A recent AJC Get Schooled blog delved into why fewer Georgians were going into teaching. Among the comments from readers: Teaching was a “spiritual calling,” but many of those called leave because they lose their sense of “calling” from the empty contents of the progressive educational curriculum (whatever that is).
This is utter nonsense. People leave the profession for various reasons, but I’ve never spoken with any teachers who asserted the curriculum soured them on the profession.
It might be helpful to think of teachers as possessing “heart” and “head” for the work. “Head” refers to their knowledge, training and skill set for the complex work of teaching. Clearly, the more knowledge, training and effective skills a teacher possesses, the stronger that teacher is.
But the other dimension, “heart” — where the calling is heard — is as important, if not more so. A teacher with great heart loves her children too much to allow them to give anything but their best effort.
A teacher with great heart doesn’t have to discipline students. She teaches them how to behave. A teacher with great heart will leave her own family for a night to attend a chorus recital of one of her kids whose parents won’t attend.
A teacher with great heart knows she has to capture the hearts of her kids before she can impart a “progressive educational curriculum” to their minds.
In my time as a school principal, I have often referred to those “magical” teachers — the ones with deep wells of skills and love — as having been “called” to the work. Sadly, not nearly enough of our teachers are in the profession because they heard a “calling” at some point in their lives.
Even so, most people who are intelligent, want to teach, are willing to work hard, have decent interpersonal skills and aren’t obsessed with compensation can be taught to be good teachers.
But the ones who are the best, who change lives and impart hope and joy every day, are those who have been “called.” These teachers have a special gift for loving and working with young people — even those children who don’t want to work or act like they don’t want to learn.
They don’t do it for money. They don’t do it for recognition. They don’t do it because it’s their job. They do it because they answered the call.
Educational leaders should be concerned fewer young people are pursuing teacher preparation plans. People have always left the profession, usually blaming at least one or more of the following: surly, unprepared and/or disrespectful kids and parents; unsupportive administrators; long hours; wacky accountability and evaluation systems, and poor compensation.
The districts with the most success retaining their best teachers take the time to listen to the ones leaving and find out why.
I’ve been lucky to have a number of “called” teachers — teachers with the big love and great skills who have worked with me over the years. I fondly remember my sixth-grade teacher as well as my U.S history teacher. Both had been “called.” They never lost their calling. That’s probably why, 45 years later, I still remember them and how they touched my soul.
We need more “called” teachers. They don’t leave.
