50 Facts You Should Share on World Teachers Day

UNESCO and Educational International designate every October 5 World Teacher Day. Although a strong education should be considered a basic human right across the globe, most instructors receive very little appreciation and recognition. In America, particularly, where they oftentimes end up taken completely for granted — despite being, paradoxically, exactly what nations need to evolve! Hopefully World Teacher Day inspires students, parents, staff and fellow faculty to reach out and show some appreciation and respect for the unglamorous, super stressful and sometimes even marginalized profession every day, not just once yearly. Although one 50-point article could never fully capture the eclecticism, perspective diversity and numerical nuances of the entire education sector, this one at least tries to offer a small shard of available data. A very, very miniscule shard.

EdTech

1. Library media programs are mandatory in all New York public schools

   All included institutions must absolutely meet state standards — dictating the amount of titles per student and specialists per districts — and seventh and eighth graders are required to take at least one weekly period devoted to learning library ins and outs.

2. Most schools have an explicit written policy about technology use

   Each of these policies outline specific technologies and how students may or may not utilize them on campus. At 92%, Internet use not involving social media, wikis, blogs and/or e-mail is the most restricted.

3. Webcams improve literacy

   Webcams allow students to watch themselves read, visually illustrating where their specific strengths and weaknesses lay. Many enterprising, tech-savvy teachers utilize this strategy to help them improve both their literacy and primary and secondary language fluency.

4. It’s possible to major in edtech

   At colleges and universities like Boise State, the next generation of teachers (or those returning to school!) can earn graduate degrees and certifications nurturing their edtech skills. Since so many districts desire technology-oriented hires, such a major might prove advantageous.

5. American schools average 189 instructional computers per public institution

   Statistics from 2008 noted a total of 15,434 total computers in American public schools, and 15,162 of them (or 98%) enjoy internet access. Their prolificacy renders them one of — if not THE — most essential edtech tools available.

6. All American school districts store some or all student data electronically

   Startling, but not unsurprising. In addition, all of them keep attendance data in an electronic system, along with 99% of contact information, demographic and enrollment data. At 86%, health records are the least likely to be stored electronically.

7. Classroom technology bolsters self-esteem and motivation

   Because edtech engages students of all abilities better than many traditional strategies, mastering it improves both their self-esteem and desire to constantly improve performance.

8. "Augmented reality" technologies are gaining impressive momentum in the classroom

   Because of their amazing immersive, interactive potential, "augmented reality" devices and programs (GPS, Second Life, etc.) enjoy more and more educational exposure. Through them, students gain valuable insight into their coursework, witnessing firsthand how lessons stem from real-world facets.

9. Technology alters teacher responsibilities

   Classroom technologies provide users plenty more options and personalized attention than traditional setups, shifting teacher roles from authority figures to mediators. This places a little more autonomy in the hands of students as well, encouraging more self-direction and introspection than ever before.

10. Most American public school districts offer technology-related professional development opportunities

    Most, however, do not require teachers to take advantage of them — except when it comes to internet safety. Eighty-nine percent of districts provide internet safety professional development courses, and 55% consider them mandatory.

Education Policy and Economics

11. No Child Left Behind lowered Texas graduation rates

    Stemming directly from the No Child Left Behind Act — ironically passed by former Texas governor George W. Bush — the Lone Star State witnessed a dip in its high school graduation rates. Minorities and ESL students proved the most vulnerable, with roughly 135,000 amongst all demographics dropping out each year thanks to accountability issues.

12. Slightly more than half of National School Lunch Program participants are at a 186+ income/poverty ratio

    About 51.7%, in fact, so almost exactly half. In the age 5 to 18 demographic, 63.7% hail from households with a 186+ income/poverty ratio.

13. No Child Left Behind was granted more flexibility in 2011

    As of September 2011, the controversial No Child Left Behind Act placed more accountability and flexibility in the hands of state and local governments. Likewise, it deemphasized standardized test scores and started looking at far more student success factors.

14. Puerto Rico receives generous grants through the School Improvement Grants system

    The American territory, as of August 2011, is set to receive $153.6 million earmarked specifically for underperforming, under-resourced and understaffed schools. Such support comes courtesy of the School Improvement Grant program, which will provide $546 million total to states and districts around the nation needing serious educational aid.

15. At one point, 19 states considered anti-evolution education policies

    State and local governments decide whether or not evolution ends up on public school syllabi. 2005 saw a staggering 19 states deciding whether or not the creationist and intelligent design perspectives belong in the classroom. This legislation came courtesy of Christianity’s far-right wing pressure, who, for the most part, surprisingly didn’t want to jettison evolution entirely. Rather, they wanted to slip their religious views into any "holes" that might crop up during lessons.

