Why Good Teachers DON'T Quit

We have all read them, the articles about why good teachers quit. We have all read about why teachers are leaving the profession, why they don’t stick it out.

Where are the articles/blogs about why good teachers teach? Why is no one writing about the dedication to stay? Why are we all focusing on the negative about teaching, instead of the positive? Shouldn’t someone write about why we teach, why thousands of teachers retire from teaching? We need to celebrate those teachers, instead of applauding those who give up.

Well, here I am!! I am here to talk about why I teach, why I’m not quitting.

Let me start by saying that teaching is a lot of work, there is no doubting that. Teachers work long hours, at home, on the weekends, and over their breaks. Teaching takes a lot of work; it is so much more than teaching a lesson and grading an assignment. If you are getting into teaching because you think it is easy, the job isn’t for you.

Now that we all know that teaching is a lot of work, let’s look at the positive. Teachers get to walk into their classroom every day and impact lives. That is a BIG job! You are helping to mold students every year, having in impact, whether big or small, as to whom that child will be one day. Don’t ever forget that, teachers. We get to help students learn and grow, and they depend on us way more than we realize. Children need teachers, and they need good ones who are dedicated.

So let me tell you why I am not going to quit, why I won’t leave.

First of all, I was taught commitment and dedication. I was taught to not give up just because the going gets tough. I hate that teachers are quitting, because their job is hard. Get over it! Work is hard, but with hard work comes great rewards.

I’m not going to be modest here. These kids need me. I’m not going to sit here and say I am God’s gift to teaching, because I know better, but I’m also not going to pretend that I don’t make a difference. Kids need a teacher to dedicate their lives to them, to work hard for them, and not give up. How can we teach the kids perseverance, if we just give up? What message does that send to the hundreds of kids that come into our lives? Children need teachers who are going to be a good role model for them, teachers to inspire them and push them.

I’m not afraid of hard work. I won’t quit because we have too much to do. Like I said, teaching is hard work, so don’t kid yourself into thinking you can work 7:45-3:45. When people quit something because it is too hard, or too much work, to me that sounds like they are lazy. Lazy isn’t something I want people to say about me (unless it’s a Sunday afternoon and I’m watching Netflix). I’m not going to quit a career I worked so hard for, just because I have too much to do each week.

For me, my job comes down to one major incentive, the kids. If I, a dedicated and hardworking teacher quit, then what? Who will be left to teach these kids, to help inspire, push and mold them? Who will be there to love them? Teachers who quit have no right to complain about the future of this country, because at one point they had the opportunity to change it. That is an opportunity I don’t take for granted.

Discipline, A New Perspective

Discipline as an administrator is completely different than in the classroom. This is something we already know. It is nice to learn how it is different.

As a classroom teacher, you have more “wiggle” room. You can negotiate more with the students, try to find an alternative to an office referral. Really, your goal is to not send them to the office. As I have been told over and over again, “You lose control of the situation when you send a child to the office.” Once they are sent out of your classroom, you don’t have control over their consequences, or sometimes when or if they come back into your classroom.

As administrator, you are the final person, the last resort, the end all, be all. When a child is sent to your office, you are the final decision maker, the investigator, the judge and jury. Yes, you can have your fellow administrator help you out with the consequences, but other than that, you are on your own. Sometimes it can be difficult to find out the real story or the truth. It can be even harder to find the right, and most effective consequence.

As a teacher, thinking about making those decisions, the right decisions is very intimidating. You have to be tougher as an administrator, sometimes not as flexible, and sometimes downright harsh. Deciding on the right consequence can be scary, especially when you think about the consequences you might face from parents or teachers because of the decision you made.

Whether you are a teacher or an administrator, discipline is always difficult. You have to find the balance between tough and kind, fair and loving. In the end, we have to keep in mind the child, and what they will learn from the consequences they face.

The Highs...and Lows of Data

 Oh data! Data makes the world go 'round right? Well, the education world anyway. 

I know not everyone is what they call "data driven." Honestly, I wasn't when I first got started teaching. I didn't realize what a great tool data could be, partially because it was not presented to me as such. When I first became a teacher, data was shoved down my throat, and we were not taught how to utilize it. It was just “here, track this, post it on a wall for all to see, but then don’t use it.” I didn’t realize that data could actually show me what to do and not to do in the classroom, where to go, how to help, where to intervene. I wasn't taught how to use the data, and where to go once we have it.

Six years and a district change later. Man! I can’t wait for my scores to be uploaded into Aware! I’m on pins and needles waiting to see how my kids did, where they need help, what areas they rocked it, and what areas need major intervention. Not only that, but I’m competitive, I mean big time! I want my kids to be the best, our campus to be the best, and for our scores to be better (much better) than they were with the previous assessment. It feels so good to know your kids are achieving, that in turn, you are achieving, and doing a good job.

Then, there are the lows...

Those lows can get you down. Low test scores, low SEs, low averages, low passing rate, they all make you feel one way, inadequate. You feel like you failed your kids, your team, principals, and the district. You wonder what you could have done, should have done differently. Why did your kids not do as well as you thought they would? Why did your campus not have the highest scores in the district? Why, why, why? What could you have done differently or better? Should I be a teacher? Am I any good at teaching? All of these are questions that go through my head when I see data I don’t like.

Then I think

and think

and think.

I am a good teacher. Data drives my instruction, especially my intervention, but it doesn’t drive my TEACHING. I teach kids, not SEs, not a test, not a score. I teach children who depend on me. I’m hard on myself, because I know I have a room full of kids who depend on me. They depend on me to teach them about everything; academically and morally. I have to stop and remember that the data I’m looking at shows a room full of different kids, who have different abilities, needs, and situations. Does low data show a flaw in my teaching? Yes absolutely, sometimes. Sometimes it shows that my kids just aren’t ready yet, or they were tired, hungry, sick, sad, or upset. Sometimes it shows that I need to reteach the concept all over again from a different perspective. It shows that we need to review, and practice, and work hard.

Why do I get so worked up about data? Well, sometimes data is all anyone ever sees out of your teaching. If my data is bad, my scores are low, that automatically means I’m a bad teacher, right? That is sometimes the way I see it.

Then again, I see my kids. My 23 kids, my kids who are growing, learning, and thriving. They don’t care about the data like I do; they care about the awesome new skills they get to take to 4^th grade. They care about me being proud of them, and seeing a smile on my face. I’m so thankful I have a full understanding of how to use my data to help my kids. Now, if only I could learn to not take it so personally. Why don’t we just say, “that is what good teachers do!”