Education Week<\/em> article, it was stated:<\/p>\n\u201c78 percent of teachers said they experience frequent job-related stress\u2026and 1 in 5 said they were not coping well with that stress. Half of teachers reported feeling burned out, and 27 percent said they experience symptoms of depression.\u201d<\/p>\n
The pandemic was much more than a virus, it was a life-changer for many educators. The profession that had (according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics) about a modest 8 percent turnover, rose to double-digits and in some surveys a 25 percent figure has been seen as likely.<\/p>\n
The Irony<\/strong><\/p>\nTeachers love to teach. It \u201ctears apart\u201d many educators that they are compelled to walk-away from a profession that was always more than a job. In fact, about 40 percent of teachers who stay in the profession say they like caring for young people.<\/p>\n
Why are teachers leaving? The usual reasons such as \u201cLow Pay\u201d or \u201cburn-out\u201d are givens, but the motivators for teachers to stay run much deeper. Teachers want greater control and nurturing. In an Education Week<\/em> article from May 4, 2021, education writer Liana Loewus wrote:<\/p>\n\u201cSome districts are\u00a0giving teachers more flexibility<\/em> in how and where they do their jobs, including offering continued options for virtual teaching and meetings. Others are looking to\u00a0improve their mentorship programs<\/em>\u00a0for new teachers. And some schools are\u00a0making teachers\u2019 mental health a priority<\/em>\u00a0by creating support groups and reducing barriers to getting insurance-covered counseling services\u2026 while many teachers feel underappreciated and worn out, there are some concrete steps administrators can take to increase the odds they\u2019ll stay\u2014but it all starts with listening.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\nTime to Advocate, Time to Listen<\/strong><\/p>\nAs an educational keynote speaker, who understands the commitment and compassion that educators bring into our lives, the time is long past due to bring a new vision to the teaching community.<\/p>\n
The vision must be one of demanding greater nurturing and support; listening and sharing; a commitment to one another and a determination to help one another succeed. Education must be as much about mutual advocacy as teaching<\/em>.<\/p>\nHow should this vision of advocacy be realized? Encouragement and empowerment must start with the individual. It is a belief each educator must develop within themselves, then to extend that sense of purpose to associates in school systems and to the public. It is tragic when I hear of an educator who decides to leave the profession for a lack to feeling appreciated and supported. It is doubly tragic to students deprived of your experience.<\/p>\n
The way to stem this tide of turnover and a lack of appreciation is for educators to stand up, reach out and join together in greater advocacy. It is my privilege to help.<\/p>\n
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Scott Burrows, Motivational Education Speaker<\/a>. For more information, please contact Scott today or through this website or for more immediate attention at: 520 \u2013 548 \u2013 1169.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Who is Advocating for Educators? I am. As a motivational education keynote speaker, it alarms me that the emotional health of educators is often overlooked given the tremendously high stress they face. Educators know from recent surveys such as the American College Health Association that college students are experiencing high levels of anxiety; about […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11000,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[223,224,227,228,231,234,236,237],"tags":[222,225,226,232,233,235,238],"yoast_head":"\n
Scott Burrows, Motivational Education Speaker - Scott Burrows<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n