As teacher resignation letters increasingly go public -- and viral -- new research indicates teachers are not leaving solely due to low pay and retirement, but also because of what they see as a broken education system.
In a trio of studies, Michigan State University education expert Alyssa Hadley Dunn and colleagues examined the relatively new phenomenon of teachers posting their resignation letters online. Their findings, which come as many teachers are signing next year's contacts, suggest educators at all grade and experience levels are frustrated and disheartened by a nationwide focus on standardized tests, scripted curriculum and punitive teacher-evaluation systems.
Teacher turnover costs more than $2.2 billion in the U.S. each year and has been shown to decrease student achievement in the form of reading and math test scores.
"The reasons teachers are leaving the profession has little to do with the reasons most frequently touted by education reformers, such as pay or student behavior," said Dunn, assistant professor of teacher education. "Rather, teachers are leaving largely because oppressive policies and practices are affecting their working conditions and beliefs about themselves and education."
The study quoted a teacher in Boston: "I did not feel I was leaving my job. I felt then and feel now that my job left me."
(Score: 2) by Zz9zZ on Friday April 07 2017, @07:36PM
It isn't that hard to find out the bad teachers, that is the job of the administration. Kids can complain to parents, admin can review teaching materials, etc.
Standardized tests and any other "system" which is used to constantly assess performance and pass judgment is a horrible way to treat human beings. Sure you might catch some of the bad ones that are sliding by, but such systems bring down everyone else. They add stress to already stressful jobs, and those methods used in the US are the exact reason we're seeing this article.
This modern society we've created is anti-human, creates problems that aren't really there, and prevents innovation.
~Tilting at windmills~