On Sept. 8, nearly a million New York City public school students pushed supplies into their bags, slung backpacks over their shoulders and boarded buses, trains and cars that carried them toward a new school year. Though many have faced a challenging two and a half years during the COVID-19 pandemic, they and their families can be sure of at least one constant: teachers were waiting to welcome them back.
New York City’s educators have been at the forefront of the many changes that have swept through the nation’s largest school district during the pandemic. They’ve presided over prolonged classroom closures, implemented remote instruction and pivoted back to in-person, navigated staffing shortages, supported vulnerable students and have put their own mental and physical health on the line to do so. Some have even lost colleagues and friends to the virus.
A new school year is beginning – one that poses new and long-standing difficulties. A battle over school budget cuts has persisted through the summer, complicating principals’ ability to make plans for the year. New York City schools have also rolled back many pandemic-era policies, such as ending random COVID-19 testing and mandating masks. Student enrollment at K-12 schools, as reported by Chalkbeat New York, has also declined about 9.5% in the past two and a half years, which has prompted questions about how funding should be tied to the number of students in the future. Some of the children returning to class may have experienced the loss of loved ones, food insecurity and mental health challenges during the pandemic.
During a Thursday morning press conference outside of P.S. 51 in Hell’s Kitchen, United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew acknowledged that New York City wasn’t exempt from the teacher shortage currently impacting parts of the country as it has become increasingly difficult to attract and retain enough teachers, especially those who work in special education and English-language learner programs. As for the educators who’ve been “excessed” – a term for being let go and placed into a districtwide hiring pool – due to decreased school funding, Mulgrew said about 1,000 teachers are currently without school placements. The teachers union will start connecting those educators with open positions in the next couple of weeks.
“But it’s not what should be happening right now,” Mulgrew said. “We are finally back to some sort of normal and there’s a lot of work that has to be done. We know from the last two years, and especially from last year, how much damage has happened. Yet, again we’ve left every school to come up with their own plan.”
New York City teachers are certainly not a monolith, and many of their feelings heading into the new year are complex. They’ve experienced a myriad of grief, determination, burnout, hope, frustration, fear and, perhaps above all else, an unbowed belief in public education at its best. Some teachers have left their posts to pursue other jobs, heal or attend to other matters. Other educators have forged ahead, doing as they always have; adapting, pivoting – making the best of the cards they’ve been handed.
City & State New York spoke with three New York City teachers about how their recent experiences have shaped their choices and perspectives.
Liat Olenick, former Park Slope second grade teacher
Regardless of whether school was held remotely or in-person, Fridays were for dancing in Liat Olenick’s classroom. Nearly every week in the previous school year, the 36-year-old Park Slope teacher would play Kidz Bop renditions of popular songs in hopes of building community and her second graders’ social skills.
These two things were recurring themes she pulled from her teaching arsenal throughout the pandemic, whether it was incorporating dancing, talking about ecology on walks to the parks, or leading art projects and science experiments over Zoom while teaching pre-K during the 2020-2021 school year. The remote teaching experience, she said, was especially rewarding because it gave her the chance to introduce young children to education in a positive way despite the stressful and scary time.
“Ultimately the most important thing is relationships and making learning meaningful and joyful for kids,” she said. “In every context I worked in throughout COVID, I felt like the experience of this roller coaster reaffirmed that for me.”
But after about 11 years of teaching, Olenick was not among the ranks of teachers returning to school this fall. She decided to take a leave of absence. It was a very difficult decision to step away – one she made this summer after giving birth and considering her own health. Olenick received an emergency liver transplant when she was 19. As an immunocompromised transplant recipient and new parent, she said the risk felt too great given the rolled back COVID-19 rules and class sizes that have returned to pre-pandemic sizes.
“I don’t want to be scared at work,” she said, adding that she wished there were more exceptions this year for high-risk teachers, students and their families.
As for what comes next, Olenick said she was excited to spend time with her baby and have more time to work on climate organizing – another one of her passions. Still, she acknowledged that the classroom will likely always call to her in some capacity.
