The Teacher Exodus: Reversing the Trend and Keeping Teachers in the Classrooms

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The Teacher Exodus: Reversing the Trend and Keeping Teachers in the Classrooms is an authentic examination of many of the reasons public school teachers are leaving the profession. It also takes a hard look at why students are no longer selecting teaching as their career choice. American culture is at a tipping point and many politicians and bureaucrats are tinkering with culture through racial policies and social engineering, in efforts to empower students, rather than stem the tide of teacher attrition. Teachers are frustrated by requirements to implement social and intervention programs that fall outside their training, which limits the moral purpose they envisioned when they first entered the profession. Across the nation, teachers are feeling marginalized and impacted by policies handed down from above, which actually elevate students over teachers. Teachers sense their profession has been reduced to classroom monitoring and facilitating, which they did not sign up for! They are restricted in their classroom management and must employ a series of intervention strategies just to defend their actions of discipline. If America is to reverse the trend of teachers leaving classrooms, there must be genuinely supportive efforts to reinvigorate adults to pursue teaching and bureaucrats must release teachers to work their skills. There must be a reversal of the mindset that teachers are leaving education because education has left them. One way to do this is for bureaucrats and education administrators to once again empower teachers to be the local arbiters of education for their classrooms.

Reviews

How did a profession popular with high achieving college students become relegated to a secondary career choice, or worse, a temporary vocational opportunity to repay student debt through public service The Teacher Exodus critically examines the compounding issues of teacher recruitment, professional retention and the consequences of a culture indifferent to learning and high achievement. The modern education environment has been transformed into a social experiment dominated by public-interest concerns and political entities. However, a paucity of care has been demonstrated as to the impact of this transformation on classroom professionals and its consumersour children. Dr. Zarra highlights todays most pressing concerns facing todays classroom professionals and provides valuable solutions to challenge and correct popular misconceptionsthe very issues from which our nation may not recover if left unchallenged. -- Robert Helton, 27-year classroom teacher, Bakersfield, California
In his most revealing work-to-date, Dr. Ernest Zarra has captured the essence of what is embedded within the minds and experiences of the vast majority of teachers. The truth is, teachers today are struggling whether to stay in the noblest profession or to leave. Dr. Zarra writes with fearless honesty and pointed detail, unearthing the truths behind their struggles and ultimate decisions to leave. In the case of the latter, Zarra has nailed the issue of our nations teacher exodus. In so doing, he provides great detail and leaves no stone unturned. The fact is new teachers do not receive essential training at the teacher prep level and feel unprepared for the daily rigors of teaching. Dr. Zarras book will strike a nerve with the veteran teachers in the trenches by giving voice to what they dare discuss only in private. The bottom-line is that teachers are no longer the authorities in their classrooms. -- Jan Kenney, teacher induction coordinator, Kern High School District
As a state credentialed teacher, and now home education advocate, there are many reasons I left the public school classroom. Reason #4 is found in chapter one of The Teacher Exodus. Dr. Zarra explores a core problem in the educational systemthe lack of respect. This lack of respect is evident across the board. Whether in policy, teacher pay, support from politicians, or from administrators toward teachers and parents, it is all reminiscent of the Kick the cat scenario. Fortunately, Dr. Zarra sets forth an informative plan to stop the cycle of teacher migration and uneducation in todays schools. -- Krissy Warren, parent, credentialed teacher, home school advocate
Dr. Zarra addresses ADA, politics, suspensions, and expulsions in public education. When it comes to suspensions and expulsions the reality is these result in no money for districts. Districts are paid to keep students in school. Yet, they expect teachers to do so much that is outside the scope of their training. As Zarra illustrates, many teachers now have to teach ELD students, deal with increasing violence against them, and become behavioral interventionists. All of this takes away from academic instruction. These factors are contributing to teachers choosing other professions. -- Paul Stine, secondary teacher, Kern High School District

Author Bio

Dr. Ernest J. Zarra, III is a lifelong educator. He and his wife Suzi, have two adult children. Ernie has authored eight books and over a dozen journal articles, served as a district professional development leader, and has presented as keynote speaker for various educational, civic, and church gatherings.