LYS Coach, Jeanette Nelson, had the following piece
published in the November 15, 2013 issue of the San Antonio Express-News
Re: “Looming teacher shortage fails students,” Gloria
Padilla, Nov.2:
Gloria
Padilla is right-on with her assessment of why there is a looming teacher
shortage. In addition to her observations, I have seen multiple reasons for the
lack of interest in the profession as I travel the country consulting with
schools.
Teachers
are pressured to dedicate instruction to those skills needed to improve student
test performance, often short-changing student abilities to become critical
thinkers who can analyze and solve problems, while reading and writing at a
high level.
Legislative
mandates for determining requirements for advancing or graduating have been
designed and approved by elected officials with little or no experience in
teaching and dealing with student behavior.
As
for curriculum, the past decade has seen many courses added to the curricula,
as well as objectives added to each course. Nothing of any consequence has been
removed because the state tests cover every aspect of the curriculum.
Because
of additional course and graduation requirements, many high schools and middle
schools have gone to 8-period days with periods averaging 45 minutes. Any
athletic coach would scoff at the notion of having only 45 minutes a day to
learn and practice new skills.
Teaching
is not promoted as a career for the brightest students, leaving the profession
open for the less qualified. A billboard on Texas highways promotes an
alternative teacher certification program by saying, “Want to teach? When can
you start?” What an insult to teachers who have spent years learning and
practicing the art and science of their craft!
As
often noted, starting salaries in teaching are among the lowest among
professions requiring a college degree. In Texas, the average starting teaching
salary is under $35,000 annually. Only eight states offer beginning teachers
more than $40,000, mostly in states where the cost of living is much higher
than in Texas.
Students
come to school at all grade levels with increased needs, many them not
satisfied at home. The number of non-English speakers, special education
students, behavioral-issue students, and students from broken and one-parent
families has grown incrementally. Additionally, class-size limits have been
raised.
Finally,
teaching was never considered a dangerous profession. Yet, as the media
demonstrate on a daily basis, too many incidents of violence have erupted in
schools across this nation. There are professions where danger is anticipated
as being part of the job. But teaching?
So,
as Padilla points out, “Quality instruction is reflected in student
achievement. ... Just getting students to graduate is not enough.” Devoted and
well-qualified teachers would love to do just that. However, too many potential
candidates see the problems in schools and make a decision to seek another
career.
Jeanette Nelson, LYS Coach
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
- Call Jo at (832)
477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies
available on Amazon.com! http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5
- Call Jo at (832)
477-LEAD to order your campus set of “Look at Me: A Cautionary School
Leadership Tale” Individual copies available on
Amazon.com! http://tinyurl.com/lookatmebook
- Now
at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Plans (Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Tool); PW Lite
(Basic PowerWalks Tool); PW Pro (Mid-level PowerWalks Tool)
- Upcoming Presentations: NASSP National Conference; The 21st Century High
School Conference
- Follow
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