Jennifer Roberts @lhighfill what if teams had to fire their newest players regardless of their contributions to the team or talent for the game? #stupid
It is that time of year, good teachers are getting pink slipped. Not because they are not talented…. just because they are new. Somehow the solution to the budget problem is to cut new teachers. I am seeing really talented teachers losing their jobs, this seems to fly in the face of my belief that if you work hard you will succeed.
Keeping teachers in the field is often cited as an issue, many teachers leave the profession within the first 5 years. Uncertain employment regardless of talent certainly can not help quality people feel that the teaching profession is where they want to be.
I find I have a hard time recommending to friends that they should go into teaching. Knowing that finding a job will be challenging, that wages are dwindling, the threat of a 3 week furlough by the state and the high probability of getting repeatedly pink slipped… it would seem foolish to enter the profession.
As a parent I am particularly outraged by this. Do we not all want excellent, innovative and talented people teaching our children? I understand that the budget situation is bad, but sacrificing the future is not the way to balance the budget.
I have quit recommending teaching as a profession and now warn people away from the profession. Teachers are treated so badly and not allowed to teach but rather to give standardized tests. Even good teachers, with great methods and classroom management, have to become formulaic in their teaching.