Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1480924
While most educators agreed their primary motivations for entering teaching and staying in the profession are to help stu- dents and make a positive difference in our world, they most commonly and acutely reported feeling exhausted and stressed. Additionally, a majority of current educators expressed low lev- els of satisfaction with key aspects of their job. e survey found that many current educators of color, espe- cially teachers who are Black or Asian & Pacific Islander, have experienced discrimination on the job and do not feel com- fortable expressing themselves at work. Four in 10 LGBTQ+ teachers also reported experiencing discrimination based on their sexual orientation. Educators identified a variety of changes that could address burnout and improve teacher retention, including smaller class sizes, more support services for students, better staffing and a more manageable workload. But the top change, by far, is higher compensation. "If teachers are important, it's a matter of putting our money where our mouth is," a 37-year-old elementary educator said. " Teachers are having to take up second jobs, work summer school (and) do a lot of things that they shouldn't have to to support their families." Aspiring educators also provided several insights on teacher preparation, noting that real-time teaching experiences are the best preparation for life as an educator. ey reported that the heavy workload is a major stressor and the financial costs associated with teacher-preparation programs are a significant barrier. A significant number of aspiring educators suggested compensating student teachers to alleviate financial stress at an important time in the teacher-preparation process. is stress and other factors contributed to aspiring educators of color reporting that they had become less motivated to teach as a result of their preparation program at higher rates than their white counterparts. Visit cta.org/voices-from-the-classroom for more on "Voices from the Classroom: Teaching in the Golden State" and to see expanded results of the survey. When it comes to job satisfaction, a majority of teachers say they are satisfied with being accepted for who they are and working in a discrimination-free environment. But educators are highly dissatisfied with district leadership, their lack of input into decision-making, workload, class sizes and the support they receive to do their job. Asian American Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaska Native and Black teachers felt least comfortable in, supported by and connected to their schools. 17 O C T O B E R / N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 2