While we’re all aware of America’s teacher shortage, Fareed Zakaria shines some light on the roots of the problem in Fareed’s Take (see the video below).
Zakaria summarizes the problem as follows:
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Teachers today are significantly less appreciated than they were in the past.
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Teachers in America are five times as likely to have a second job than the average full-time worker.
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Teacher pay has declined over the past 15 years when adjusted for deflation – teachers earn 60% of what a professional with comparable education makes.
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American educators are quitting the profession at double the rate of teachers in leading nations.
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Since 35% fewer people have studied to become teachers in recent years, more than 100,000 unqualified teachers were hired across the US this year, including teachers from low wage countries.
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While education is a complicated issue that is not entirely money driven, other countries are able to recruit top college students into the profession because they pay well and show deep respect for the profession.
Fareed concludes his take by stating, “Being a teacher in America has become a thankless job, and yet, teaching is the one profession that makes all other professions possible.”
Regularly expressing our gratitude for the work that teachers do is a step we can all take to change the tone around the profession in America.
To all of the teachers in the Teach Away community, thank you for all you do! Whether you’re teaching in the United States or somewhere else, we appreciate your significant contributions.