16. Teen pregnancy rates rose alongside abstinence-only sex education

    Following the promotion of abstinence-only sex education, the teen pregnancy rate spiked 3% in 2006, along with a 1% increase in abortions and 4% in births. Seven percent of total teens ended up pregnant that year, and most experts believe inadequate or nonexistent access to safe sex guidelines is to blame. Abstinence-only programs simply ignore the fact that teenagers are going to get intimate no matter what, and utterly deny them information necessary to prevent STDs, STIs and unwanted pregnancies.

17. International students pump billions into the American economy

    Between 2009 and 2010, international students at all grade levels — most especially college and university — contributed about $18.8 billion to the floundering American economy. And this is only a "conservative figure!"

18. Most states have now passed anti-bullying legislation

    Watchdog group Bully Police USA keeps track of anti-bullying laws protecting students from verbal, mental, emotional, physical and cyber abuse, and 47 states (plus Puerto Rico!) boast one or more regulations. Considering three out of four kids receive such treatment on campus, with 69% reporting their schools "respond poorly," legislation is sorely needed.

19. During the 2010-2011 school year, 70% of American school districts slashed their budgets

    And by the time 2011-2012 rolls around, about 84% see fiscal setbacks in their future. Furthermore, 85% of affected districts responded by cutting faculty and staff positions, and 60% plan to do so as the new school year dawns.

20. About 5% of public elementary and secondary education institutions are charter or magnet schools

    The number may have fluctuated somewhat since the 2008-2009 academic year, of course, though that’s the most recent statistic available. Since charter and magnet schools are subject to some different regulations, this number is not insignificant; it may even represent an upward trend, as enrollment tripled over one decade.

Higher Education

21. More women earn college degrees than men

    When it comes to both bachelors and graduate degrees, American women have surpassed their male peers — a first in the nation’s history. Around 20.1 million females hold bachelor’s degrees, compared to 18.7 million males. At the master’s level and above, 10.6 million women have earned them, as have 10.5 million men…and the statistics climb yearly.

22. At least 4 dozen Division I colleges and universities cheat Title IX

    Although a Time investigation refused to reveal the exact number of Division I schools flagrantly violating Title IX, it did suggest around four dozen. Texas A&M, Cornell, University of South Florida, Duke and plenty more exploited supposed loopholes in order to avoid equal funding for female athletics.

23. Online enrollment grew significantly in fall 2008

    By 17% over the previous year, in fact, while higher education enrollment only increased 1.2% overall. About 4.6 million college kids reported taking advantage of at least one online course, and the trend seems to keep gaining momentum.

24. Diploma mills are still a serious issue

    To the point the Federal Trade Commission even keeps a running list of these illegal businesses. Be sure to stop by the U.S. Department of Education’s official site — linked here — for more information on accredited institutions and the legitimate unaccredited.

25. Some new teachers are eligible for student loan forgiveness

    After five full-time years at an underprivileged elementary or secondary school, some qualifying college graduates might slough off up to $17,500 worth of principle and interest on Direct Loans and/or FFEL. This perk comes courtesy of The Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program, which exists in order to encourage more young people towards the education industry.

26. Most undergraduates receive federal grants or aid

    About 65.6% of American undergraduates receive aid, and 51.7% end up with grants, most of them first- and full-year. Independent first- and full-year students are the most likely to require assistance, at a rate of 86.9% as of the 2007-2008 school year.

27. The median annual earning for all postsecondary educators is $58,830

    May 2008 was the last time such data was gathered, so the number may have swelled or slashed since then. As one can probably assume, cost of living/geography, experience, rank, part-time versus full-time, field and the college or university itself impacts salary.

28. Fewer higher-ed professionals are up for tenure than one would think

    Tenure tracks are actually far less prolific than they appear, with 70% of professors, assistant professors, instructors and lecturers holding positions ineligible for such benefits.

29. Most professors support the tenure system

    Female professors are more likely to consider tenure outdated, with 46% reflecting this mindset, as opposed to 35% of their male counterparts. Seeing as how the most recent research on the subject is a 1996 UCLA study, the numbers have probably shifted since then.

30. The employment rate for first-time bachelor’s earners is 84%

    Following the 2007-2008 school year, 9% of first-time bachelor’s degree recipients found themselves unemployed, and 7% fell from the workforce entirely.

Special Education

31. Time outside mainstream classes is the most common special education strategy

    And 58% of special education students spend 21% or less time outside mainstream classrooms. Kids struggling with speech and/or language impairments comprise the highest demographic requiring such assistance, at a rate of 86.4% — though 5.7% need to spend 21%-60% outside standard courses, and 4.7% need more than 60%.

32. The US Department of Education granted over $25 million to assistive technology improvement

    In 2010, the feds give state governments distribute a total of $25,660,000 to every state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico through the State Grant for Assistive Technology Program. This funding is meant to provide the best possible assistive technologies for aid struggling students, no matter their age or ability.

