An Open Letter to Young Teachers Considering Quitting
Over the last week (really, the last week!!!) I’ve talked with or have heard about three teachers, teachers with one or two years of experience, that have either already quit or are considering leaving the Decatur Public Schools at the end of this school year. In one case, I heard the sadness in her voice and felt her frustration. I’m 58 years old and understand what it feels like when you want to leave your job. I’ve been there, and (I guess this is the first thing I want you to know) I can sympathize with what you’re feeling.
Teacher retention in the DPS 61 is well below the states. I imagine this is because we have more teachers in DPS that leave for other districts, so I will address both teachers that are leaving to pursue some other profession and those that want to stay in teaching but want to leave Decatur Public Schools. I’ll try to address the second type first.
To start with though, I should tell you if no one that you work with has told you over the last 3 to 6 months, “You’re a good teacher, and we need you!” then maybe you should consider quitting. Either you aren’t cut out for teaching or you’re in a situation that is so devoid of caring, it may be time to leave. But be prepared for dissatisfaction wherever you go next. Happiness in life doesn’t always, or even usually, come from your career choice – friends, family, hobbies, the arts, education, these are often what brings fulfillment in life. (But I’m getting ahead of myself.)
If you’re considering leaving DPS for another District
To get right down to it, I have four arguments to try and convince you to stay:
Respect is evanescent.
Your impact on children’s lives is great in DPS.
Money.
Administrators come and go, so master your craft and build your autonomy.
1. Respect is evanescent. The lack of respect and appreciation for the work you do is a common phrase heard in Decatur Public Schools. But I have sad news for you: according to a study published in the Harvard Business Review over half of all employees (in all professions, not just teaching) say they don’t regularly get respect from their leaders either! You’re not alone, and the odds are if you move to a different district, you won’t feel respected there either. My colleagues at the DPS Chalkboard have worked at a combined total of 10 companies and you are more likely to feel respect and appreciation from your students than you are at some of the companies where we’ve worked. If you’re a reasonably good teacher, respect and appreciation should come from your coworkers and hopefully from your supervisors/administrators. If you don’t get it, ask yourself if you are doing it (giving respect where it’s due) yourself? Are you telling your coworkers that they are great? We don’t do that enough and we should all be part of the change. (As a side note, this community is one place where we want to change that. Give a shout out in the comments below to a relatively new, great teacher.)
Additionally, if you’re looking for respect from your students, I don’t have much to tell you except that respect is difficult to earn, but I believe it is possible and something that you must earn anywhere you teach. I’ve taught at the college level and have had to deal with disrespectful behavior in class (see this excellent article about how to deal with cursing in class) but I believe respect can and will come from many, but probably never all, of your students.
2. Your impact on children’s lives is great in DPS. At DPS you can impact the lives of so many every single year. In other districts you may be just another teacher, but in Decatur where positive influencers are sometimes lacking, you can make a difference every day. This is the truth. If you want to teach in Naperville, your days may be easier, but life is sometimes more meaningful when you have struggles but make an impact. The bottom line is we need you. (Some of) The community appreciates the work you do, and we want you to stay!
3. Money. I’m not going to spend too much time here because most people don’t go into teaching for the money, but you would be naïve to not include this in your calculation. If you are, for example, looking to move to the surrounding school districts, you will make somewhere in the range of $5,000 to $8,000 less, and if you go to a private school, it will be even less than that. Money doesn’t buy happiness, but as they say “it’s a good start”. $5,000 at 5% per year will grow to over $330,000 in 30 years. And I’m being conservative here - the stock market has returned over 8% since 1957. And this doesn’t even include the larger payment you will get when you retire from your larger average salary!
4. Administrators come and go, so master your craft and build your autonomy. If you’re considering leaving DPS for another district because you don’t like your boss or are unhappy with the administration, please remember that bosses will come and go in your life. We’ve said it in a previous article: we all want autonomy, mastery and purpose in our life and career. There’s no better place to find purpose than in a DPS classroom. Administrators can affect what you teach but make no mistake: the classroom is yours! You have autonomy there. If you don’t feel like you have it, that’s on you. Take control of your emotions and realize the time in front of the students is yours. And finally, every day in front of kids is a chance to master the art of teaching. Embrace your mastery.
If you’re considering leaving DPS for another profession
But obviously some of you might be considering leaving DPS to go into another profession. Steven Levitt, the economics professor and author of Freakonomics advises in an interview in the Atlantic magazine that when considering two major life alternatives, “change” is usually the best choice. But keep in mind he’s talking about moving from one job to another, not just simply leaving a job with nothing else waiting. If you have another offer to make more money than you are now (but in your calculations, make sure you factor in the great retirement plan available to teachers), and you’re fed up with teaching, pack your bags! Steve Levitt might be right, and change could be good for you. But, after thoughtful analysis, this isn’t always the case. Working in a large corporation, nursing, and even starting your own business are all fraught with issues. Think about sitting in a cubicle and staring at a computer screen nine hours a day; or if you think the respect factor is bad as a teacher, try being a nurse in the ER for a day; or if you’re thinking of starting that small business, imagine being saddled with loans and worrying about if you will need to sell your house to pay your creditors (I’ve been in the middle of situations like that – it’s not a fun way to live!).
Mike Rowe (star of the TV series Dirty Jobs) makes a great case for NOT following your passion in his viral TED Talk. Instead, he says to develop a passion for the job you already have. Remember: at one point in your life, you figured “teaching” would be the right career for you. Rowe says, “your happiness on the job has very little to do with the work itself”. Trust us, this is the smartest thing you will read or hear this week, so good I will repeat… “your happiness on the job has very little to do with the work itself”.
One final note because I’ve mentioned happiness a few times now. Russ Roberts, the host of Econtalk – one of my favorite podcasts, consistently mentions “the examined life” in his podcasts. He says, the meaning of life is not about happiness, but about struggle – failing and achieving. Studies have shown that people without children are happier, yet most people still choose to lead a life that includes children. People have an innate sense of what is important in life – and struggling is part of that. Who in your circle of friends “got more” out of college - the ones that skated by, or the ones that challenged themselves and struggled to take in as much knowledge and experience as they could? It may take a mental shift, but it’s one I think everyone can make - embrace the struggle that is teaching.
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