“I’m a lifelong educator. Once an educator, always an educator,” Olenick said. “I definitely think that in some capacity, I’ll work in education again. … I hope I can return to my school next year but I will just need to see how things are. Maybe they’ll come up with a universal vaccine. Wouldn’t that be amazing?”
Deirdre Levy, a Brooklyn elementary school special education teacher
After schools went remote in the spring of 2020, Deirdre Levy worked to develop a coloring book about hope and recovery so she could deliver it to her students and other members of her community in Brooklyn. This is one of the things that the special education teacher said she did to feel more in control as she battled feelings of intense isolation during those early months.
She described it as a tumultuous time. Levy and her partner, who she was set to marry, had broken up before they realized the pandemic was serious, and she had just declared her candidacy for City Council District 35. Her colleague and longtime mentor was also the first Department of Education teacher to die from the virus. Still, she pushed forward, doing her best to balance helping others with self care.
In the months leading up to this school year, Levy – now entering her 10th year of teaching – said the city’s millions of dollars in budget cuts have challenged planning. At least 10 of her colleagues, including the principal and school guidance counselor were either excessed or resigned last month. As a special education teacher, Levy said her biggest concern was about class sizes, as it seemed that hers may go up, but she’ll have to wait and see.
“I came from District 75, so I’m used to working with nothing,” Levy said. “I don’t depend on anyone whatsoever. I don’t think other teachers do either. I think they know better than to depend on anyone to help them.”
Levy said growing up she had never really wanted to be a teacher – she wanted to work in policy. That’s what initially pushed her to become a teacher. Back then, Levy said she thought becoming one would help her understand how the system works and she wanted to have that background if she was going to one day make decisions that impacted schools. Her experiences as a City Council candidate only reiterated that belief and while she loves her school and current work, she would consider pivoting to policy if the timing was right.
“I’m grateful for the position I do have, I just worry about the kind of things that we’re going to have to deal with when we get back to school,” Levy said. “Things change so quickly. All the things that happen in school are a direct reflection of what choices are made in the City Council or the mayor’s office or whomever controls the (Department of Education), so I never hold on to anything. I take things day by day.”
Annie Tan, former Sunset Park fourth and fifth grade special education teacher
Annie Tan remembers being shaken to her very core when she heard that fellow New York City teacher Kimarlee Nguyen had died from COVID-19. It was April 2020 – a time where fear and uncertainty sweltered the city like a bed of smoke – and Tan saw strong parallels between herself and Nguyen. Though they hadn’t been personally acquainted, they were both Asian American women in their early 30s, writers and teachers trying to maintain as much security as they could for their students, even as the world changed around them.
Tan – then a special education teacher in Sunset Park – said she realized that could have been her; she could die from the virus. She began working on her book in earnest, pumping out 1,000 or so words each day on top of her lengthy teaching hours. But then the omicron variant swept through schools in December 2021, bringing new challenges and exacerbating all the difficulties Tan had endured the previous year.
“When that despair utterly hit, I stopped writing, and I did not write for the rest of the school year because my creativity was gone,” she said. “I was just in complete survival and despair mode – and that was a combination of why I realized I had to quit.”
Tan said the loss of her creativity was a symptom – a sign that something deeper was going on. This realization was part of the reason she decided to quit after 10 years of teaching.
From worrying about the safety of her poorly ventilated classroom, supporting students who reeled from loss and battled brain fog, explaining the ever-changing guidelines to kids and their families, watching as people got sick around her, and advocating for safer school conditions, Tan knew her mental health was suffering. Her identity as an educator of color had also taken on additional emotional weight as she tried to gently refute students’ misunderstandings that China was responsible for COVID-19. Tan said she’d made it through all this by telling herself that things would get better, but as time went on she no longer believed the system would protect teachers and students.
“Teachers have to go in and teach right? We have to do what we do and I was doing it, but I was on autopilot,” Tan said. “I’ve always been a teacher to help kids feel like they can do things and now I'm leaving because I just know that if I continue like this and being retraumatized without focusing on my healing first, I will just leave teaching altogether and I want to be back.”
