Some Teachers are Thriving While Others are Quitting

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This article in the Washington Post is being commented on by everybody and their brother so before you read my commentary, please go read it: Teaching needs me but I have to leave. It is short and very engaging. What follows is one of my more opinionated pieces.  I welcome your agreement/disagreement in the comments. Don’t spend more time on this than you would your lesson plans but I would like to get your opinion.

When I read this article I immediately identified with her complaints.  Every teacher feels overwhelmed at times and sometimes those moments are so numerous it makes sense that you leave the profession.  Furthermore, I have seen first-hand that high school teaching is a lot more gritty and demanding than elementary education. On the other hand, I am not as understanding of her title as most people around the blogosphere are. My question is this:

“If teaching needs you and you have to leave, do you think teaching will cease to exist?”

Let me say here by way of a caveat: I think this article has a lot of good insight on how we can make new teachers feel welcome and empowered.  I am always interested in that and things like that. Having said that, we aren’t here for teacher education, we’re here for teaching children.

Children education is probably the oldest profession know to mankind and while it’s appearance varies is still based on communication.  This communication extends beyond the classroom into interaction with colleagues and the Principal as well as other admin.  The effective teacher uses creativity and other skills to work within the limitations of the job and produce growth in learners.  In my opinion, this woman in the article decided to give up and leave teaching and therefore, teaching is no worse for her having left.

I liked her examples and her points.  Unfortunately for her argument, every thing she cited, including High School kids cussing her out, has happened to me.  Like her, I left teaching after my third year.  I literally could not handle it.  But, instead of having the luxury of “traveling” I had to find another job to pay my bills.  I was a restaurant manager for the next 2 years and I learned to value teaching.  Not just the time off but the interaction I with students and their family.  While at Pizza Hut, no one ever called me “Mr. Riley.”  I missed it.  I missed the product of my job being a human one and not a bottom line.  I began to sub for 4 districts and was eventually hired on in 2002 for my present district.  I have been creating and innovating ideas ever since.  I’ve written the Wikipedia article on my school Westside Park and there you can see the tremendous growth every year on standardized test scores.  It is exciting to be a part of that.  It is exciting to in a small way be the cause of that.

I’m not saying every new teacher should “grin and bear it.” I am saying however that teaching doesn’t need teachers who complain.  If all you have are complaints at the end of the day, you probably are in the wrong profession.  If you try, other other hand, to make it your career in spite of the things that make you complain, it is most like YOUR profession.  The best teachers are not people who put up with all the problems.  Rather, they work to create solutions.  If, for example, they have trouble with classroom management, then take a class or get with a colleague who has success in that.  At one point she complains that decisions are made “behind closed doors.”  I think she should be made aware of how fleeting a Principal or other admin position can be.  In a heartbeat, you can be gone.  Not so for teachers so teachers should not judge is an admin team makes a choice without consulting them.  I hope I have some agreement out there on this.

This has been a quite opinionated piece.  I want my reader to know that at my school I am usually the one reaching out to new teachers.  I remember my terrible 3rd year at the high school and I always try to spread enthusiasm for the job.  Having said that, understand that I have learned in over 10 years of teaching and reaching out that you can only extend your hand so many times.  Many new teachers just don’t want to be there.  I don’t see that attitude as my responsibility to change. To close let me say this: Teaching doesn’t need you but you need to want to teach, then students need you very much.

In the following weeks watch for exciting posts of what is going on at my school.  You won’t find many complaints here about the profession.  I love it and it certainly does not need me.  I’d like to hope that will make me valued by my students, parents, my colleagues and my admin. Your thoughts?

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  • Mary

    “teaching doesn

  • http://siobhancurious.wordpress.com/ siobhan curious

    I identified strongly with Fine’s article, and from the sounds of it, her situation was much worse than mine is. I managed to rejuvenate my love of teaching, but my job has many advantages that Fine’s did not.

    Many, many good teachers leave the profession because, regardless of how much they love the work, the conditions are too frustrating for them to handle. Some of them, like you, will come back later. But some end up feeling that they made the right choice, even if they miss the students and the classroom.

    I think that by writing this article, Fine IS trying to create a solution to this problem – she is calling attention to some of the reasons that good teachers leave, and this might have an impact on the thinking of some policy-makers.

  • Mary

    siobhan curious — agreed.

