Addressing the challenges confronting the teacher profession

The first week of May is designated Teacher Appreciation Week. Across the country, schools and communities will celebrate their teachers in numerous unique and wonderful ways. However, this annual recognition is somewhat overshadowed this year by the reports coming out about a looming teacher exodus at a time when there is already a national teacher shortage. Recent studies show that over 50% of educators are considering leaving the profession in the next several years, citing a number of factors including post COVID stress, work conditions, rising public negativity towards public education, and attractive private sector opportunities. These data suggest a huge crisis for schools across the country and demand immediate attention. While this situation requires a broad range of solutions, some areas of focus are suggested below:

This challenge is real and we must respond to this moment. We can spend this time of “Teacher Appreciation Week” extending small tokens of gratitude to our country’s teachers, or we can begin to engage in meaningful and systemic changes to lift this profession to the importance and prominence it should have always had.

Originally published at https://heathmorrisonsuperintendent.com.