New teachers are drawn to the profession by a strong desire to teach. They enter teaching aware of the demands of the job and the salary levels they can expect. Once in the profession, new teachers feel an enormous sense of fulfillment and job satisfaction, far more so than college graduates of the same age working in other jobs. Despite this, teachers leave their chosen profession at higher rates than professionals in many other fields. By some estimates, 40 to 50 percent of new teachers leave after five years on the job.

The numbers speak to the difficulty new teachers face during the first few years of teaching. Research shows that after one year, 11 percent leave; after two years, 21 percent quit; and after five years, 39 percent stopped teaching. Teacher dropout rates remain very low during the mid-career period and rise again as teachers approach retirement age. Researchers have attempted to identify the factors that cause teachers to leave a profession to which they were initially so strongly attracted. Various studies have shown that working conditions, more than anything else, are the main source of teacher dissatisfaction and play an important role in the decision to leave the profession. Stressful working conditions, particularly large class sizes, inadequate instructional materials, and endless paperwork, along with lack of support from administrators, lack of respect from the public, and relatively low pay, are the main reasons why teachers stop teaching .

Teacher Satisfaction

When asked if they were given the chance to do it all over again, despite everything they now know, 82 percent said they would choose the profession again. A majority (64 percent) also said they would choose the same career path. The vast majority (90 percent) of teachers said they were confident they were making a difference in the lives of their students, and 86 percent felt that if they kept trying, they could reach all of their students. Teachers rated their pre-service preparation, mentor and peer support, control over instructional decisions, and access to appropriate instructional materials as the factors that most influenced their ability to teach effectively. While most teachers said they planned to remain in the profession, approximately 20 percent said they were considering leaving the profession, citing salary, insufficient resources and materials, and the difficult and exhausting nature of the work as factors influencing their this decision. They felt that these factors, along with the unmanageable size of the class and the poor physical condition of the classroom, had a negative impact on their ability to teach effectively.

Conversations among teachers about their first years in the classroom reflected the results of the survey, as well as those of national surveys. Teachers used words like arduous, confusing, chaotic, and overwhelming to describe their first-year experiences. Young teachers, as well as older teachers entering the profession from other careers, described teaching as one of the most difficult jobs they have ever had.

Despite these challenges, the teachers demonstrated a great deal of commitment, resourcefulness, and determination to educate their students. They were proud of the progress they had made in terms of their own personal and professional growth, and what they had accomplished with their students. It is not teaching per se, but the conditions in which they are forced to teach that are at the root of teacher dissatisfaction.

Inadequate resources

Some teachers described how inadequate classroom space hurt their instruction. Without a classroom of their own, they were asked to transfer teaching materials from one classroom to another. As a result, they lost time that could have been used for preparation, were unable to display student work, and found it difficult to establish routines in the classroom. If students had a wide range of needs and abilities, large class sizes made it much more difficult for teachers to address individual needs, which, in turn, left them feeling frustrated and discouraged and questioning their choice of course. career.

In addition to the time needed to plan and prepare for instruction, teachers were overwhelmed by the amount of paperwork they had to complete. In some cases, very little support was provided to complete critical documents such as student report cards and instructional educational plans. Teachers were also expected to take on non-teaching responsibilities and supervise extracurricular activities. While some saw such participation as an opportunity to be closer to their students and fellow teachers, others saw it as a waste of time.

culture is critical

Being part of a professional environment in which teachers hold high expectations for students, take personal responsibility for teaching them effectively, and are committed to improving their own teaching practices is critical to teachers feeling supported and satisfied. . Teachers spoke of the emotional and professional support provided by colleagues, administrators, and building staff.

Some teachers did not feel welcome at the school, feeling varying degrees of isolation. Others felt that learning to navigate the social infrastructure was also a barrier.

Even teachers who described their schools as collaborative and supportive often felt they were alone and burdened to seek help from colleagues or school administrators. A common refrain: Unless you’re proactive about getting help, you probably won’t get it. Some teachers were too overwhelmed to ask for help; others were reluctant to approach more experienced peers, feeling they already had too much to do.

New teachers list the most pressing working conditions

– Large classes

– Insufficient space in the classroom or no assigned classroom

– Lack of books, textbooks and supplies.

– Lack of a strong professional community; schools with cultures that foster low standards among teachers and reinforce negative stereotypes of the teaching profession

– Weak or ineffective leadership.

– Absence of clear disciplinary policies at the school or district level

– Not knowing what to expect; having to learn things the hard way