ATPE News is the official publication of the Association of Texas Professional Educators, the largest educator association in Texas. The magazine addresses the most important issues affecting public education in the state. Learn more at ATPE.org.
Issue link: https://atpe.epubxp.com/i/435977
18 | atpe.org atpe news R ichard Ingersoll, a former high school teacher and current professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education, has spent the better part of his career researching the issue of teacher turnover. Ingersoll maintains that some common concerns contribute to the high rate of teacher attrition in the United States: inadequate support from administrators, a lack of collaboration with colleagues, student discipline issues, low salaries, and a feeling that teachers' voices aren't heard at their school or district. Research for this article, which included interviews with current and former teachers from different backgrounds, subject areas, and grade levels across the state, showed that similar concerns exist for Texas teachers. David, * a high school teacher who is looking for a new career, feels undermined by the administration at his school. He has been asked to lower his standards in order to allow students to pass and ultimately help the school achieve higher graduation rates. Realizing that he doesn't have as much control over his classroom as he initially thought, David feels he has been "just babysitting all these years." This feeling has played a large part in his decision to fnally leave the feld of education. When David began teaching eight years ago, he received very little support from his school. He had a long-distance mentor, but that was the only assistance his school or district offered. As a new teacher, David's initial orientation came a mere four days before his frst day in the classroom when he was handed outdated textbooks and asked to plan his class. Other teachers have had similar experiences. Many indicated that a lack of formal support, in addition to a shallow understanding of the true demands of working within the school system, left them feeling more than a little overwhelmed. Despite having a degree in elementary education and a wealth of experience teaching, Emily was ill-prepared for the additional challenges of paperwork and testing, and she was taken aback by the administrative hurdles that came with taking the reins of her own classroom. Former educator Alan Waltrip echoed this concern: "What had appeared to be easy in a college classroom turned out to be a nightmare as the year went on. I was constantly being put into situations where I didn't know what to do, using my free or meeting periods to cover other classes or the in-school suspension rooms." Many frst-year teachers discover that there are very distinct differences between the career they were prepared for and the reality of their jobs. Testing is perhaps the most overwhelming component of that reality. Almost every teacher lists it as a top concern. Renice Burnham, a retired elementary educator and ATPE member with 24 years of experience in the classroom, refected on the changes she's seen over the years: "When I started teaching, there was standardized testing at each grade level, but these tests were used more as a tool to assess students' progress and to understand how to better help them. Now it's tied to money that your district may or may not receive based on the results. Even teacher pay will be based on test performance, and that creates fear and stress in an already diffcult job." Middle and high school teachers, though, struggled most with discipline issues. David feels frustrated that his Discipline Committee refuses to acknowledge that fghts and assaults on teachers have occurred, choosing instead to focus its efforts on tardiness. Lisa, * a 12-year teacher who has worked in urban elementary and middle schools, feels similarly frustrated by the poor handling of discipline issues at her school: "It is very diffcult to have a student removed from class, even if they are affecting the learning of their classmates." Forty to ffty percent of teachers leave their jobs within the frst fve years. The State of Texas alone spends more than $100 million annually on recruiting and certifying new teachers.