Why Becoming a Teacher Has Decreased in Colleges

In the modern society, becoming an educator is not a lucrative profession for many college students. Most of the high school graduates are showing interest in other professions other than teaching. As a result, a low percentage of the high school graduates are willing to take the test to seek for qualifications as either an educator, an administrator and as a counselor. The decline in the desire to course leading to becoming an educator has attracted a number of researchers to investigate on some of the factors that contribute to the change in the behavior. It is apparent that high school graduate is reluctant and therefore fails the edTPA for teachers. In U.S, educators have to answer some assessment questions to determine whether they are ready to teach.

The Lack of interest in teaching professions among the high school graduates is reflected in the performance in the praxis. The few individuals that show interest in teaching profession fails to attain certification because of the poor performance. However, there is a favorable proportion of individuals showing interest in physical education. It is apparent that educators are preferring physical education because there are opportunities in other fields. In Commonwealth countries, physical education is a valuable course because most educators get well-paying jobs as trainers of athletes and as trainers in the gym (Blackwell, & Pinder, 2014). In most of the western countries, the demand for Gym classes is high because of the high levels of lifestyle diseases such diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure. For this reason, most educators prefer to major in physical education because of open opportunities for employment. In training for educators, physical education is mandatory because teaching young learners requires knowledge in physical education. Physical education is essential for fitness, wellness, and health of the learners in the learning environment. The purpose of this essay is to explain why teaching profession is experiencing low enrolment rates in most colleges.

Keywords: Physical education, edTPA, and praxis

Majority of the students showing an interest in education are below average. The highly qualified high school graduates are showing a great interest in reputable courses that attract big salaries and big names in the society. As a result, being an educator is becoming a reserve for individuals who performed lowly in subjects such as science, engineering, maths, and technology. In the United States, there is a national average in subjects such as reading, science, and mathematics for an individual to qualify for a major in education. There are few individuals aspiring to be educators who perfume well in the STEM. The poor performance in STEM limits the number of high school graduates qualifying to be educators. The number of educators continues to decline because the majority of the students are running away from the professions while the remaining few who have shown the interest fail to meet the requirements to enter the colleges (Olson, 2017).

In the last decades, being an educator does attract high school graduates because of negative perceptions of the profession. The society despises teaching as a profession because other professions such lawyers, engineers, and doctors earn better salaries than educator does. As a result, parents talk ill of the teaching profession in the presence of their kids and therefore none of their kids is willing to risk taking a major in education (Ingersoll, Merrill, & Stuckey,2014) Children in the modern society rely on the advice of their parents while choosing their professions. As a result, parents ask their children to pursue courses that earn them big money and respect in the community. In American, most members of the society seek for wealth and recognition. As results, professions that lead to low paying jobs are not attractive to most families.

High school graduates have bigger ambitions in life that go beyond teaching profession. For example, in most developed countries majority of the rich people are professionals in fields other than educators. As a result, as children grow up, they aspire to pursue professions that will earn them big titles and money to leave luxuries lifestyles like that of their role models. High school graduates desire in the childhood dreams of becoming lawyers, engineers, pilots, and doctors. The choices of professions in the contemporary are a product of envy. A child would which to pursue a course similar to that of their classmate and friends (Christner et al.2016).

Parents in professions such doctors, nurse and lawyers would wish their children to follow their examples. It is apparent that most parents were in different careers other than teachers. In such cases, children born parents working as administrators, lawyers, and doctors develop ambitions to pursue a course that is similar to that of their parents (Gu et al.2016). As result, when the majority of parents for the high school graduates are not educators, they will influence their children to pursue courses that will make them reputable n the society.

High school graduates are too young to make reasonable decisions regarding their professions. Some of the high school graduates never get enough time to decide on their careers. They graduate school when they are very young and never get time to soul searching to find a suitable career (Woods et al.2016). As result, most of the high school graduates suffer the effects peer influence and pursue courses that make them feels acceptable in the society. The case is different for adults who graduate from high school and seek employment before they decide on the course to pursue. Individuals who take time before joining college are likely to choose courses that suit their capabilities and exercise their freedom (Redding, & Smith, 2016).

People fear too much work associated with teaching. For example, the jobs of teachers are not limited to content delivery in class. Teachers are responsible for building characters of the students. Some of the parents lead lifestyles that compromise with healthy growth of the children. Educators take the responsibility of molding the personalities of the students to that, which is acceptable in the school environment (Whitty, 2017).

Most teachers lack professional support. It is exciting to pursue a major in education but later teachers become frustrated when they realize that the salary scale is limited. Some of the teachers with big ambitions begin to look for avenues to capitalize on their success when they realize that the salary cannot afford the luxurious lifestyles. Some of the teachers are living teaching professions to venture into businesses. Some are teaching school part-time because they work in better-paying jobs for the better part of the day (Whitty, 2017).

High school graduate does not pursue a major in education because educators takes too long before they retire. In the United States, educators teaches until when they are 66 years. At old age, educators are less effective. Many people perceive teaching profession as exhaustive and drain human energy to the point where an individual is unable to perform other activities. The job for educators does not attract many high school graduates because most teachers do not lose their jobs. The high rates of teacher turn over in most schools create a negative image on the teaching professions thus scaring away most high school graduates. The number of teachers needed t0 deliver the services are few and therefore most teachers remain jobless despite their struggles to attain the qualification marks (Redding, & Smith, 2016).

Inclusion, it is apparent teaching profession is not attractive to many high school graduates. Some of the things that discourage youths from pursuing majors in education include low salaries for teachers, many people belittle teachers, and that parents influence their kids to pursue other professions. Teacher takes too long to retire and thus many people fear to remain in service for a long time. High school graduate envies the lives of successful people and thus have negative attitudes towards education. Young men and women desire to pursue courses that will earn them respect in the community. As result, the majority of the youth shun away from teaching because most people do not respect teachers.

References

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Woods, A. M., Richards, K. A. R., & Ayers, S. F. (2016). All in: Teachers' and college faculty's roles in recruiting future physical educators. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 87(4), 18-23.