It is true that the work of teachers and educators is just as important as that of doctors. Teachers are responsible for shaping the minds of future generations and instilling in them the knowledge and skills they need to be successful in life. Without educators, there would be no doctors or other professionals in any field.
Despite the importance of their work, however, teachers are often underpaid and undervalued. In many countries, teachers earn significantly less than other professionals with similar levels of education and experience. This is a major contributor to the ongoing teacher shortage crisis, as many talented individuals are choosing to leave the profession and pursue other careers that offer better pay, more job security, safety, and to preserve their mental health.
Unless you have been living under a rock, it would be hard press not to notice the global assault on teachers and its rapid growth rate each year. Teachers and educators are forced to deal with many challenges, such as a lack of supplies and inadequate funding, which often is being supplied by teachers living on a very modest salary at best.
Then, of course, if you are a teacher in the United States, you will eventually have to deal with the very realistic scenario of mass shootings and all the emotional, physical and psychological trauma in the aftermath. Seeing that there is a lack of reasonable gun control and the unwillingness of mainly Republican politicians wanting to pass common-sense legislation out of fear of losing big donors, it is astonishing there are still teachers, which only confirms the need for them to be better compensated.
If governments were to start paying teachers more and bringing their salaries in line with those of other professionals, such as doctors, it would be a great boost to recruiting and retaining educators. It would also ensure that teachers are able to live comfortable lives and support their families.
Despite these challenges, teachers have been putting their best foot forward to educate, coach, feed and parent children, even when they don’t have a collective bargaining agreement or are on the cusp of striking. There are always steps governments can take to ensure efforts are being made to support teachers and education systems worldwide. One such effort is the better-equipping teachers with the resources needed to educate their students effectively. This can include smaller classroom sizes, supplies, technology, resource helpers and ongoing training techniques with updated curriculum development and effective teaching strategies.
And quite possibly, the biggest way government can support teachers is to tone down the rhetoric and verbal assault on them. When governments attack teachers, they embolden their sympathizes with their divisive tones and put teachers in serious jeopardy of not only verbal abuse but also stalking and physical assault, which to offend have ended in tragedy.
The education system is a complex issue that requires a multifaceted approach, but does it have to be? And are those challenges more a result of self-inflicted bureaucratic self-indulged interference? If government’s invested in teachers and compensated them like doctors, wouldn’t the positive effect be brighter and more engaged students? If that’s the end result, isn’t it a good thing?
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