In describing education in the new millennium, the opening
words of Charles Dickens in the Tale of Two Cities comes
to mind: it is the best of times and the worst of times.
Teaching today is more challenging than it has ever been
before. However, there has never been a more rewarding
time to be in the classroom either. So how educators perceive
their role today is largely based on their attitudes and
perspectives.
First of all let us look at some facts. School children are
coming to school increasingly more needy. For example the
Columbus Public Schools free and reduced lunch percentage
(a common measure of poverty) has gone from 26.3 percent
in 1996 to 42 percent in 2006. Similarly from 1996 to 2006
the district’s minority percentage has gone from 6 percent
to 25percent. Many of these individuals come to school needing
to learn English. During the last decade we also have seen
a dramatic rise in single parent homes. Also during this
decade the percentage of dual-parent worker homes has risen
to the point that Nebraska now is number one in the nation
in dual-parent workers. Nebraska also leads the nation in
the percent of single parents that are working. This says
nothing about the number of parents that must work more than
one job to meet their families’ basic needs.
From the statistics above, you can see that families are
extremely stretched. This has a noticeable impact on the
socio-emotional and material readiness of children when they
hit the classroom doors. For example, I am often told that
for many students the only full meal they will have during
the day is their noon school lunch. Likewise, for many of
them, the only positive adult relationship they will experience
during the day will be with a school staff member.
These facts make teaching a very different job than it was
ten years ago. No longer do teachers have the luxury of focusing
solely on academics and forgetting the other needs of their
students. They, at times, take on very different roles than
the one for which they were trained. They are asked to be
counselors, parents, nurses, mentors, and role models every
day they enter the classroom.
The challenges do not stop there for teachers. While they
have more needy customers than ever before in history, they
also are asked to do more than ever with those customers.
This is due to Federal and State regulations, special education
mandates, increased school accountability and so forth. Parent
expectations of schools are very high today as well.
This is why teaching is more challenging than ever before.
Amazingly, it is also more rewarding that it has ever been
before. A recent Metropolitan Life Insurance survey of teachers
found their satisfaction to be at a 20-year high. In 1984,
40 percent indicated they were “very satisfied” with
their career. This year that number skyrocketed to 56 percent.
What is the explanation for this seeming contradiction? How
can teachers love their work more than ever today despite
the huge demands placed on them? I think the answer comes
from two places.
First, our society today recognizes the huge importance of
teachers. It is more prestigious to be a teacher today than
it has ever been. In a Harris poll of various professions
taken this summer, it was found that 52 percent of the respondents
said teaching is an occupation of “very great prestige.” Another
22 percent said it is an occupation of “considerable
prestige.” Only firefighters, doctors, nurses, and scientists
were considered more prestigious jobs. It is obvious the
public is starting to realize the tremendous value of teachers
and beginning to give them the credit they
deserve.
The second cause of teacher positiveness today is their knowledge
that they are so critical to the success of so many young
people. Knowing they are making a difference daily in the
lives of youth is a tremendous source of inner reward. Young
people are starving for positive adult influences. Our caring
and committed teachers are stepping in as never before and
helping to fill that gap. This is something worth getting
out of bed in the morning for!
Next week is Nebraska Education Week. This is a great time
to let teachers know how much you appreciate what they do.
It is also a good time to remember American Education in
your prayers. The success of much in this country depends
on the effectiveness of this critical American resource.
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