The flow of young people becoming teachers has been dwindling. Those who do become 糖心动漫vlog find a profession in flux, with increasing student needs.
Education Week asked some of the nation鈥檚 best 糖心动漫vlog鈥攖his year鈥檚 four finalists for the National Teacher of the Year, a program run by the Council of the Chief State School Officers鈥攈ow they grapple with stress and classroom challenges, and what incoming teachers need to know to succeed.
Their responses have been edited for length and clarity.
How do you see the teaching field evolving?
, history teacher at DELTA High School, Denver: In the pandemic I had a number of colleagues who began to retire, to leave the field. I worried about the collective wisdom that was walking out of the door. Just understanding all of those technological tools hit really hard, and some people felt that technology gap was a barrier to them to continue to teach. I think that in the field as a whole, when you think about how high stakes things are, many teachers feel overwhelmed.
teacher of English, journalism/yearbook, and Advanced Placement English Language and Composition at Leone High School, Western District of American Samoa: When I started there wasn鈥檛 any AI. Artificial intelligence has made it a lot more difficult, because kids feel like they don鈥檛 need to write, that they can just like enter words or a prompt into a computer and then it鈥檒l spit out the answer. We鈥檙e at a time where we need to lean into AI and show our students how to use it as a tool rather than the thing that鈥檚 doing all their assignments. That鈥檚 one real learning curve for a lot of teachers right now.
K-5 English/language arts instructional coach and grade 2-3 special education inclusion teacher at Stanton Elementary School, District of Columbia: In the time that I鈥檝e been teaching, there have definitely been lots of changes, whether that鈥檚 technological advances, whether that鈥檚 a change in curriculum or standards. I think what still remains at the heart of teaching is our students: making sure that our students are getting the skills, strategies, tools, and resources that they need to grow up to succeed in life outside of our schools.
As social debates become more polarized, how do teachers navigate challenging conversations in the classroom?
Damon: [My school] is a 鈥減athway鈥� school where we serve students who are off track to graduation. They have experienced things such as being unhoused, incarceration of a parent ... or themselves, and many different kinds of structural challenges in our systems. I prepare them to recognize that we all have a very unique experience. The only way that we can solve these [divisive] issues is to develop the practice of deep listening, compassionate listening, as well to listen with curiosity.
, English teacher, Mifflin County High School, Pennsylvania: I teach in an area where there鈥檚 limited opportunity to engage with some of the bigger issues of the world. I have students who have never been outside of the state or have never been to a major city. That鈥檚 part of the difficulty, but it鈥檚 also part of my responsibility as an educator to prepare them to live and exist in a globalized society.
I center conversations around themes, universal experiences. We can talk about friendship, family, sacrifice, mistakes, leadership鈥攁nd then look at, OK, what does that look like in a different place, in a different time, in a different moment, and how can I connect to that? It helps to make those conversations more manageable and more approachable.
What would you tell someone who is considering becoming a teacher?
Crosson: I immediately flash back to when I had this conversation with the person who inspired me to become a teacher. I remember going to her and saying, 鈥淚鈥檓 thinking about doing this. What do you think?鈥� At 18, I wanted her to say, 鈥淵es, do it, it鈥檚 great, it鈥檚 so rewarding, blah, blah, blah.鈥� I wanted the answer.
But instead鈥攚ell, she鈥檚 a teacher, so she鈥檚 not going to give me the answer. She鈥檚 going to ask me, 鈥淲ell, what do you think?鈥� and make me come to my own answer. I had to stop and ask myself, do I want to become a teacher because I loved high school, or do I want to do this for bigger reasons than that? And that sort of exploration and reflection made me realize that becoming a teacher is one of the greatest privileges and responsibilities to have.
Damon: I see people start to leave the profession because they had one bad experience with one school leader, or a bad experience with one student, you know? I think we have to try to deepen our resilience, but also have a space where we think about alignment between my values and my school鈥檚 values. You have to work for someone and with someone who shares your values. ... That can provide a successful foundation for a person鈥檚 instructional career. But if there鈥檚 a misalignment and it starts to erode your confidence in what you do and who you are as a teacher, then it鈥檚 OK to say, 鈥淚鈥檓 going to try again in a different school,鈥� rather than leave the profession.
Saelua: I would tell them they鈥檙e entering one of the greatest professions, but also I would be honest and say, 鈥淚t鈥檚 time to put your big-girl or big-boy boots on, because it is a challenging profession.鈥� I would tell them they鈥檙e brave for choosing a profession that a lot of people are leaving. We are experiencing a teacher shortage, not because there鈥檚 a lack of people who are qualified to teach, but there鈥檚 just no incentive because it鈥檚 not competitive pay.
How do you manage stress?
Damon: During the pandemic, it was very stressful for everyone, but I also was just seeing that [the] community was not connecting. And especially here in Colorado, we have nature, so I launched a nature club [based on literacy]: I gave books away and did gatherings. We went birding. We went fly fishing. So it鈥檚 our fourth or fifth year and families continue to engage in it. One of my ways I heal is to go hiking, to do something in nature, and ... have connection and community. We need that right now. We need a collective place to recharge and to reset.
Saelua: Oh God, I鈥檓 still figuring it out! One of the best ways that I manage stress is to go to a coworker and just talk it out. We鈥檙e all stressing over the same things鈥攐verwork, too many hats鈥攕o just having someone who understands is able to hear me out is a great way to de-stress.
I also think it鈥檚 very important to draw the line of when teacher time stops and family time starts. I hardly ever take things home, like grading or things like that. It鈥檚 not that I don鈥檛 love teaching, but home is where I fill my cup, and I don鈥檛 want to bring the stresses of the job to my home.
What is one thing principals could do to make their teachers鈥� lives better?
Crosson: I don鈥檛 envy principals, because they are middle management and that is one of the hardest places to be.
Ultimately, their control and their power is limited and they鈥檙e trying to answer to the people above them, and to the school board, and to parents, and to the community. My biggest request of administrators is to listen to your teachers. We鈥檙e on the front lines. We see kids day in and day out. We know their needs and eccentricities and challenges and joys better than anyone except their parents.
When you become an administrator, you are one or two or three steps removed from that. So relying on your expert workforce and advocating for the needs of your teachers is what will ultimately allow you to advocate for your students.
Damon: The principal that I have now is the first in 25 years that numerous times has said, 鈥淵ou are such a professional. You are doing so well with the kids. I trust your judgment. What do you think we should do with this situation?鈥� I don鈥檛 think many administrators say that to their teachers.
I would say: Lock in on one thing each teacher brings that鈥檚 really powerful and acknowledge it. Then even when you come back with constructive feedback, [teachers] will remember that you saw them for their one gifted talent that they offer to kids.
Townsend: The most important thing is ... allowing teachers to use their individual expertise, shining a light on what they can contribute to not just their individual classrooms, but to the entire school community. My principal always says he never has to be the smartest person in the room, because if he is, then he鈥檚 not learning. He enables and empowers every single teacher to share their expertise and make sure that they鈥檙e collaborating with one another.
