Teachers Shape Future Generations, Why Not Pay Them More?

 Teachers play a huge role in the lives of their students. Elementary teachers, in particular, set the stage for the rest of a child's education.  They help shape a child into the person they will become in both their lives and careers. So if they are so vital, why are they so underpaid? A teacher that has their masters' degree in the state of Tennessee has an average salary of $53,000. While this may seem decent, I decided to dig further to find the average cost of living in our state. For one individual, not including those with a family, it costs approximately $87,600 to maintain a home, healthcare, and other essentials. 

A woman in a teachers union protesting her salary.

But a majority of teachers have a family to attend to. Another study demonstrated the amount of teachers that are mothers as well and who have children to care for. Research found that about half of all teachers in the United States have at least one child at home. And babies especially are very expensive. Teachers are so vital to society, yet we allow them to face stress regarding caring for their children. We would not be where we are now if it was not for the teachers we may have had growing up. Teachers choose to teach because they are passionate about children and want to make a difference. They would not choose to live on such a minor salary if that was not the case. In my own situation, I have dreamed about teaching since I was a little girl. I would always play teacher with my friends and siblings. I genuinely could not imagine taking a different career path. It is so disheartening to see teachers leaving the field because they are burnt out, walked all over, and extremely underpaid. Teachers strive to make a positive impact and want to invest in their students' futures. Shouldn't we invest in our teachers? 

The Ups and Downs of Standardized Testing

Most of us experienced standardized testing in elementary school and may have a lot of mixed emotions at the thought of it. However, what really matters, is if it is really benefitting our students or doing more harm than good. The main purpose of standardized testing is to gauge exactly where a student is academically and whether or not they learned the right amount during a school year. But this could be unfair to students who may be brilliant but are unable to take a test under pressure. Standardized testing determines how well students can take a test, and Britannica has an interesting article in regards to this concern. Britannic mentions the No Child Left behind act, which was introduced in 2002.

A photo of a standardized test scantron.

This caused the use of standardized testing to skyrocket. The purpose of this act is to ensure every child receives a well-rounded education and lets educators know their understanding of the material they learned that year.

I believe that educators and the government need to rethink their usage of standardized testing. It can be harmful to some students and discourage them when they see a bad score even though they excelled in their coursework. I think there should be a more fair, well-rounded, year-long approach to assessing students. It could even be done without their knowledge.

Why Smaller Class Sizes Are So Important

Smaller class sizes are vital in order to maximize a child's learning experience, especially in elementary school. At this stage in their life, children are learning things that create a baseline for the rest of their education. It is so important to ensure they are getting as much out of lessons as possible. And one way to ensure this is the teacher-to-student ratio in the classroom. According to the website for Children's Educational Services, it allows for more one-on-one time, prevents students from hiding, betters student/teacher relationships, prevents chaos, and allows for early intervention if necessary. 

A small group of 4 students talking with their teacher.

There are so many reasons to describe just how beneficial smaller class sizes are to a child's education. I believe in the importance so strongly because of personal experience. I work at an aftercare program at an elementary school here in Knoxville. At the start of the semester, we are assigned a group of about 10-13 children based on their grade level. This allows us to have ample one-on-one time with our students. We gain more personable relationships with each child and it enables us to spend more time focusing on the needs of each individual. When there is not utter chaos, we can approach each child calmly and respond to them in a way that they understand well. A smaller teacher-to-student ratio also allows the kids to develop better relationships with each other. They do not get as overwhelmed and are able to develop stronger friendships. Overall, there are so many benefits to a smaller class size. While it may not always be possible, there are still some alternatives. Even if you have a larger class, it can be very beneficial to your students to incorporate small groups often. It can take a lot of creativity and effort to make it work in your classroom, but it will definitely help both you and the children.