Colleagues,
On Nov. 21, 2014, I posted to physics and chemistry teacher
listservs, on the terribly low numbers of interested high school
students in teaching science.
In response, a highly-regarded teacher-leader, who is nationally
known for his work, posted the note below (and later gave permission
to share it freely):
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I think this is more a reflection of the continued erosion of the
status of teaching as a profession and less a statement on becoming a
science teacher. Becoming a teacher these days is very, very
different than it used to be even as recent as 10 years ago.
Take-home pay has gone down for many teachers over the years as
salaries have stagnated or been reduced and benefits have been
greatly reduced. Teachers who enter the profession now can no longer
count on a pension or enough of a retirement account to be able to
live on. Job security is a thing of the past with many teacher tenure
laws being gutted or abolished and teachers unions legislated to
powerlessness. Districts can easily let go their most senior, highest
paid teachers now for no reasons whatsoever other than cost savings.
Benefits, retirement and job security used to be the tradeoffs that
teachers accepted in exchange for low pay. But these are no longer an
option.
My daughter is a senior in high school this year and she has
expressed an interest in becoming a HS chemistry/biology teacher. She
is exactly the type of role model the teaching profession needs in
years to come. She has been a top AP student all through HS. As a
junior she earned college credit thru AP for Calculus, Chemistry and
US History. She scored a 31 on the ACT. She is active in sports, her
community and with social issues. She is enthusiastic about math and
science. Exactly the type of female role model the STEM education
community needs. I am sorry to say that as she progresses into
college, and many opportunities open up for her, I will strongly
encourage her to NOT go into teaching and to look closely at her
other options. As a caring father, I do not want her to have to be
subjected to the difficulties that lie ahead for our next generation
of teachers.
Hopefully our legislators who have successfully managed to reduce the
teaching profession to such a low level are on this listserv....but
they probably aren't.
Drew Isola
Allegan High School
Physics & Math Teacher
"Those who can - teach. Those who can't - pass laws about teaching"
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REFERENCE: http://www.act.org/stemcondition/14
From page 3:
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The proposed federal STEM Teacher Pathways program seeks to produce
100,000 high-quality math and science teachers in the next decade.
Out of the more than 1.8 million 2014 graduating high school students
tested, however, only 4,424 students expressed an interest in
teaching math, while a meager 1,115 expressed an interest in teaching
science.
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peace,
Jane
Jane Jackson, Co-Director, Modeling Instruction Program
Box 871504, Dept.of Physics, ASU, Tempe, AZ 85287
480-965-8438/fax:965-7565 http://modeling.asu.edu
Jane.Jackson@asu.edu
For 24 years, Modeling Instruction has helped teachers attain
knowledge and skills needed to benefit their students. Modeling
Instruction is designated as an Exemplary K-12 science program by the
U.S. Department of Education. The American Physical Society
recognized it with the 2014 Excellence in Physics Education Award.
The American Modeling Teachers Assn (AMTA) is expanding the work:
http://modelinginstruction.org . AMTA is a 100Kin10 Partner.