In my final year of high school I started thinking seriously about what I wanted to do with my life. When I consulted my father about his career choice, he told me that he pursued medicine in large part because he wanted job and financial security. Many of my friend’s parents told similar stories when I asked them about their career choices. This makes perfect sense when we view it through the lens of their upbringing. Their parents lived through the depression and many may not have grown up with financial security, so seeking that as a primary career goal makes sense.
However, this logic did not resonate with me. I’ve always had a burning passion deep inside to pursue a career where I could help people and make a difference in their lives. I believe that’s why I ended up being a teacher rather than a musician, a doctor, a lawyer, a chemical researcher or any of the countless other careers I tried. Money wasn’t and isn’t a factor. What I care about more than anything is making a difference in the lives of others.
I am not alone in this feeling. Recent research demonstrates that my generation, the so called Generation Y or “Millennial” generation, is much more motivated by the need to find meaning rather than financial security in their career. A 2011 study by the Career Advisory Board found that the number one factor that my colleagues search for in a job is a sense of meaning and purpose to their work. As a generation we are much more “other” oriented than many previous generations, and we seek out opportunities to impact the lives of others.
This is wonderful news for policy makers looking for ways to recruit and retain teachers to work in our nation’s classrooms. I can think of few professions that offer the same level of opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others. As a teacher, I get to impact the lives of the kids I teach each and every day. Every word I say, every action I take in front of my classroom leaves an indelible if imperceptible mark on each student I teach that, when compounded over time, has the potential to transform their lives. In that sense, half the battle is won!
On a personal note, this also explains why so many young people are attracted to programs like Teach for America. Maybe it’s not because we’re cynical career jumpers. Maybe, instead, it’s because we have a deep desire to help and serve others.
However, just because we have this passion doesn’t mean the entire battle is won. Retaining young talented educators represents a key concern for educators across the country, and Tennessee is no different. An article out of the Times Free Press noted that in Hamilton County, only 51.3 percent of educators have over 11 years of experience, down 4 percent since 2009. Tennessee teachers as a whole trends in this direction. However, at the same time, teacher transience has increased (albeit alongside most professions).
This is also a nation-wide trend. As seen on the graphic below, the number of millennial teachers (21-27 years old in this graphic) represents a sizeable chunk of our existing teaching force. This will only expand as those towards the end of the spectrum continue to retire:
This trend results from a key difference between us and our parents generation. Millennials see multiple careers almost as an expectation, something to be desired. We place a lesser emphasis on money. That said, we still want jobs that are exciting and challenging. Jobs that allow us new opportunities and room for growth once we’ve mastered the basics. We yearn for jobs that allow us to help others while growing as individuals to achieve our potential. A survey on managing millennials from PCW supports much of this, highlighting the importance of growth and individual development for millennials.
Too often this represents the antithesis of what we see within the teaching profession. At best, teachers who achieve high levels of excellence after 4 or 5 years suddenly find themselves with nowhere to go professionally. And they leave. Case in point; the other day, a friend of mine considering looking for new opportunities outside the teaching profession told me “I love teaching, but I just feel like there’s nowhere for me to go professionally. It’s a dead end.” At its worst, they find themselves mired in bureaucratic nightmares that cater to the needs of older educators from a different generation.
This should be setting off loud warning bells in the minds of our policy makers. If we don’t fix these trends and reform the profession to fit the needs and desires of millenials, we can expect continued growth of the trends we already see in Tennessee. Teacher transience will become the norm. Educators will search for opportunities to continue and grow their talents but outside the profession. And if our profession continues to be one that is known for a lack of professional development, we will struggle to attract our best and brightest minds to this vital work.
Our goal should be to keep teachers in the classroom. For millennials, the job is already half way done given our propensity for serving others and searching for meaningful jobs. But we will likely to continue to see transience continue to increase in the profession if we don’t address my generation’s need for growth and personal development through our jobs. The label of “teacher” isn’t enough. We need the label of “teacher and ___.” We can implement teacher career ladders that allow teachers to take on more and more leadership responsibilities as they progress through their career. We can create more hybrid roles that allow teachers to continue to work in the classroom but also work as coaches, administrators or even work to influence policy. There are many ways districts and states can work to address this need. But we cannot afford to do nothing. Ignore us at the peril of the profession.
By Jon Alfuth
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Posted on December 8, 2013
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