Part of being the National Teacher of the Year means representing the profession鈥攚hich is experiencing no small amount of challenges at the moment.
Teachers are, on average, feeling more negatively about their jobs than positively, according to new EdWeek Research Center data, and just 1 in 5 would recommend their own children鈥攐r those of a loved one鈥攑ursue a career in teaching. Teachers say they鈥檙e overworked and feel underpaid and generally disrespected.
This year鈥檚 finalists for the nation鈥檚 top teaching award have some ideas about what could turn things around鈥攁nd they also have a national platform to share those suggestions with policymakers and district leaders.
The four finalists鈥擩oe Nappi, a high school history teacher in Tinton Falls, N.J.; Missy Testerman, an English-as-a-second-language specialist and program director in Rogersville, Tenn.; Christy Todd, a middle school music and technology teacher in Fayetteville, Ga.; and Catherine Walker, a science and career and technical education teacher in Anchorage, Alaska鈥攚ere in the nation鈥檚 capital last month to talk about what teachers need to do their jobs well.
They had traveled to Washington from across the country to interview with the selection committee for the top award鈥攖he winner of which will be announced later this spring鈥攁s well as to meet with media and visit U.S. lawmakers at the Capitol.
What could improve teacher morale
The four finalists agreed: Teachers have too much on their plates, and it鈥檚 contributing to low morale and job satisfaction.
鈥淭here was so much workload during the pandemic, and for a lot of teachers, it鈥檚 just not eased off,鈥� said Testerman, the 2024 Tennessee Teacher of the Year. 鈥淎 lot of the demands that were put on us during the pandemic are still on us.鈥�
Teachers have been sounding the alarm about the heavy workload for a while, she said, and it鈥檚 time for school leaders to do something about it.
鈥淣o. 1 would be not adding anything new to teachers鈥� plates unless you are taking something off,鈥� she said. 鈥淣o. 2 would be taking a look at what is on teachers鈥� plates and seeing what is not required right now: What could be possibly removed from their plate in order to let them focus on teaching their students?鈥�
Another factor: Students are not fully recovered鈥攅ither academically or social-emotionally鈥攆rom the trauma and disruptions of the last few years, the teachers said.
鈥淭eachers love so many people that we have a lot of collateral stress,鈥� said Walker, the 2024 Alaska Teacher of the Year. 鈥淲hen you see your students hurting, it makes it especially difficult to continue.鈥�
Community support and involvement can make a difference, Walker said, so teachers don鈥檛 feel like they鈥檙e on their own.
鈥淲hen you have experts coming in to do presentations for students, and helping keep teachers abreast of the latest technology and latest methods, and assisting with field trips and taking students on for internships and mentorships鈥攁ll of that supports teachers in doing really good work and feeling good about their jobs,鈥� she said.
And teachers have to advocate for themselves, said Todd, the 2024 Georgia Teacher of the Year. She said she spoke with a teacher who was so burned out and overwhelmed that she was thinking of quitting.
Todd asked her why鈥攁nd kept asking until the teacher was able to identify a concrete reason, which was that she didn鈥檛 feel like she ever had enough time to eat lunch.
鈥淚 said, 鈥極K, what can you do to get a longer lunch? Let鈥檚 go talk to an administrator, or maybe there鈥檚 another position that would be better suited for you. It鈥檚 not all or nothing,鈥欌�� Todd said.
Putting teacher voice at the heart of those problem-solving conversations is key, said Joe Nappi, the 2024 New Jersey Teacher of the Year.
鈥淚 hope that this leads to a broader conversation about how we can help what is a pillar of American democracy in education stay healthy and vibrant,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he only way that we鈥檙e going to get there is by elevating teacher voice, and by hearing what teachers have to say.鈥�
In the meantime, Nappi said, teachers should try to find value in the work they鈥檙e doing, despite the frustration.
鈥淔or teachers, it鈥檚 often so easy for us to lose sight鈥攊n all of the responsibilities and all of the tasks鈥擺of] why we chose this profession in the first place,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 the connection with the students, and the fact that we鈥檙e there for them.鈥�
What the finalists are telling lawmakers
Whoever is chosen as the National Teacher of the Year will have the responsibility of legislative advocacy on behalf of U.S. teachers.
Testerman, the ESL specialist in rural Tennessee, said she hopes to make a plea to lawmakers for civility. Their negative comments and stereotypes against immigrants have caused people in her community to form a bias against the families of her students, she said.
鈥淚 hope to share a message that we in education, we do need [policymakers鈥橾 support, and that the policies that they pass have a very human face. The things they say on social media have a very human reaction to them as well,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd I would just like that they not use blanket statements to address an entire population of the American citizenry.鈥�
Walker said she plans to speak to her representatives about Alaskan teachers鈥� retirement security. Teachers in Alaska, along with teachers in , don鈥檛 receive Social Security coverage upon retirement.
Alaskan teachers who were hired after 2006 are entered into a defined-contribution retirement plan, which is based on each teacher鈥檚 individual investment decisions. (The state also contributes a percentage.) It鈥檚 similar to a 401(k) account common in the private sector.
Critics say that the defined-contribution plan, along with the lack of Social Security, leaves teachers at risk for not having enough to live on when they retire.
鈥淲e are losing our teachers to other states,鈥� Walker said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 one of the reasons people leave鈥攖o be able to retire.鈥�
Meanwhile, Todd said she鈥檚 meeting with Rep. Drew Ferguson, a Republican from Georgia, to hear about his and ask how she and others at the local level can help.
鈥淚 think that鈥檚 really important, especially as a music-tech teacher, to make sure that everyone has support and access to fast internet,鈥� she said.
Todd also plans to talk to Rep. David Scott, a Democrat from Georgia, who provide educators grants for professional development on how to best include students with disabilities. The cause is close to Todd鈥檚 heart: She created a music class for students with disabilities in which Advanced Placement Music Theory students serve as mentors and advocates for students to create music through assistive and adaptive technologies.
Later this spring, the national winner and all the state teachers of the year are expected to return to Washington for an award ceremony at the White House. They鈥檒l have another chance then to meet with policymakers.
Said Nappi: 鈥淚鈥檓 hoping that this is the start of a conversation. And I hope that we can grow that conversation over time.鈥�
