching Fields: **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> Mathematics 44.4%- English 39.2% -Science (All) 41.5%-Social Sciences 40.3% -Foreign Languages 44.7%- Physical Education 26.0% English as a second Language 40.4%

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">A job is short-term and a career is long-term. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">The rate in which teachers are leaving the profession gives the perception that teaching is a JOB not a CAREER. || **Teaching is a CAREER** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">In January 2015, Governor Nathan Deal appointed the Education Reform Commission (ERC) to develop recommendations to reshape Georgia’s education system” (Department of Education, 2017). Teacher recruitment and retention nationwide as well as teacher education programs are among the items of focus for the Education Reform Commission.
 * A career is identified as profession or occupation chosen as one's life's work.


 * Teacher Recruitment and Retention-Is this an issue or a trend? **


 * In My Professional Opinion **

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Teacher attrition is a national issue. Over 40% of teachers leave the profession within the first five years. In opinion and in my professional experiences there are several factors contributing to the high attrition rate within the first five years. My first year in the secondary education classroom was in 2001. Since I transitioned into higher education after 4-years, I can be counted into the numbers attributing to the attrition. I wanted to remain in the classroom; however, I received opportunities in higher education. Even though the opportunities were tempting, ultimately I left the classroom because of the various state teacher certification requirements. I started teaching middle grades science in North Carolina; however, the licenses were not reciprocated in Georgia. I returned to the high school classroom in 2015. I experienced firsthand the changes in secondary education. More specifically I experience the stress related to directly to being a classroom teacher. Standardized tests and teacher evaluations are the primary causes for public school teacher attrition (Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, 2017; Governor's Office of Student Achievement, 2010)

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> I can recall a conversation about standardized assessments with another educator. I stated the students performed well on the Biology assessment many of the students were proficient learners. I was told that was not good enough. The district leaders would be more pleased if there more students were in the accelerate level and identified as distinguished learners. High attrition among the teaching profession is caused by unhealthy levels of stress linked directly to standardized regulations. In 2015 the Education Reform Commission (ERC) was charged with examining five areas within education. I believe the high attrition rate of teachers is an issue. The following list contain a few researcher facts from the various sources in the bibliography:
 * 70 percent of teacher hiring statewide is done to replace teachers who have left the workforce
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">13 percent of Georgia’s newly hired teachers left after their first year
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">44 percent of those newly hired in 2010 were no longer teaching after five years
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">More the 200,000 teachers leave the profession each year
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Nearly two-thirds are leaving for reasons other than retirement
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Over 66 percent of respondents said it was unlikely or highly unlikely to recommend teaching

Teacher Recruitment and Retention is an issue.[| TEACHER ATTRITION PSA]


<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">1. career. (n.d.). //<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer //<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">. Retrieved May 28, 2017 from Dictionary.com website http://www.dictionary.com/browse/career <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">job. (n.d.). //<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer //<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">. Retrieved May 28, 2017 from Dictionary.com website http://www.dictionary.com/browse/job <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">2. Berk R. (2004). No Child Left Behind’s “Highly Qualified” Teacher: What Does It Really Mean? Biostatistics and Measurement in the School of Nursing at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. Retrieve [|No Child Left Behind’s “Highly Qualified” Teacher] <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">This article provides reader with details on the phrase “highly qualified teacher”. The phrase is vague and the verbiage within legislation can be convoluted. This article defines the phrase in layman’s terms. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">3. Daniel & Petersen, 2015). Improving Teacher Quality State Grants ESEA Title II Non-regulatory Guidance <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">This Non-Regulatory Guidance explains how State educational agencies, local educational agencies, and State agencies for higher education can effectively and correctly use //Title II, Part A// funds to ensure that all teachers are qualified and effective//.// <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">4. Georgia Partnership for Education Excellence (2017). Top Ten Issues to Watch in 2017. <span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> Retrieved from <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">[] <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">This article provide an overview of the top ten educational issues to monitor throughout the year. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">5. Staff Reports, August 5, 2011. Ten common myths about teaching. //<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">eSchool News Retrieved from //[|//Ten Common Myths About Teaching//] //<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">This article discussed in detail 10 //<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> common myths about teaching and teachers. The list of myths also include misconceptions. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">6. Teacher Attrition Study (2010). Teacher Retention in Groegia High than Previously Reported. https://gosa.georgia.gov/sites/gosa.georgia.gov/files/related_files/press_release/Teacher-Attrition-Study.pdf This report provides an analysis of the retention rates of Georgia public school teachers. 7. The Governor's Office of Student Achievement (2010) Governor’s Office of Student Achievement Releases Georgia Teacher Attrition Study. The study provides a comprehensive picture of teacher retention in Georgia by assessing the extent to which new teachers leave public education altogether, leave teaching but later return, or move into other professional public education roles.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Bibliography **