Tan applauded her colleagues who are continuing to teach and she’s hopeful that with time, she’ll be able to rejoin them. Until then, she’ll reflect as she reconnects with her creative spirit – and finishes her book.
FAQs
What is the number one reason teachers leave profession? ›
Teachers often cite working conditions, such as the support of their principals and the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues, as the top reason for leaving. More than 1 in 4 teachers who leave say they do so to pursue other career opportunities.
Why are teachers leaving the profession 2022? ›The tension and responsibility that educators like Gillum faced during the pandemic — combined with long-standing issues plaguing the profession, plus the coarsening of debates about classroom control, teacher pay and respect — have caused many to make the tough choice to leave the classroom.
What percentage of new teachers leave the profession? ›44% of teachers quit in the first five years.
And they don't just quit their current positions - they often leave teaching altogether. This is a much higher rate than most other occupations in the U.S., including those known for high burnout rates, such as police officers.
Teachers are not satisfied with their salary (45 percent), with the status of teachers in their community (40 percent) and with tests of student achievement (38 percent). One third (33 percent) of current public school teachers do not expect to be teaching in K-12 schools five years from now.
How do you write a reason for leaving school? ›- You're Considering It.
- School is Teaching Old Material.
- You REALLY Don't Want a 'Real Job'
- School is Holding You Back.
- Schools Accept Non-Traditional Students.
- Opportunity Cost.
- Training isn't Done in the Classroom.
- Debt.
If you have signed a contract to teach for a designated academic year, leaving mid-year could be considered a breach of contract, and technically, legal action could be taken. Your teaching license may be revoked or suspended.
What age do most teachers retire? ›This means that someone who enters teaching before age 25 with a bachelor's and accumulates 30 or more years of service can usually retire sometime between age 55 and 60. In most states teachers are eligible for retirement without penalty once they turn 60 even with less than 30 years of service.
What state has the highest teacher shortage? ›Mississippi saw the highest teacher-to-student vacancy rate in the 2021-22 school year. The state reported having nearly 69 missing teachers per 10,000 students.
Why are teachers leaving teaching? ›Researchers polled more than 4,600 TK-12th grade teachers across the state between May 24 and June 6. The findings show that while many teachers find their work rewarding, a majority said they felt exhausted and stressed — with burnout cited as the top reason for leaving the profession.
Why is teaching so exhausting? ›One of the reasons that teachers feel so worn out is because of decision fatigue. Research has found that teachers make more minute-by-minute decisions than brain surgeons, and that's extremely tiring.
Is there a teacher shortage in NYC? ›
New York's teacher shortage blamed on a variety of factors, including lack of respect, fewer benefits. School starts this week in New York and many districts have open teaching positions.
Why is teaching so hard? ›The Workload is Too Much
The stress and pressure that comes from the job have become increasingly overwhelming. Long gone are the days of just teaching content. Teachers are expected to do more with less time and less financial support. Each year something more is added to our plates, but nothing is taken away.
There are several examples of posts I shared from people who left teaching and described feeling a lot happier, less stressed and healthier. They also reported having more time for their own families.
Why do teachers make so little? ›A number of factors contribute to how far a teacher's salary goes—family structure, caregiving responsibilities, health issues, and student loans among them. While many teachers in the U.S. must work second jobs to live comfortably, plenty do not. Some of them live in states that pay better than others.
How do you know when it's time to quit teaching? ›- Sunday Scaries. ...
- Life Out of Balance. ...
- Taking Stress Home. ...
- Low-Self Esteem. ...
- It's Not Meant to Be. ...
- Leaving Teaching because the Spark is Gone.
- Career Quicksand. ...
- Leaving Teaching because you've become a Negative Nelly.
- Career change. It is common for employees to move between jobs and careers during their working life as they try to find jobs where they can develop and grow their skills. ...
- Looking for career growth. ...
