Full Description
"In this lively and interesting book, Katy Farber makes public the real reasons why inexperienced teachers rarely stay long enough or get the support they need to become good, why good teachers don't become great, and why great teachers quit."
—Deborah Meier, Educational Reformer, Writer, and Activist
"This book is for every parent who has had their child's teacher leave in the middle of the year, every administrator who marvels at the difficulty of teacher retention or team spirit, every policy maker ready to walk the walk, and anyone who has invested years in preparation for a career in the classroom only to be faced with the thought of cutting his or her losses."
—Esmé Raji Codell, Author of Educating Esmé
Learn why today's best teachers are leaving—from the teachers themselves.
Low pay, increased responsibilities, and high-stakes standardized testing—these are just some of the reasons why more talented teachers are leaving the profession than ever before. Drawing on in-depth interviews with teachers all over the country, Katy Farber presents an in-the-trenches view of the classroom exodus and uncovers ways that schools can turn the tide.
Farber's findings paint a sometimes shocking picture of life in today's schools, taking a frank look at
Challenges to teacher endurance, including tight budgets, difficult parents, standardized testing, unsafe schools, inadequate pay, and lack of respect
Strategies veteran teachers use to make sure the joys of teaching outweigh the frustrations
Success stories from individual schools and districts that have found solutions to these challenges
Recommendations for creating a school environment that fosters teacher retention
Featuring clear analysis and concrete suggestions for administrators and policy makers, Why Great Teachers Quit takes you to the front lines of the fight to keep great teachers where they belong: in the classroom.
Contents
Foreword by Virginia Hines
Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Author
"Guardian" by Katy Farber
Introduction
1. Standardized Testing
Effects on School Climate
Effects on Curriculum
Effects on Teaching Schedules and Learning Outcomes
Effects on Students
Recommendations for Administrators and Teacher Leaders
Words of Wisdom From Veteran Teachers
The Silver Lining: Personally Fulfilling
Hope on the Horizon: Reevaluating Our Standardized-Testing Culture
Additional Resources
2. Working Conditions in Today's Schools
Big Problem #1: Violence
Big Problem #2: Unsafe Schools
Small Problems That Add Up
Recommendations for Administrators and Teacher Leaders
Words of Wisdom From Veteran Teachers
Hope on the Horizon: Cities Adopt the Precautionary Principle
Success Stories: Green Schools
Additional Resources
3. Ever-Higher Expectations
Unrealistic Expectations
The Time Crunch: Do More With Less
Professional Development That Doesn't Speak to Real Concerns
The Threat to Health and Well-Being
Recommendations for Administrators and Teacher Leaders
Words of Wisdom From Veteran Teachers
Success Stories: Professional Learning Communities and Collaboration Time
The Silver Lining: Challenging and Always Changing
Additional Resources
4. Bureaucracy
Field Trips: No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
Committees: The Death of Creative Ideas
Purchase Orders and Closed Budgets
Scheduling: Not Ideal for Students or Teachers
Policy: Lack of Input
Recommendations for Administrators and Teacher Leaders
Words of Wisdom From Veteran Teachers
Success Stories: Real Life Integrated Learning
The Silver Lining: Making a Difference
Additional Resources
5. Respect and Compensation
Struggling to Make Ends Meet
Paying for School Supplies
A Culture of Disrespect
The Martyr System: Do More for Free
Recommendations for Administrators and Teacher Leaders
Words of Wisdom From Veteran Teachers
Success Stories: A Decent Working Wage
Hope on the Horizon: Teacher Pay and Respect in New York and Other States
The Silver Lining: Helping Children Learn and Grow
Additional Resources
6. Parents
Unrealistic Demands and No Limits
My Child Is Always Right
Helicopter Parents: Micromanaging the Classroom
Recommendations for Administrators and Teacher Leaders
Words of Wisdom From Veteran Teachers
Success Stories: Partnering to Help a Child Read and Participate
The Silver Lining: Contributing to a Community Over Time
Additional Resources
7. Administrators
The Pressure Cooker of the Principalship
Pressure From Parents
Testing Pressure
Time Pressure
Mentors Help Principals, Too
Recommendations for Administrators and Teacher Leaders
Words of Wisdom From Veteran Teachers
Success Stories: Principal Mentors Make a Difference
Additional Resources
8. School Boards
Shared Leadership
Uses and Abuses of Power
Recommendations for Administrators and Teacher Leaders
Words of Wisdom From Veteran Teachers
Success Stories: School Board, Administrator, and Teacher Teams
The Silver Lining: Buoyed by a Supportive Community
Hope on the Horizon: Teaming Up With Teachers
Additional Resources
Afterword: Final Thoughts
References
Index
