{"id":11106,"date":"2018-12-03T06:58:50","date_gmt":"2018-12-03T06:58:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dyslexiadaily.com\/blog\/?p=11106"},"modified":"2026-04-27T04:57:24","modified_gmt":"2026-04-27T04:57:24","slug":"10-reasons-why-many-of-the-good-teachers-are-leaving-teaching-in-droves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dyslexiadaily.com\/blog\/10-reasons-why-many-of-the-good-teachers-are-leaving-teaching-in-droves\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Reasons why many of the good teachers are leaving teaching in droves"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"This is a controversial subject! There has been quite a bit in the media lately, even current affairs program 60 Minutes did an expos\u00e9 on this topic recently here in Australia.<\/span><\/strong> <\/p>\n

Let\u2019s get something straight\u2026 Not all the good teachers are leaving. There are many amazing teachers still in our schools. However, we can\u2019t ignore the fact that many of the good ones are leaving.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The question is\u2026 why are so many good teachers deciding to leave their chosen profession?<\/span> <\/p>\n

Well here are my 10 reasons why:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n\n
  1. Too much standardized testing<\/li><\/strong>\n<\/ol>\n

    Based on my research this is the main reason, and that\u2019s why it\u2019s my number one. Every time a student learns about a particular topic within a curriculum, they complete a written test.<\/span> <\/p>\n

    To add to this, there is the government standardized testing required for all students to take part in each year.<\/span> <\/p>\n

    <\/center><\/p>\n
    \u201cThere is simply too much standardized testing within our schools today.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/div>\n\n
      \n\n
    1. Teachers can\u2019t be creative anymore<\/li>\n<\/strong>\n<\/ol>\n

      One of the things that I enjoyed most about teaching was being able to add my own creative flair to a particular curriculum topic. Many teachers, choose to teach so they can be creative and put their own \u2018spin\u2019 or style on different topics in their classrooms.<\/span> <\/p>\n

      When I was teaching, I was really creative and sometimes my creativity would be reined in by the private school I worked in, but now it seems there is no time for creativity. The curriculum is so jam-packed that there is an inability for teachers even to be creative.<\/span> <\/p>\n

      <\/center><\/p>\n
      \u201cIn schools today, there is little or no time for teachers to be creative within a jam-packed, content-filled curriculum.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/div>\n\n
        \n\n
      1. Teachers are sick of teaching to tests<\/li>\n<\/strong>\n<\/ol>\n

        Every country has their own standardized tests within schools, here in Australia it\u2019s called NAPLAN. I\u2019m sure you know the tests that are part of your country\u2019s standardized testing program.<\/span><\/p>\n

        Today teachers seem to spend weeks, sometimes even months, preparing students to take these standardized tests. So, on top of a very jam-packed curriculum, teachers are trying to teach and prepare students so they can get their best results in this testing. There are simply too many tests and too much time focussed on teaching to tests.<\/span><\/p>\n

          \n\n
        1. Too much time spent marking tests<\/li>\n<\/strong>\n<\/ol>\n

          Now I come from a family of teachers; my sister and sister-in-law are teachers, I\u2019m a teacher, and my brother is a university lecturer. One thing we all found, is that we all spend a considerable amount of time marking tests in one form or another.<\/span><\/p>\n

          There is rarely time to mark these tests within our workday, so they are often done at home and with report writing thrown into the mix, it\u2019s not much fun!<\/span><\/p>\n

            \n\n
          1. Teachers don\u2019t like causing their students’ emotional stress<\/li>\n<\/strong>\n<\/ol>\n

            Teachers know that tests and exams cause the children in their class anxiety. Just asking their students to take tests can make teaching stressful for teachers. Students tell their teachers how stressed they feel and some will just freeze or panic when it comes to sitting tests which can cause teachers emotional trauma over time.<\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/center><\/p>\n
            \u201cThe number of tests required in schools today is negatively impacting both the students required to take the test and the teachers forced to give and then mark them.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/div>\n\n
              \n\n
            1. The curriculum is so jam-packed there isn\u2019t time for incidental, spur-of-the-moment teaching<\/li>\n<\/strong>\n<\/ol>\n

