acher TeResilience Essential characteristics of successful teachers by BOYCE DURR photography by TREVER ROHN & KELSEY STREMEL
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t’s no secret that students learn more when they have a great teacher. Yet, few people understand what it takes to be a great teacher. The old adage “those who can’t do, teach” is only posited by people who have never taught. In reality, teaching is such a challenging profession that many people who set out to teach quickly discover it isn’t for them. According to the College Graduation Statistics report at educationdata.org, in 1970, over 30 percent of graduates majored in education. As of 2020, that number has dropped to just 4.35%. Moreover, of those who succeed, many will leave the profession within a few years. Some estimates indicate that up to 50% of new teachers quit within their first
five years. Until recently, the primary reason teachers left was salary-related. COVID-19 changed this. In a study conducted by the RAND Corporation, 43% of all the teachers surveyed claimed “job stress” heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic as their number one reason for leaving. While the numbers are not all in, early data suggests more teachers are quitting due to the increased stress brought on with the Covid pandemic than ever before. Given the challenges faced by teachers today, what does it take to be a successful teacher? Dr. Chris Jochum, chair and associate professor of Teacher Education at Fort Hays State University, says that is a difficult question, but it’s something that Tiger ROAR
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Teacher Nation is passionate about answering correctly. “As teachers, we are entrusted with molding the future,” Jochum said. “We give everyone a start on paths that change, support, and enlighten the world.” Jochum said, “students don’t choose teaching as a profession because it’s easy or financially abundant but for far more important and noble reasons.” “We teach because we care,” he said. “We value. We trust. We love. We hurt. We rejoice. We serve. We were called to teach, and we answered. We teach because it is who we are. It’s not just our profession; it is our passion, our purpose, and our promise.” One FHSU alum, Amy Wasinger, has spent more than 25 years in the
SPRING/SUMMER 2021