- Organizational restructuring. ...
- Better opportunity. ...
- Health reasons.
- You're burned out.
- You were caring for your health or the health of a loved one.
- You need a change.
- You clash with the company's ethics.
- You're seeking career advancement.
Some good reasons for leaving a job include company downturn, acquisition, merger or restructuring as well as the desire for change — be it advancement, industry, environment, leadership or compensation. Family circumstances may also be a factor.
Are teachers happy? ›A little more than half of teachers are satisfied with their jobs, and only 12 percent say they're “very satisfied” with their jobs, down from 39 percent in 2012.
What job can I do instead of teaching? ›- Private Tutoring. ...
- Corporate Learning and Development. ...
- Student Learning Support. ...
- Education Liaison Positions. ...
- Human Resources. ...
- Museum role. ...
- Publishing. ...
- Youth worker.
What state has the best teacher retirement? ›
Rank | State | Overall Retirement Benefits Score |
---|---|---|
1 | South Carolina | 94.20% |
2 | Tennessee | 88.20% |
3 | South Dakota | 78.70% |
4 | Oregon | 78.60% |
How long will my family continue to receive a pension? If you were in service on or after 1 January 2007 any adult pension will be paid for your beneficiary's lifetime.
Is a teacher pension better than a 401K? ›Data, research, and the experiences of educators nationwide all show that defined benefit plans (pensions) are far superior to defined contribution options (401Ks). Here's why. Most educators won't face a choice between a pension or a 401K.
What type of teacher is most in demand? ›Which teaching subject is most in demand? While specific needs vary by institution, science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) are subjects that are always in high demand.
Which teachers are most in demand in the United States? ›- English as a Second Language (ESL). ESL educators are some of the most in demand teachers. ...
- Math Teaching. Another teacher subject in demand is mathematics. ...
- Science Teaching. What about science teachers? ...
- Social Studies Teaching. ...
- Special Education Teaching.
Teachers point to low pay, lack of respect from both the community and elected officials, excessive workloads and pandemic school disruptions as reasons they want to leave. In the classroom, about 98% of respondents say they have to buy their own supplies, with the median cost being about $500.
What percentage of teachers are burned out? ›However, national data of recent teacher resignations call into question what the survey called California's “crisis of retention.” Research and a review of surveys by Education Week concluded that the rate of teacher attrition did rise in 2021-22, but only by a few percentage points, to 7% nationally and to 10% in ...
Is teaching the most stressful job? ›US teachers experience job stress at twice the rate of general workforce: survey. “Teaching conditions – not the work of teaching itself – are what they find to be stressful,” the lead author of the report said.
How much sleep does a teacher need? ›So, to sum up, the bare minimum for teachers is 7 hours of sleep per night.
How do teachers command respect? ›- Use confident body language. ...
- Slow down. ...
- Be decisive. ...
- Pause before speaking. ...
- Do exactly what you say you will do, especially when it comes to your classroom management plan. ...
- Practice brevity. ...
- Keep your cool. ...
- Listen.
Do NYC teachers get paid well? ›
For 2021-22, starting salaries for teachers range from $61,070 (bachelor's degree, no prior teaching experience) to $83,972 (master's degree, eight years teaching experience, without additional coursework). New teachers with a master's degree but no prior teaching experience will earn $68,252.
How many hours do NYC teachers work? ›What is more, these work hours – 42.3 hours per workweek – are far above the average workweek as measured by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – 34.3 hours per week. Let's begin with that 3 o'clock comment. A teacher's work day is never over at the final bell.
What state has the highest paid teachers? ›Pennsylvania, California and New York have the highest average teacher salaries in the country, compared to all other occupations.
What is the hardest part of teaching? ›- Understanding the different learning challenges amongst students. ...
- Student family problems & bullying. ...
- Lack of funding. ...
- Lack of effective communication. ...
- Being encouraging and motivating under challenging times. ...
- Disciplining students. ...
- Endless paperwork & extended working hours.
- 1) I cannot teach anybody anything; I can only make them think. ...
