As a former middle school teacher, I've seen the heartbreaking realities and shout-it-from-the-rooftop successes of our education system up close. Today, we're going to set aside the warm and fuzzies (perhaps we need a whole series on what's good in the world of education) and instead tackle the less-than-savoury state of education right now. Buckle up!

The impact ripples beyond the classroom. More families are choosing homeschooling or remote/alternative learning communities, where academic achievement generally exceeds that of traditional schools. Even if you don't want to focus too much on standard assessments as an indicator, it's clear people are becoming less enchanted with the quality of education available in average schools.

Our education system might just be on the verge of collapse.

Beyond Burnout: The Real Reasons Teachers Are Leaving

The reasons are complex and numerous. Tyler Boyle, an award-winning teacher that left, breaks it down into 8 reasons (or Cs) on The Teacher Hotline podcast here - I highly recommend adding it to your queue! While it may never feel like the right time to dig up such big problems and emotions, Tyler and host Ronald's passion for improving Ontario's education system is truly inspiring.

The Ol’ Teaching Career Bait-and-Switch

At its core, there's a fundamental mismatch between why teachers enter the profession and their current reality. Teachers choose this career because they care deeply about:

• Developing lifelong skills and competencies in young people

• Sharing their passion for particular subjects

• Inspiring action and change

• Opening up worlds of opportunity

• Helping students find meaning and purpose

• Creating positive interactions and engagement

• Encouraging students to embrace challenges

While these might seem like lofty goals, teachers truly believe in their ability to impact thousands of students throughout their careers. They know the job involves hard work - lesson planning, report cards, parent communication, events, extracurriculars - it's all part of the package

There's also a troubling pattern: schools struggling the most with academic success and behavior issues are more likely to have inexperienced or unqualified teachers filling staffing gaps - creating a vicious cycle that perpetuates inequality.

Even in well-resourced schools with supportive administration and manageable student populations (like where I taught), the job remains challenging. When I surveyed teachers, administrators, students, and parents about their pain points, one unfortunate reality became clear: teachers' reputation has suffered. They're often seen as chronic complainers who are always sick, tired, or picketing for more money. 

Unmasking the Crisis: What's Really Breaking Our Schools

The truth is, regardless of school location or resources, teaching has become an increasingly impossible task due to:

• Expanding expectations and responsibilities

  
  

• Reduced staff and resource support

• Limited professional autonomy

• Inadequate personalized training for growth

From Crisis to Transformation: Building Tomorrow's Schools Today

Last year, I gave myself a choice:

1. Continue giving my all teaching every day - loving most of it but lacking work-life balance and control over deteriorating conditions

2. Dedicate myself to working on solutions - missing my students but potentially helping shape the future of education

I chose option 2 and joined the many others working to address this crisis. The response is coming from multiple directions:

• AI companies developing tools to streamline lesson planning and administrative tasks

• Health practitioners supporting staff wellness

• Educational institutions training teachers and specialists

• Policy makers exploring systemic changes