Too many quality teachers in the making are having their spirit crushed, their confidence eroded and their love of teaching taken from them:
SWAMPED teachers who quit the classroom say their passion has been “killed off” and they feel “overwhelmed and undervalued”.
And the profession has been described as “toxic” with a possible “crisis” looming.
The damning descriptions are part of exit surveys of 261 teachers and staff who resigned from the Education Department between January 2011 and January 2012, outlined in a report obtained by The Sunday Times this week.
The report also shows:
* More teachers blame poor work-life balance and workload pressures for their decision to quit, with those reasons cited in 13.4 per cent of resignations.
* Eleven per cent cited family reasons and just under one in 10 said they wanted to pursue other interests.
* Health issues were blamed by 8 per cent of those who quit in the past year.
* Staff said the department’s methods for dealing with disruptive students needed the greatest attention.
* Seven out of 10 teachers leaving the department said they would consider returning in the future, indicating most were generally happy.
There are many teachers who have not quit but are literally going through the motions. Our students require teachers who enjoy what they do. Any changes to our failing education system must address this.
Click here to read ‘5 Tips for Stressed Teachers’.
Click here to read ‘The Overwhelming Responsibilities of the Modern Teacher’
Tags: Crisis in teaching and education, Education Department, exit surveys of teachers, Health issues among teachers, poor work-life balance and workload pressures, Teacher resignations, Teacher Welfare, Teachers feeling overwhelmed and undervalued, teachers who quit the classroom, teaching disruptive students
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