As part of its annual National Teacher Day celebration taking place today, the National Education Association (NEA) has outlined the main characteristics of a 21st century school teacher and released a list of the top five trends in the teaching profession.
Teachers in society today are primarily white, female, married, religious, and on average are 43-years-old. The majority of the nation’s three million teachers have at least a master’s degree and average 15 years of work experience. More than 75% of all teachers participate in professional development related to their grade or subject area, according to NEA’s research and other sources. Teachers today also:
• Spend an average of 50 hours per week on all teaching duties, including noncompensated school-related activities such as grading papers, bus duty, and club advising.
• Teach an average of 21 students at the elementary level. Secondary school teachers have an average class size of 28 students.
• Spend an average of $443 per year of their own money to meet the needs of their students.
• Earn an average starting salary of $31,704 per year, not including supplemental pay for extra duties.
• Enter the teaching profession because of their desire to help young people.
NEA’s research points to five main trends that have emerged during the past five years. These trends highlight the importance of teachers who are highly qualified and dedicated, as well as areas that need continued improvement such as cultural diversity, teacher recruitment, and retention. The five trends include:
• America’s public school teachers are experienced and the most educated ever. Forty-nine percent of all public school teachers have been in the classroom 15 years or longer; 38% have 20 or more years of classroom experience. Fifty-seven percent hold at least a master’s degree. The percentage of teachers with a master’s degree has more than doubled since 1961.
• The work of teachers is being transformed. Seventy-seven percent of all teachers participate in system-sponsored professional development during the school year, up from 59% in 1971. Thirty-five percent of teachers participate in system-sponsored professional development during the summer months.
• The number of teachers leaving the profession is increasing. Twenty percent of teachers say unsatisfactory working conditions keep them from staying in the profession. Nearly 50% of newcomers to the teaching profession resign during the first five years. Science and math are two of several areas in which there is a shortage of teachers.
• The teaching corps in public schools does not reflect the diversity of the student population. Nearly four out of every 10 students is a minority, yet the teaching profession is 90% white. Approximately 40% of all public schools have no minority teachers on staff.
• Male teachers are a dwindling breed. The percentage of male elementary teachers (9%) and male secondary teachers (35%) has gradually decreased since 1961 and is at the lowest level in four decades.
“Teachers touch all of our lives,” noted NEA President Reg Weaver. “But we must face the fact that although our current teachers are the most educated and experienced ever, there are still too many teachers leaving the profession too early, not enough people becoming teachers, and not enough diversity in the profession. It is more important than ever to focus our efforts on retaining teachers by recruiting more people—especially males and minorities, offering more professional development opportunities, and improving working conditions and salaries.”