Kim Frencken: Thoughts on teachers looking for a new job

It doesn't long for the topic of moving to a different position or a different district, or quitting to come up in a conversation among educators. That is, if they are not counting down the days until retirement.

The reasons are always varied and yet the same. Everyone has a personal reason, but they can relate to what others are saying.

One may be faced with the stress of meeting unrealistic job demands, another may be dealing with an unsupportive administrator. While these sound different, and they are, they are also related. 

A supportive administrator would not place unrealistic job demands on his/her staff. They would find a way to help alleviate the stress. 

Not all blame can be placed at the feet of the building administrator. School boards and upper administration are often to blame for placing higher expectations on the shoulders of educators. A building administrator can help teachers by providing paid work days or offer assistance in meeting district goals.

New teachers are especially bombarded with a list of demands that leaves them feeling overwhelmed and ineffective. Lack of support leaves them feeling like an island that is ready to sink. 

Administrators turn to seasoned teachers to guide and mentor those new to the profession. Job demands and lack of common plan time often make these times more stressful than helpful. And yet it isn't fair to expect seasoned teachers to help new teachers when they are also feeling overwhelmed.

I think all would agree on lack of respect. If you work for an administrator that follows the mantra of letting kids be kids, watch out. 

What they are really saying is that kids have been empowered to the point of running the school. Not a place any teacher wants to be. Empowering students is one of the most dangerous ideas I've seen. 

From this trend have come youthful activists that do not have an understanding of what they represent, but they don't care as long as they are loud enough to get attention. We need to stop treating kids like adults and start treating them like kids who need guidance, an education, support, discipline, and encouragement. Kids need structure, not a free range.

What will stop the vicious cycle? At what point will administrators and other school officials stop experimenting with new trends and get back to the basics of educating our next generation? 

I keep hoping that this downward spiral will stop, only to see a new article posted about the large numbers of teachers exiting the profession. The real losers are the kids and the teachers who have a heart for teaching.

(For more of Kim Frencken's writing and information about her educational products, check out her blog Chocolate for the Teacher.)