How can teacher retention rates be improved?
Australia has been experiencing a nationwide shortage of teachers, exacerbated — but not caused — by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In fact, recent research conducted by Monash University found that:
- Only 41% of participants indicated that they planned to remain in the teaching profession.
- Of those, 62% said workload pressures and a negative impact on health and wellbeing were factors as to why they were leaving the profession.
According to Eric Ryan, Head of Humanities at Methodist Ladies’ College (MLC), the teacher shortage is set to worsen — schools need to act now to ensure the needs of their teachers are met both physically and mentally. Ryan believes there are three clear problems that need addressing, including support, upskilling, workload and flexibility.
Steps to be taken include:
- Prioritising mental health: Schools do a great job when it comes to providing students access to mental health offerings; however, the same needs to be applied to teachers.
- Providing support systems that last: Don’t rely on one teacher to do all the work, share the load around and provide new staff with a dedicated buddy that will show them around the school, ensure they are keeping up with their professional development and have the opportunity to watch in on each other’s classes.
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Empowering teachers with flexibility: Schools need to trust their teachers to be professional and provide them with a more flexible working environment, just as the corporate sector has done during the pandemic.
“Burnout and a lack of professional development are two of the main reasons why I have seen teachers leave their roles within the industry,” Ryan said.
“With many experienced teachers being unwilling to take on leadership roles due to the additional responsibilities and lack of extra time, the pressure is landing on ambitious individuals who may not necessarily have a wealth of knowledge. One of the reasons I decided to move to MLC was burnout. I had so many obligations on top of trying to mentor staff, which was next to impossible.
“I know I am not alone in these experiences, and it is something that is seen across many schools nationwide. This has a flow-on effect as to why our graduates don’t necessarily receive the professional development they deserve and eventually leave to try to secure it elsewhere.”
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