- 2) Tell me and I forget. ...
- 3) Teaching is the greatest act of optimism. ...
- 4) If you are planning for a year, sow rice; if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people.
No one would dare and to name or say teaching is a tough job. But this is just a misconception. Teaching is actually very difficult. When we talk about the toughest jobs of the world, we think of jobs that are physically strenuous, tiring and hazardous, such as that of a mining engineer or fighter pilots.
› heyteach › article › why-are-we-te... ›Why Are We in a Teacher Shortage and How Can We Fix It?
Unhappy And Exhausted Teachers: How And Why Everyone Is ...
7 Things Teachers Can Quit Doing This Year
While a true mass exodus of educators hasn't yet occurred, Kraft said that profession-wide exhaustion could someday trigger one.
Are teachers leaving 2022? ›Almost 2 in 5 teachers plan to quit in the next two years, according to a June survey of members of the American Federation of Teachers union.
How many teachers are leaving the profession? ›The survey found that 1 in 5 teachers say they will likely leave the profession in the next three years, including 1 in 7 who say they will definitely leave. An additional 22% say there is a 50-50 chance they will leave.
What is the turnover rate for teachers? ›
In the US, for example, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) found that every year, 8% of teachers leave their profession early, and another 8% move to a different school, giving a total turnover rate of 16%.
Why are teachers leaving teaching? ›Researchers polled more than 4,600 TK-12th grade teachers across the state between May 24 and June 6. The findings show that while many teachers find their work rewarding, a majority said they felt exhausted and stressed — with burnout cited as the top reason for leaving the profession.
Is teaching worth it in 2022? ›Increased teaching shortages during the 2020-2021 academic year have heightened the demand for quality teachers heading into 2022. If you have been considering a career in teaching, now is the ideal time to work toward that goal.
Do teachers get depressed in the summer? ›Believe it or not, not every teacher is part of the conga line of celebration in anticipation of summer break. In fact, some teachers find themselves bored, unsettled or even experiencing depression with all that unstructured free time.
What age do most teachers retire? ›This means that someone who enters teaching before age 25 with a bachelor's and accumulates 30 or more years of service can usually retire sometime between age 55 and 60. In most states teachers are eligible for retirement without penalty once they turn 60 even with less than 30 years of service.
Is there a teacher shortage in NYC? ›New York's teacher shortage blamed on a variety of factors, including lack of respect, fewer benefits. School starts this week in New York and many districts have open teaching positions.
What state has the highest teacher shortage? ›Mississippi saw the highest teacher-to-student vacancy rate in the 2021-22 school year. The state reported having nearly 69 missing teachers per 10,000 students.
What should I do after I quit teaching? ›- School Guidance Counselor. Counseling is a natural choice for many former teachers. ...
- School Administrator. ...
- Instructional Coordinator. ...
- Educational Consultant. ...
- Librarian. ...
- College or University Academic Advisor.
One of the reasons that teachers feel so worn out is because of decision fatigue. Research has found that teachers make more minute-by-minute decisions than brain surgeons, and that's extremely tiring.
Is teaching job stressful? ›Life isn't so easy as it seems.” To add to it all, there is a lot of stress. Another teacher shared, “I know an ex-colleague who crumbled under pressure and finally quit.” Add to it, parents come charging at teachers for everything and some teachers find it extremely traumatizing to manage that.
Why is teaching so hard? ›
The Workload is Too Much
The stress and pressure that comes from the job have become increasingly overwhelming. Long gone are the days of just teaching content. Teachers are expected to do more with less time and less financial support. Each year something more is added to our plates, but nothing is taken away.
Dissatisfactions included teaching assignments, lack of influence on school decision making, and lack of opportunities for advancement. Dissatisfaction with working conditions. Dissatisfactions included large class sizes and lack of resources.
Why is teacher retention low? ›Some educators lost their jobs, while salary cuts and changing working conditions led others to voluntarily leave the profession. This unfortunate trend of teacher attrition has persisted.