Opinion
Education Letter to the Editor

The Incalculable Loss of First-Year Teachers

September 27, 2005 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

To the Editor:

Whether we want to acknowledge it or not, there are some new hires in our teaching corps who are not going to make it, for whatever reason. When a new teacher fails at a first job, it is an unbelievable loss to the system and to the individual’s self-worth.

Some may finally succeed the second time around. Some, though brilliant at the university, may not ever succeed in schools. The thing to remember is that we all come to the earth with our own special package of gifts and abilities. That is no mistake. Figuring out the best place to practice those gifts is where the “rub” that Ronald Thorpe addresses in his Commentary lies (“Taking Arms Against Doubt,”Commentary, Aug. 31, 2005). Coming to the classroom may in reality be a mistake for some, but that isn’t anybody’s fault.

Edia Stanford-Bruce

Hyattsville, Md.

Related Tags:
Opinion

A version of this article appeared in the September 28, 2005 edition of Education Week as The Incalculable Loss Of First-Year Teachers

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Assessment Webinar
Reflections on Evidence-Based Grading Practices: What We Learned for Next Year
Get real insights on evidence-based grading from K-12 leaders.
Content provided by Otus
Federal Webinar Navigating the Rapid Pace of Education Policy Change: Your Questions, Answered
Join this free webinar to gain an understanding of key education policy developments affecting K-12 schools.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Professional Development Webinar
Evidence & Impact: Maximizing ROI in Professional Learning
  Is your professional learning driving real impact? Learn data-driven strategies to design effective PL.
Content provided by New Teacher Center

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Quiz What Is Trump’s New AI Plan for K-12 Schools? Take This Weekly Quiz
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Illustration of tasks assisted with AI.
Canva
Education Quiz ICYMI: Moms for Liberty Launched Its Own University And More
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Moms for Liberty co-founder Tina Descovich speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at the Moms for Liberty annual convention in Washington, Friday, Aug. 30, 2024.
Moms for Liberty co-founder Tina Descovich speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at the Moms for Liberty annual convention in Washington, Friday, Aug. 30, 2024.
Mark Schiefelbein/AP
Education Briefly Stated: April 16, 2025
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education Quiz ICYMI: Do You Know What 'High-Quality Curriculum' Really Means?
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Image of curricula.
iStock/Getty