Thank your kids’ teachers before there are no more to thank

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Someone actually said this to me. Well actually this is a cleaned up version of what he said.

The first time around I was just shocked and really didn’t catch it all. I asked if we could do a rewind so I may record it. I then wrote in corrected English the dullard’s rant for approval. So what you will read below is what was “meant” to be.

SHARED BY A GREAT MANY PEOPLE

“With all due respect to our (Miami Dade County) teachers, they need to stop the whining and complaining. We all realize the job they do and the importance of their position in our society. However, rather than continually complain and constantly look for more money, they should focus on the career they chose and the fact that they work limited hours in a comfortable environment, have all holidays off, receive plenty of vacation time and have great insurance, union protection, job security and a good pension plan. You need to look at the whole package not just your pay stub.

It’s true that a lot of us could not deal with unruly kids and dissatisfied parents. That part of teaching is difficult. But it seems the good far outweighs the bad when looking at the big picture. Trust me: You don’t really have it that bad!”

WRONG ANSWER

The first question I ask at the start of my Student Success Project presentation is “when is the last time they thanked a teacher?” The answer – for what? Enough said.

The coronavirus pandemic has brought an obvious slew of “challenges” (including the mindset of above) for the nation’s K-12 schools, including the reality of massive teacher shortages. However, we really don’t pay much attention. But the problem of attracting people to the profession is not new.

Even before the pandemic, there were in your face signs of a “pipeline problem” among the nation’s educators. Both the number and share of new college graduates with a bachelor’s degree in education have plummeted over the last few decades, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

Look, whether we want to deal with it or not, we’re at a major tipping point in education. According to a VERY recent survey, 48 percent of teachers admitted that they had considered quitting just within the last 30 days. Of that number, 34 percent said they were thinking about leaving the profession entirely. Understaffing has plagued schools for years, but it’s now reaching epic proportions. At the same time, teachers are very hard to replace. The specialization and requirements inherent to the field of education make it extremely difficult to expand the talent pool, as other fields are often able to do.

AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE

The elevated and prolonged levels of teacher stress are warning the next generation not to become teachers. Who wants that kind of life, for that kind of money? Obviously, fewer people entering education will only exacerbate the teacher and substitute shortage for the long term. The skills gap is going to hit the education field hard. There just won’t be enough teachers to go around.

As current educators flee the profession and the next generation avoids entering it, we may see class sizes skyrocket—further straining the teachers that remain. Without a healthy student-teacher ratio, the quality of instruction, the individual time spent with each student, and any vestige of a human connection will inevitably drop.

AN UNFORTUNATE CIRCLE OF LIFE

The quality of education will also drop if states, desperate to staff their schools, lower the bar for teacher requirements. Such a move could potentially bring into the classroom “teachers” or substitutes who lack the necessary training and skills to teach effectively. A lower-quality educational experience will hurt not just the students, but also soon the workforce and economy in significant ways.

And that’s just the way it is “meant” to be.

BTW – a dullard is a slow or stupid person.

This column is by Ritchie Lucas, Founder of The Student Success Project and Think Factory Consulting. He can be reached by email at ritchie@thinkfactory.com and on Facebook and You Tube as The Student Success Project.

To see more #Miaminews from #Aventura to #Coralgables to #SouthMiami, #Pinecrest, #Palmetto Bay and #Cutler Bay and all throughout #Miamidadecounty go to:
www.communitynewspapers.com


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