Dr. Mike Robinson: Dr. Smith, after hearing the comments from Stacie McClam, author of School Dismissed: Walking Away From Teaching, do you think student trauma is an issue impacting teacher retention?
Dr. Shanna L. Smith: It is an issue impacting teachers. I walked away from teaching in 2002 — high school wasn’t a good fit for me. Teacher Education programs don’t always give new teachers what they need: classroom management skills, dealing with behavioral & emotional issues of students, even managing a grade book. It sounds basic, but you are thrown into situations without support. It is traumatizing. It is exhausting. You get sick of feeling like you are failing every day. I felt emotionally battered, but teachers today worry about being physically battered. I never planned to teach again. I used to say what she did I’d “teach” outside the classroom. Everybody was surprised when I wound up teaching college — I was surprised. But I found my fit and all that experience - even the trauma - helped. I deal with under-prepared students every day. I also teach Secondary English Education majors. I guess I’m saying now the road I took was necessary for me to be where I am. I don’t just know my subject, I know how to teach (all PhDs don’t get teaching training).
Dr. Shanna L. Smith: It is an issue impacting teachers. I walked away from teaching in 2002 — high school wasn’t a good fit for me. Teacher Education programs don’t always give new teachers what they need: classroom management skills, dealing with behavioral & emotional issues of students, even managing a grade book. It sounds basic, but you are thrown into situations without support. It is traumatizing. It is exhausting. You get sick of feeling like you are failing every day. I felt emotionally battered, but teachers today worry about being physically battered. I never planned to teach again. I used to say what she did I’d “teach” outside the classroom. Everybody was surprised when I wound up teaching college — I was surprised. But I found my fit and all that experience - even the trauma - helped. I deal with under-prepared students every day. I also teach Secondary English Education majors. I guess I’m saying now the road I took was necessary for me to be where I am. I don’t just know my subject, I know how to teach (all PhDs don’t get teaching training).