    Chekc out this letter to the editor from Fine’s former principal:
    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/10/AR2009081003018.html
    The Selflessness of Teaching
    Tuesday, August 11, 2009

    Sarah Fine suggested in her Aug. 9 Outlook commentary, “Schools Need Teachers Like Me. I Just Can’t Stay,” that many members of her generation, the so-called millennials, shun teaching because not enough prestige and recognition are associated with the job. She’s probably right. But no amount of praise showered on teachers will ever produce the kind of dramatic results we need to close the achievement gap — because, at its core, teaching is never about the teacher.

    Teaching requires an intrinsic desire to serve in the interest of students and their families. As one of the new co-principals of the very school that Ms. Fine left in June, I am proud to note that the Chavez Schools aim to teach students the value of service to their communities and their nation. An important lesson that we will teach our students is that the best service is done without regard to reward or remuneration, perquisites that have historically accompanied careers in medicine, law and business. Indeed, at this moment in our history, it seems appropriate to note that reforming our dysfunctional public education, health care, and financial sectors will probably be accomplished by citizens more interested in serving others than in garnering praise for themselves.

    JOAQUIN R. TAMAYO JR.

    ^^^^^^^^^^^
    Imagine the gall of a teacher who admits to wanting “reward and renumeration.”

  • http://siobhancurious.wordpress.com/ siobhan curious

    Mary:
    I’m particularly struck by the line “Teaching is never about the teacher.” Of course, the ultimate purpose of teaching is not about the teacher. But this is similar to saying “Parenting is never about the parent.” If a parent is unhappy, no matter how much she loves her child, she has to work much harder to parent her child well. Many teachers stop teaching because they know that their unhappiness in their situation makes it difficult for them to serve their students properly. One way to give our students a better education is to be sure that their teachers have the emotional and practical resources to be good teachers.

  • http://www.rileycentral.net/ Damien Riley

    @Mary: Her attitude is very common but that doesn’t mean it’s the only one out there. In my town currently, there is such a backlog of credentialed teachers who have been “RIF”d or laid off due to budget cuts that it is the OPPOSITE of a teacher shortage. I know of one teacher who waited all Summer to see if she would be asked back because of her low seniority. These people want to teach. Sarah Fine wants to travel. As a Pizza Hut Area Coach Designate, I was working with and training managers all the time. I made more money doing it than I made teaching. Yes Pizza Hut is fast food but I busted my rear end to get a professional job in Management there and after I had established myself in that career I chose to return to teaching and now I have served as a certified teacher coach for about 4 years.

    There is no need to defend Fine’s article to me, as Siobhan says in one of her comments, I too feel her words are valuable to see how we can better teach teachers. The job is a challenge and requires immense talent. I wish her godspeed along with the many friends I have known who have left. The title of my post, for me, says it all really. Thank you so much for stopping by and commenting. My blog is 100% pro-teacher.

  • http://www.rileycentral.net/ Damien Riley

    @siobhan curious: I really admire the way you state her job is much harder than yours. You deserve more credit than that. You are taking the time to raise awareness of problems in the profession. Most people don’t bother to do that, they’d rather talk about travel than reform. I never had the luxury of travel. I have a rent payment coming the next month after I stepped aside from teaching and when I came back to teaching, I had to remain doing part-time work until I got my first teacher paycheck in the new district. I think if she was in my shoes, her complaints whould not have been so loud. To me, that line was really what did her in with me. I was single back then when I stepped aside from teaching. Now I am married (going on 8 years) with three lovely kids. I take their needs more seriously that my own and I take my students need more seriously than I take travel. Notwothstanding, you know I love your blog and your thoughtful comments and links on Twitter and Facebook. I really appreciate your humility and compassion for teachers in their plight. If you’d ever like to write about that topic here I’d love to have you as a guestblogger. Might make me look better ;)

  • http://www.rileycentral.net/ Damien Riley

    @Mary: I recognize that I may be an anomaly and I want to be careful not to alienate “my peeps.” However, I know how volatile the position of Principal is. They can literally be removed by the District at any time. They have no unions either. I know this because I was asked to get on a Principal track. I haven’t declined, in fact, I served as Summer Principal at my school this past term. It had many challenges and many rewards, just like teaching. Personally, for now, I am thankful to still be in the classroom. When/if I do become a Principal, I am not even sure I would keep writing this blog. Being a Principal is definitely a different animal altogether from teaching. If Sarah Fine knew that first hand, she might not worry so much about what she calls “decisions made behind closed doors.” I am 100% pro teacher. I also respect Sarah Fine for leaving when she disagreed with decisions the admin made. I wonder what her observations said? I don’t mean to take low blow but in my nearly 11 years teaching, I rarely see an effective teacher with good observations walk off and “travel.” I have coached more than a handful of teachers and the accomplished ones usually find a way “through” and they don’t walk away. (please don’t resent me for sharing my opinions)

  • Mary

    Damien — That “travel” line really bothered you, didn’t it? Do you begrudge teachers the desire and the ability to travel? Like complaining, is it something teachers shouldn’t do?

