1.

0 INTRODUCTION

The journal written by Liza Gonzalez, Michelle Stallone Brown and John R. Slate

explained the Teachers Who Left the Teaching Profession: A Qualitative Understanding. The

objectives of this study were investigating the reasons for public school teachers to leave the

profession after working only one year as a teacher. Most of the influential factors were the low

salary levels, lac administrative support and difficulties with student discipline. In order to

achieve the said objective, the researchers use interviews as their data collection method to gain

deeper understanding on the predominant reasons for teachers leaving the profession. The

method was applied to eight respondents which were teachers that have left their teaching

professions after one year teaching. This study focuses on the problem with the State of Texas

statement regarding a severe teacher shortage. They are in need of fellow educators due to

increasing number of students enrollment in public school. The increasing number of students

does not coherent to the number of teachers in public schools. The journal states that it were due

to retirement and career changes, hence created a dilemma for the nation. While there were

enrollments of teachers, teachers found it hard to remain in the profession beyond the first year.

One out of five beginning teachers left the profession after the first year (Fuller, 2002). A

mentoring program called Beginning Educator Support System (TXBESS) was implemented by

State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC) but currently no longer legislatively funded. Texas

Education Agency (TEA) supports SBEC financially to conduct the TXBESS program. The

problem of the issue of teacher shortage was the retention issue. Although there were many new

graduates each year, the number of teachers leaving the classroom was increasing faster than

they could replace. Therefore, the focus of this study was on the reasons that the teachers left.

Ultimately, interviews with the 8 respondent were conducted as the qualitative inquiry technique.
It was held with a general approach that allowed the researchers to explore, probe and ask

questions that will elucidate and illuminate that particular subject (Patton, 2003, p. 343). It

engaged the respondent to reflect on the historical phenomenon, hence able to gain deeper

insight into the reasons behind why teachers were leaving the profession.

Seven of the eight respondent agreed that administration was one of the biggest factors in

this case. This is a case of mismanagement where teachers were being disregarded and

disrespected. Some were acknowledged to erase zero grades. Hence, this distresses the teachers

by being dishonest where their actual teaching and learning becomes corrupt. However, all eight

respondents concur that student discipline is one of the reason for leaving the profession. It was a

heavy burden for the teachers to manage the discipline of students who were rude, lazy, use

drugs and have no discipline or self-control especially for new teachers that might be weak in

handling the situation. Students issues and disciplinary problems becomes the responsibility of

the teachers. And often times they have to deal with these behavioral problems without the

administration backing up. Therefore, educators are being blamed by parents for their child

disciplinary issues. Lastly, the influential factor to the problem is the issue on salary where seven

of the eight respondents agreed. It was stated that the salary was too low than the time they spent

on teaching. It concur to them that the amount of stress and pressure were not worth the lower

salary. Educators were also required to be involved in extra-duties. The researchers concluded

that public school human resource directors, superintendents, principals and administrators were

encouraged to refer to their findings and consider solving the issue. Ultimately, many of the

findings were coherent with all the respondents.

 2.0 DISCUSSION

According to the research journal, it can be stated that the number of teachers leaving the

profession at an alarming rate due to some causes. Although mentioned in the journal with only

three factors, it can be criticized that it is not enough to find the underlying cause. More factors

should be considered so that a more thorough corrective action can be done by those responsible.

To add to those factors, they may consider the cause is time and energy of fellow educators.

They may be young or old educators. Hence, the age matters. This is due to educators having to

work extra-time which leads to needing a lot of energy to undertake their work on daily basis.

Sometimes they may also have to conduct an extra class due to increasing amount of students.

As a result, it leads to long working hours that deteriorate the mental and physical energy.

Younger educators may be able to cope with the much needed energy. However, older educators

may find it difficult. Workload influence the energy as teachers also handle works outside of

workplace (at home etc.), resulted in lack of time (Brill, S. et al., 2008; Organization for

Economic Co-operation and Development, 2005; Ondrich J. et al., 2008). Lastly, the much

needed factor is corporate individual responsibility. Educators are supposed to teach in a

classroom or in extra co-curricular activities. They should not have to deal with the students

disciplined or collecting infos of their students. Equal responsibility should be undertaken to

ensure the burden is not put only on the shoulders of the teachers. Administrative department

should deal with collecting infos or finances of the students. According to Ignersol, R.M. et al.

(2003), students registering and teachers retirement are coherently increased. Therefore, there

should be stated of at what age does a retirement implemented. A longer retirement age will

definitely influence the case of shortage of teachers.

 Moreover, the research method states that it only interviewed teachers that left the

profession. It is also advised that they should also interview the longer serving public school

educators. Interviews should include on the factors of why they served longer than those who

doesnt. Because the mentioned factors in the journal might not be the major case. There could

be reasons for educators served longer. Hence, some rectification ideas to the problem might be

gain from the insight. This method should be included because it stated about the retirement of

teachers could not cope with the increasing number of students. There could be factors that

educators can serve longer until retired. It might be individual factors involved as each is unique

in characteristics; hence some are not compatible with teaching profession (Karsenti, T. et al.,

2013).
 3.0 CONCLUSION

As a conclusion, the research should include more influential factors to determining the

underlying causes of teachers leaving the profession. A similar survey and interview must be

done on a regular basis that would be more reliable for empirical data. Studies should also be

conducted in examining and comparing the perception of individual as they have varied

characteristic for the profession. As stated, that the number of students enrollment directly

proportional to the number of retirements; hence there should be a study on this trend as it is

consider as evolution in the profession of education and socioeconomic study.

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