While the teaching profession is not a high payer there are many other aspects of the job that have attracted passionate gifted professionals who have been able to transmit their own learning and ability to teach and inspire others. This is now changing as the Pandemic has hit this function more than any, other than the medical profession. According to this article in the NYTimes Teaching has seen a decline in enrollment, which despite the increasing importance of education to prepare children for the future and its role in creating the future of all economies worldwide, is a very worrying phenomena. This decline has been put down to “perceived hazards posed by in-person teaching and the difficulties of remote learning, combined with longstanding frustrations over low pay compared with professions that require similar levels of education”. With 8% of teachers leaving the profession in the US every year and a reduction of 22% in the number of education degrees conferred by American colleges between 2006 – 2019, despite an overall increase in U.S. university graduates the challenge for the future looks very real. Their job is more challenging and draining than ever before without any more pay or recognition. Let’s hope this can change.