    If so, why? A lot of people travel. It’s not generally considered to be a bad thing.

    She’s 25, she’s single (I think), she’s had a rough year. Why not travel?

    If you had traveled more, you might know that you can come back with your mind refreshed and ready to be much more productive than before.

  • http://www.rileycentral.net/ Damien Riley

    @Mary: I’ve traveled to the extent I could afford it.

    In her article she is bringing out some good points about things that can and should change.

    It is about rhetoric and choice of words to me. Saying she is going to travel while the title says “teaching needs her” is a little like Marie Antoinette saying “Let them eat cake.” Notwithstanding, I hope you are hearing my point about teaching. It’s not for everyone and it’s not going to change to suit anyone. UNLESS, you are a lot luckier than I and that is entirely possible. Teachers are wonderful people and it sounds like this young teacher needed a break. I never burn bridges and maybe she’ll learn that through all this. If travel is what she needs to go away and come home again, I’ll be her biggest cheerleader. And no, I don’t hate rich people and I don’t hate traveling as a thing to do. It was about her choice of rhetoric that got me going down this road against her article.

    Thanks Mary, I appreciate this dialog. Believe it or not, I am a very open-minded teacher and well known as siding with the underdog to make change.

  • http://ericstefani.com eric

    Great post of the video. Sorry I do not have time to read all comments. Very interesting

  • http://www.rileycentral.net/ Damien Riley

    @eric: Thanks E :)

  • Mary

    thanks, damien – I’m enjoying it too — and I wonder — can you think of some activity she could have mentioned besides travel that would have come across better, in your opinion?

    For instance, working in a McDonald’s or at an investment firm, or going for her master’s in English lit, or caring for her ailing mother. Seriously — what kind of rhetoric would made her article more palatable to you.

    And where did the “and no, I don’t hate rich people” come from? Do you assume she’s rich because she’s traveling?

  • http://www.rileycentral.net/ Damien Riley

    @Mary: She might have said, “I am a rare case at 24 in that I have no child expenses and I am not married so I can travel and write to forget all this.”

    I think a better piece from her would be “How I learned I was not a Teacher.” or “5 reasons why Teaching is not for me.”

    My friend and guitar mentor Dave Sharp said something once that illustrates how I feel about her piece. He is left handed and when I asked him why he didn’t learn to play it backwards or string it upside-down as many do he told me: “You bend around the guitar, it doesn’t bend around you.” Do you see the way I view her message in that piece?

    My next post should probably be compassionate because I feel like I have been nothing but critical toward this article ;)

    I start a new school year in the morning and I am thrilled to the gills with thoughts of endless possibilities.

  • Mary

    So, she should have justified herself to other teachers (the majority?) who don’t have the luxury of traveling.

    And you assume that because she left it means teaching is not for her — as if she should have put up with anything that came her way, because that’s what authentic teachers do.

    If your responses are typical, then it does seem to me that teachers have an inferiority complex that ultimately can’t be good for teachers, kids or the future of education.

    That’s NOT to say that you can’t be a good teacher — only that teachers could have happier lives and help improve the educational process more effectively if they had a stronger sense of self.

    Best wishes for the coming school year.

  • http://www.rileycentral.net/ Damien Riley

    Thanks Mary for your replies.

  • http://leadingfromtheheart.org Tracy Rosen

    I don’t quite understand the focus on travel in some of the comments. Your commentary does not at all seem to be about how much you would like to be able to travel but about how teaching is not for everyone.

    I see where you are coming from, Damien. I’ve repeated a few times over the past few days – you may have the desire to teach but unless you have the passion – unless it feeds your soul – you will soon discover it is not for you, as Sarah did.

    I enjoyed reading this post because it echoes my own thoughts on the matter and it helps to show that I am not alone in thinking this way.

  • http://www.rileycentral.net/ Damien Riley

    @Tracy Rosen: Thanks Tracy. Yeah, Mary came out of left field with the travel thing. I appreciate you reminding me I’m not crazy. I just started back to work today, loving putting my classroom back together. 09-10 is gonna be my best yet. I trust the same will happen for you.