K-12 education is dominated by female teachers with about 76% of the workforce being filled by women. While teaching has been a favored career for women for many years, the numbers have increased more and more over time. In fact:
- the female teaching force has increased by more than 60% since the early 1980s
- about 90% of elementary teachers are female
- about 60% of high school teachers are female
This contrasts with administrative positions where about 75% of superintendents are male and about ½ of principals are male (75% for high school).
In addition to men being under-represented in teaching, there are a disproportionate number of White teachers, with about:
- 79% White
- 9% Hispanic
- 7% Black
- 2% Asian
This contrasts with the fact that many of the students in public education are minorities (more than 50%).
While there is still disproportionality, charter schools tend to have more diversity in their teaching staff with about:
- 68% White
- 10.4% Black
- 15.6% Hispanic
However, the gender breakdown is similar in charter schools compared with public schools. Private schools tend to have even less diversity with about:
- 85% White
- 3% Black
- 7% Hispanic
76% of teachers are women. 79% of teachers are White.
Teachers tend to be paid lower salaries than other careers and, in most states, their income falls below the state living wage. The younger the students, the lower the pay, and the more likely to be female. About 18% of teachers work second jobs to supplement their income. The idea that teachers have shorter workdays and summers off is basically a myth.
Teachers work long days and most work in the summers. Most teachers feel that they are underpaid and over-worked. To keep up with the demands of their job, teachers often struggle to find a good work-life balance and often must work:
- evenings
- weekends
- on days off
More than half of teachers consider leaving the field because of stress and burn-out. Over time, this can lead to:
- exhaustion
- cynicism
- inefficiency
Many teachers experience:
- high stress
- anxiety
- depression
- physical health problems
These symptoms stem from:
- poor funding
- lack of resources
- insufficient training
- high teacher-student ratios
- growing challenges with student behavior, trauma, and mental health issues (particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic).
Teachers tend to be paid lower salaries than other careers and, in most states, their income falls below the state living wage.
Providing teachers with training and resources to help them understand, cope, and manage high emotional demands can improve teacher well-being and decrease burnout. Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) has been shown to be a highly effective tool for improving student wellness, behavior, and academic outcomes.
In addition, SEL can improve teacher:
- wellness
- attitude
- resilience
Teachers must learn not only how to teach SEL to their students, but how to incorporate SEL into their own lives and apply it to their own well-being. For instance, learning the following can help them cope better:
- self-awareness
- stress management
- mindfulness
- optimism
- self-care strategies
SEL can improve teacher wellness, attitude, and resilience.
Having a better understanding of the following can help teachers feel more comfortable interacting with students (and often decrease student behavioral challenges):
- emotions
- culture
- values
- social differences
Other ways to improve morale for teachers are to increase their autonomy and give them the opportunity to make decisions related to things that they feel will best help their students, including:
- curriculum
- materials
- teaching practices
Research indicates that there is a strong correlation between teacher autonomy and retention.
It is also imperative that teachers be included in discussions about policy and school climate. Their input on the following can help guide the culture and work climate that will keep teachers motivated, engaged, and productive (and reduce attrition):
- what would make work better
- what challenges they have
- what resources they need
- what training they feel would be valuable
Research indicates that there is a strong correlation between teacher autonomy and retention.
Wednesday, October 5, is World Teacher’s Day. In addition to the traditional ways of showing appreciation to teachers such as giving small gifts or letters, offering a breakfast or lunch party, etc., it is important to make the effort to give them a voice.
This year, ask them:
- What would help them do their job better?
- What would improve their stress?
- What skills would they like to learn to better help themselves and their students?
Empower educators by giving them:
- more autonomy
- more support
- more resources
Happy World Teacher’s Day to all the passionate, committed, and outstanding women who give their lives to teaching children every day!
Happy World Teacher’s Day to all the passionate, committed, and outstanding women who give their lives to teaching children every day!
