Half of new teachers don’t stay in the classroom longer than 5 years. After 4 or more years preparing for a job they really want to do, they end up quitting. What happens? Why is there such a high attrition rate? There are some well-known and some surprising reasons why teachers quit. Here are some of them.
- Can’t Leave the Job at School: Some teachers are unable to accept that they can’t “fix” kids. They can’t feed and clothe them all, adopt them or remove them from poor living conditions. These teachers quit because it’s too painful to stay and watch kids in situations that the teacher can’t change.
- Not Enough Money: My nephew’s starting salary as a 23-year-old engineer (not counting his moving and signing bonuses) was $30,000 more than my salary the year I retired after 30+ years in the classroom. Many people who love teaching, especially males, have to change careers in order to earn enough to support their families. Most teachers know going in that their paychecks will be small and they work other jobs in the summer. Sometimes, however that’s still not enough to make up the difference in income.
- Wrong temperament: Some people who are loners and shy find they can’t handle the hustle and bustle of a school. During passing periods we have 2,000 kids moving from class to another and all of them are talking, laughing and slamming their lockers. It can be unnerving! Some teachers love their content but can’t handle children. And then there are some people who simply don’t like kids.
- “It’s not for me”: Some teachers quit the first week and many more don’t return after Christmas. Once they are in the classroom alone with the kids they realize “This is not for me.” It’s sad that these people put in the time and money to get a teaching degree and then find out they hate it.
- Too much outside time commitment: Teaching involves sponsoring after-school activities, attending sports events, open houses as well as nightly paper grading and lesson planning. Some people find they don’t want to spend so much of their own time on their job.
- It’s unexpectedly difficult: I work with many teachers who come into education from other careers. Often these people come into the field with major misconceptions about working with kids. Those who have the most trouble making the transition from one career to another are often military officers. Their view is that “these kids just need some structure and discipline.” Once they realize they can’t punish kids for disobedience and lack of respect as they did with their soldiers in the military they are at a loss for what to do. Even teachers fresh out of college find that teaching is much more difficult than they ever imagined. It takes an enormous investment in time and energy.
- Inflexibility: Teachers have to be able to change lesson plan direction on a dime, based on student understanding. They must be willing to try 20 different methods to reach one student, and then keep trying if those still haven’t worked. People who expect everyone to do things their way often have a difficult time in teaching.
What can be done to increase the number of teachers who stay in the profession as a full-time career? Certainly higher salaries would help attract and retain quality teachers. All new teachers need an experienced mentor who will remain their mentor for at least 3 years. Staff training on a continual basis can provide new teachers with the tools they need to survive the first few difficult years. For some reason school districts are reluctant to give new teachers the help that they need in order for them to remain in the profession and be successful. Until this mindset changes, the attrition rate will remain unnecessarily high.
