By: Jay Plemmons
Covid, stress, and students are the reason teachers are so stressed. That’s why sixty-two percent of teaching positions in Virginia are unfilled, according to Virginia Mercury, a non-partisan news outlet.
Teachers throughout the school gave their opinions on why they are so stressed. “I know a lot of teachers who are leaving the profession they’re so stressed,” history teacher Mr. Gardner said. According to Forbes, sub shortages cause many teachers to be constantly busy, which causes burnout.
But what are they so stressed about?
“It’s been very stressful to have to cover as many classes. We don't have as many substitutes,” Mrs. Aiken explained.
There have been many times where a teacher has been out and there has been no one to fill in because of shortages.
But students' behaviors have also changed. “Probably overall, yes, behavior is worse than it was before the pandemic but a lot of that is a factor of where we’ve been for the last two years,” principal of Churchland High School, Mr. Millaci, said.
According to students who’ve attended the school for multiple years, there are more fights this year than normal. When a fight happens, students flood to it so teachers aren’t able to break it up. Out of those interviewed, Mr. Zahraoui was the only teacher that said students' behavior didn’t get worse.
“People were coming back and just forgetting what we owe to each other,” Mrs. Aiken explained. “The behavior at the beginning of the school year was very, very different but it was more maturity than behavior issues that stemmed from malice.”
Because of all this, administrators have been struggling as well. Teachers often go to administration for help or advice with students or teaching. They can only help if they are fully supportive, though.
Fourth grade teacher at Waterview Elementary, Ms. Adeline Plemmons, said this about the admin at her school, “In my personal experience I think they are almost or even more so overworked than teachers are…in covid because they're juggling having to track covid cases as well as having the same job that they had before. I 100% think that they are doing their absolute best.”
Among those interviewed, all teachers believed that admin is doing their best.
“He is good with his words of saying thank you and I do know that he is everyday writing a handwritten note to a teacher to say thank you for all that you’ve done,” Mrs. Aiken said about Mr. Millaci.
Teachers have a lot more stress on them this year than normal so before mistreating them or purposefully defying them, make sure to remember what they’re going through.
Photo: Jay Plemmons