How do we prepare teachers for the stresses related to the teaching profession?
Whenever I have talked with current teachers about what they were most unprepared for, they say something about politics, parents, or administration. At first it really surprised me, but once another couple teachers said something along the same line, I thought about it. In my planned course work, there isn't anything on team work, authority, or parents. As a teacher, your job is people. Forming, relating to, and educating people. We cover the psychology of the developing mind, but not the mentality of a parent who is concerned about their child failing. We are well informed about "special education" students, but not about the pressures put on the curriculum directors of our districts. In order to prepare educators for these things, I suggest a "social skills in the work place" course. It sounds like, "how do you get along with your cubicle neighbor?" but it really would be a lot more than that. Your job is based on your ability to relate to people, so you should understand who they are and their perspective in order to best serve them.
How do we prevent 50% of teachers from changing professions less than three years into their career?
I think that having more social activities for the staff and more collaborative learning experiences (like team teaching or swapping teachers for one hour) would be really helpful. I feel that teaching is a very isolated profession - the lack of connection would lead me to quit. Also, I think teaching the same students for two or more years would be a positive experience for both students and teacher, as they would be more connected and know how to work with each other well. Having mentors might also help. If you are a new teacher at a school or district, having someone who knows your position meet with you regularly (once a week at first, then once a month etc) for the first year or two would be really helpful. It's really tough to start in a new place, and having someone help you get your bearings would be invaluably helpful.
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