Survey Says Teachers Unsatisfied with Their Jobs

How satisfied are teachers with their jobs? According to a new survey by MetLife, not very. Since the last time the insurance company issued the Survey on the American Teacher which was 2008, teacher satisfaction has nose dived even more. There are key areas that teachers indicate are a cause for dissatisfaction in their careers. Here is a snapshot of what teachers are saying are problem areas.

Lack of Job Security:
• “Teachers with lower job satisfaction are less likely than others to feel that their job is secure (56% vs. 75%) or that they are treated as a professional by the community (68% vs. 89%).”

Low Pay:

• “Slightly more than half (53%) of parents and two thirds (65%) of teachers say that public school teachers’ salaries are not fair for the work they do.”

School Budget Cuts:

• “Three quarters (76%) of teachers report that their school’s budget decreased during the past year.”

Class Size Increase and Overall Impact of the Economy:

• “Teachers with lower job satisfaction are more likely to report that in the last year they have seen increases in: average class size (70% vs. 53%), students and families needing health or social services (70% vs. 56%), students coming to school hungry (40% vs. 30%), students leaving to go to another school (22% vs. 12%), and students being bullied/harassed (17% vs. 10%).”

Outdated Technology:

• “One third (34%) of teachers report that educational technology and learning materials have not been kept up to date and 21% report that school facilities have not been kept in clean or good condition, in the last year.”

Those are just some of the findings. You can read the entire 130 page report here at your leisure. Does this reflect how teachers feel about the field in your school or even how you feel? And how can administrators and officials resolve some of these problems? Share your thoughts below.