Teaching Profession News in Brief

Most People Don’t Want Their Children to Become Teachers, Poll Reveals

By Madeline Will — September 04, 2018 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

A growing number of people don’t want their children going into teaching, a new national survey finds.

The PDK International poll on education, released last week, surveyed a nationwide random sample of 1,042 adults, including an oversampling of 515 parents of school-age children.

Most respondents, 61 percent, said they have trust and confidence in public school teachers, up from 51 percent in 2015. But just over half said they would not want their child to become a teacher. That’s an 11 percentage-point increase from the last time that question was asked in 2014. They cited inadequate pay and benefits, student behavior and a lack of discipline, and the public view that teaching was a thankless job that isn’t respected or valued in society.

A version of this article appeared in the September 05, 2018 edition of Education Week as Most People Don’t Want Their Children to Become Teachers, Poll Reveals

Events

Professional Development K-12 Essentials Forum Getting Professional Development to Stick
Join this free virtual event to explore best practices, funding, format, and timing for teacher and principal PD.
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
College & Workforce Readiness Webinar
The Road to Opportunity: Making CTE Accessible for All
The most valuable CTE happens off campus. For too many students, transportation is the barrier that keeps opportunity out of reach.
Content provided by HopSkipDrive
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
Recruitment & Retention Webinar
New Hire, No Laptop, No Login: Preventing Day-One Disruption
What happens before day one matters. Discover how districts are improving the new hire experience.
Content provided by Frontline Education

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

Teaching Profession More Teachers Name Classroom Management as a Job Stress Than Low Pay
A national survey highlights ongoing work and home pressures on educators.
3 min read
Teachers follow each other in a circle during a workshop helping teachers find a balance in their curriculum while coping with stress and burnout in the classroom, on Aug. 2, 2022, in Concord, N.H. School districts around the country are starting to invest in programs aimed at address the mental health of teachers. Faced with a shortage of educators and widespread discontentment with the job, districts are hiring more therapist, holding trainings on self-care and setting up system to better respond to a teacher encountering anxiety and stress.
Teachers follow each other in a circle during a workshop helping teachers cope with stress and burnout in the classroom, on Aug. 2, 2022, in Concord, N.H. New data show that teachers continue to face high levels of stress, but many plan to stay in the profession long term.
Charles Krupa/AP
Teaching Profession Opinion We Can’t Give Up on Teacher Diversity
Many efforts to recruit Black teachers leave out a crucial element.
5 min read
Serious young Afro-American teacher in casual shirt standing in front of projection screen and presenting a lesson in class.
Education Week + iStock
Teaching Profession Beach Reads, Not PD: Teachers Set Summer Boundaries
Many teachers plan to avoid summer PD reading, choosing rest and relaxation instead.
1 min read
Illustration of a book, sunglasses, and symbols of romance books, PD, travel, mystery, and adventure.
Collage by Education Week
Teaching Profession Download 5 Strategies for Supporting K-12 Teachers: Lessons From Texas
An April 14 event hosted by Education Week and Texas Public Radio surfaced challenges, and potential solutions.
1 min read