The concept of a teacher “shortage” seems to flowing through the mainstream media at the moment. The only thing is that there is no teacher shortage and never has been. There are at any point in time plenty of teachers floating around and an ample number of teaching graduates entering the realms of education.
However, a greater number of these people either do not want enter teaching or even stay in teaching.
The big question then is….why? Why would someone not want to begin or continue their teaching journey in this modern educational climate?
Firstly we have to understand what teaching actually is. It is a calling. It is also an occupation that you feel drawn to as an inner conviction. Something that you feel deep inside is part of who you really are. Therefore it is not a “job” or a vocation as such. It is a journey that you undertake that satisfies that part of you that wants to give the best of yourself for a higher purpose.
If you can relate to this then you have what it takes to make a “career” out of it. If you don’t then it will just become something that you once did that was kind of interesting but you no longer felt the need to continue with.
Many teachers are also leaving this profession because they claim they are no longer valued. Lets get one thing straight about our society first and foremost. They don’t value anything that doesn’t make a lot of money. In our world you get kudos when you are raking in the big bucks. Even if you hate your job but it pays unbelievably well you will be seen as a “success.” Even if your career choice has ruined your health and relationships yet makes you financially wealthy, you will be envied by others around you.
The teaching world is somewhat different. In the beginning you will not be getting a good wage. This takes many years of dedication and intelligent decisions on your part as to where you want to teach for this to happen. Certain places and certain countries are much better than others to teach in. Sure, if you want to do a teaching stint in a third world country and gain some valuable insights into yourself, then that’s great. But it won’t allow you in the long term to save for a house or give you a lifestyle that may allow you certain freedoms or options later on.
The Scandinavian countries also have higher expectations for their teacher undergraduates but pay them very well when they gain their teaching qualifications. Perhaps there could be a lesson in this for many western countries. My thinking is… pay teachers more and then pay politicians less (much less in fact). Yes… I think this could work well.
Another reason people are leaving teaching is that the curriculum is jam packed with too much stuff to teach. This has been debated over since education began and I don’t feel we have made any progress on this. Many Asian countries have a packed curriculum that produces hoards of stressed out and anxious students. This does raise a country’s levels of intelligence (and their GDP) yet does not produce many well balanced citizens. There has been for many years in Japan a “Karoshi” epidemic. This is where many young people are dying (literally dropping dead) from overwork and exhaustion. And then you have many western countries that have jam packed curriculums that are producing many students who lack many basic skills like reading and writing. Both extremes are interesting to gauge.
It’s all about balance. A balance in the curriculum taught. A balance in pay scales that allow personal freedoms to exist. And a balance in perspective (and choices) as to how one might continue in teaching and still actually love it.
Perhaps, my last piece of advice for any other teachers out there is just move sideways in your teaching life instead of leaving altogether. Just find another option. And there is always another option.
It’s like success with anything. Failure only begins when you stop.
