Guest
Why are teachers quitting and retiring early? In this powerful interview, Mike, a retired educator with 30 years of experience, shares how education has been transformed for the worse by out-of-touch education experts, for-profit companies, and misguided policies. With three decades of experience in the classroom, including 29 years in public high school and one year at a private school, Mike provides a sobering look at how these changes have destroyed teacher autonomy, demotivated students, and left many educators feeling burned out and overwhelmed. Mike explains how so-called “education experts” — many of whom have never set foot in a classroom — have taken control of schools, imposing rigid policies that restrict teachers' autonomy. For-profit companies have flooded schools with unnecessary professional development sessions and trendy teaching methods that serve more to pad their profits than to improve student learning. These developments have taken decision-making power out of teachers’ hands, making it harder for them to meet the unique needs of their students. Instead of empowering teachers, these companies profit while teachers are burdened by bureaucracy. Grade inflation has become rampant, with schools pushing average students into honors programs and handing out high grades without regard to true academic achievement. This easy-passing mentality has destroyed student motivation, with many students no longer striving to understand the material. Mike explains how parents have played a role in this trend, viewing grades as transactional — something their children are owed rather than something earned. Many parents push for higher grades, regardless of their child's actual performance, which has further diminished the value of education and left students disengaged from the learning process. A major issue Mike highlights is the growing indifference among parents who view education as a simple transaction. These parents are more concerned with seeing a certain grade on their child’s report card than whether their child actually understands the material. Mike notes how many parents have become disconnected from the learning process, treating schools like customer service centers where they can demand good grades without engaging in their child's development. This attitude not only undercuts teachers but also cripples student accountability and effort, setting them up for long-term struggles. Mike sheds light on how phones and technology have become constant distractions in the classroom, making it nearly impossible for students to focus. Social media has altered students' attention spans, with many more interested in quick, superficial gratification than in engaging in deep, critical thinking. This reliance on technology has further eroded student motivation, with many students struggling to stay focused or see the long-term value of education. Professional development, once a tool to help teachers grow, has become another way to micromanage and control educators. Mike talks about how these training sessions, often sold by for-profit companies, serve little purpose beyond compliance. Teachers are bombarded with endless paperwork, administrative tasks, and tech-driven initiatives that serve to further alienate them from their students. Rather than equipping teachers with practical solutions, this bureaucracy adds to their workload, further eroding the joy and passion many once felt for teaching. In today’s educational climate, teachers are increasingly pressured to win a popularity contest, where pleasing students and building relationships is often prioritized over maintaining academic rigor. Many educators feel compelled to pander to students, treating them like clients whose satisfaction comes before learning, rather than upholding the strong professional relationship that fosters true growth. The push to be the “cool“ teacher who relaxes standards to keep students happy has eroded the expectation of accountability and discipline in the classroom. This dynamic not only undermines learning but also makes it harder for other teachers who hold students to higher standards. When students become accustomed to leniency, they push back against teachers with stricter expectations, creating tension and a disparity in classroom environments that diminishes the overall quality of education. Teaching has become a lonelier profession than ever before. With high turnover rates and a mass exodus of veteran teachers, newer teachers are left without mentorship and guidance. Mike reflects on how the teaching community has weakened, leaving many educators feeling isolated, overwhelmed, and unsupported as they navigate increasingly difficult classroom conditions. #education #educationalpsychology #teaching #teachers #retiredteacher #teachertherapy #iquitteaching #interview #teacherburnout #teacher #edtech #professionaldevelopment #socialmedia #technology #classroom