              The school curriculum here in Australia is jam-packed with content, and I know this is the case in many other countries too. The problem this causes is there is no time to include incidental teaching when students raise an interesting question, an event occurs in the local or global community, or a curriculum area is relevant to the community or environment in which students live. This is incredibly frustrating for teachers who realize there just isn\u2019t time to explore topic areas in meaningful ways to benefit their students.<\/span> <\/p>\n

              Students are also coming to realize if they miss days of school, they risk falling behind in the curriculum and will have little time to catch up on topics covered before their teachers move on to another area of the curriculum.<\/span><\/p>\n

                \n\n
              1. Teachers are now required to teach their own subject or subjects plus basic life skills<\/li>\n<\/strong>\n<\/ol>\n

                The school curriculum is not only jam-packed with academic content but is now also full of subjects about everyday life skills, things like; healthy eating, sex-education, social skills, resilience, community service and more. Slowly these subject areas have crept into the curriculum, whereas once these were taught by families and communities.<\/span> <\/p>\n

                Teachers are also expected to participate in additional meetings and programs outside of regular work hours which can include weekends too.<\/span> <\/p>\n

                  \n\n
                1. Teacher are tired of filling out paperwork and writing reports <\/li>\n<\/strong>\n<\/ol>\n

                  This is a big one for teachers, and it comes up regularly in our conversations\u2026 it’s paperwork! With all the legal requirements, testing, reporting, accreditation, and administration involved in education these days, there are many forms to fill out, not to mention parent\/guardian permission slips required every time a student takes part in an incursion or an excursion.<\/span><\/p>\n

                  <\/center><\/p>\n
                  \u201cSchools have become a paperwork jungle, and teachers spend too much time completing paperwork, writing reports and filling in forms.”<\/em><\/span><\/div>\n\n
                    \n\n
                  1. Teachers are dealing with technologically advanced students<\/li>\n<\/strong>\n<\/ol>\n

                    In a rapidly changing technological world, teachers are dealing with students who are invariably more technologically advanced than they are. Todays\u2019 younger generations are quick to pick up on new technology, whether it\u2019s mobile phones, tablets, software programs, computers, designing tools or animation software. Students have more time and are highly motivated to understand and make use of the technologies available to them in their everyday lives.<\/span> <\/p>\n

                    This phenomenon can make students disengage from traditional teaching practices in the classroom. Many students feel as though they can learn what they need to, quickly, using search engines on their computers or watching a YouTube video and may not value their textbooks and all teachers can provide. The classrooms and the school systems can appear outdated and irrelevant, with schools being slow to change their teaching and learning strategies to keep up with today’s technologically advanced students.<\/span> <\/p>\n

                    <\/center><\/p>\n
                    \u201cIn our rapidly changing technological world, some students become bored and disengage in the classroom, especially if the teachers are still teaching in old fashion ways.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/div>\n\n
                      \n\n
                    1. THERE IS TOO MUCH TESTING<\/li>\n<\/strong>\n<\/ol>\n

                      Yes, I know this is the same as my number one. I simply can\u2019t emphasize enough that there are too many timed, written tests being given to students in our schools today.<\/span> <\/p>\n

                      \n

                      Now I know some fantastic teachers are teaching in our schools today, but there are also many great teachers leaving too. It\u2019s a serious problem. We need to keep these great teachers in our schools because kids like ours need them.<\/span> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                      This is a controversial subject! There has been quite a bit in the media lately, even current affairs program 60 Minutes did an expos\u00e9 on this topic recently here in Australia. Let\u2019s get something straight\u2026 Not all the good teachers are leaving. There are many amazing teachers still in our...
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