33. Just over 13% of students between the ages of three and 21 have a disability

    The most common are specific learning disabilities, which affects 5% of the student population. Between 2008 and 2009, 6,483 kids, teens and adult ended up seeking assistance with government-funded programs granting them classroom advantages.

34. Twenty-two percent of adults read at a "below basic" level

    Whether or not this is the result of undiagnosed or undetected learning disabilities or lax public education standards remains unknown, but all the same this statistic disturbs.

35. American special education programs lag behind when it comes to providing certain language and disability needs

    A National Center for Education Statistics assessment revealed that most special education programs exclude special needs students requiring Braille, electronic spelling and thesaurus devices, reading aloud in English, oral response, ESL accommodation, sign language and translations into native languages. By no means nonexistent, these provisions nevertheless need the most improvement and prolificacy.

36. Students with disabilities are more likely to miss 3 or more days

    These statistics, from the 2005 school year, cover 4th and 8th graders. Along with disabled students, those receiving free lunch and speaking a language other than English at home were also more vulnerable to absenteeism.

37. All states require licensing for special education teachers

    Parents with special needs children, school administrators and current and future teachers should know their respective states’ requirements.

38. 2008 saw 473,000 special education positions filled

    Most of these offered by public and private schools, naturally, though numbers obviously changed over time — 2008 just happens to be when the latest data was made available.

39. Over the next 10 years, special education jobs are expected to swell significantly

    As recognizing and diagnosing various disabilities impacting learning grows more sophisticated, the need for dedicated, licensed special education professionals will rise in response. By 17% between 2008 and 2018, estimates the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

40. Most students with disabilities suffer from learning or emotional setbacks

    More than two-thirds of students between the ages of six and 21 receive special education due to learning or emotional disabilities — about 71%, specifically.

The Teaching Profession

41. Teachers in majority black and Hispanic schools are the most underqualified

    Particularly when it comes to math — 25% of such teachers assigned to majority black schools do not hold a degree in the subject, in fact. Most qualified individuals either bail for majority white institutions or shoot for them after graduation. One doesn’t need an education degree to realize what an unjust achievement gap this ultimately creates.

42. Seven percent of teachers experienced a student threatening them with bodily harm in the 2007-2008 school year

    And 4% actually ended up with nonfatal injuries as a result of a student’s behavioral issues. Threat rates dropped, while verifiable incidents remained largely the same over the span of a few years.

43. Education possesses one of the highest turnover and attrition rates in America…

    Between 1999 and 2000, about one-third of teachers bailed after their first three years, and another half gave up after five. And the numbers steadily increase for those assigned to low-income or rural schools. Educators entering the system through alternative certification or similar conduit hold an attrition rate of 60%.

44. …and experts believe inadequate salaries are to blame

    America’s pathetic retention rate costs anywhere between $329 million to $2.1 billion annually, not to mention damage caused to innocent students. Since wages often jettison teachers towards other career paths, North Carolina State University researchers believe boosting them will save money in the long run while decreasing attrition.

45. Tenured teachers are more likely to get fired for inadequate performance

    Districts typically use nonrenewal as a means of dismissing tenured teachers, with an average of three during the 2007-2008 academic year. By contrast, the same strategy was used on an average of 1.4 non-tenured educators per district. These numbers undoubtedly challenge many common beliefs Americans hold about the system.

46. Parents play a considerable role in driving off teachers

    A study published in Anxiety, Stress and Coping surveyed German schoolteachers and discovered just how much egregious parenting behavior contributed to attrition rates. Over in the United States, Time noted that such a factor — which almost never appears on any assessments — might be an unspoken factor driving rampant burnout.

47. Student/teacher ratios are on the decline

    Surprisingly enough, considering cutbacks and other factors — but the National Center for Education Statistics prove common perceptions otherwise. In 2000, public schools saw 16 students per one teacher, which followed downward trends and ended up with a 15.6:1 ratio in 2010. Class size, however, involved about 20 kids per elementary classroom and 23.4 for secondary. Private schools averaged about 13.1 students for every one teacher.

48. A little more than half of public school teachers hold graduate degrees

    Fifty-two percent, in fact, as opposed to 38% of their private school equivalents. In addition, 76% of public school teachers are female, as are 74% of those in private institutions. Forty-four percent sit below the age of 40, compared to 39% of private counterparts. All these statistics hail from American schools, however.

49. More public school teachers stay put

    During the 2007-2008 school year, 84.5% of public school teachers stayed at the same institution, 7.6% moved elsewhere and 8% quit education entirely. Meanwhile, at their private counterparts, 79.2% retained their positions, 4.9% ended up at a different school and 15.9% left the profession. Most "movers" cited "personal life factors" as their primary reason for changing schools — 26.2% for public, 16% for private.

50. The median salary for kindergarten, elementary and secondary level educators is between $47,100 to $51,180

    However, the bottom 10% only make between $30,970 and $34,280. And the top 10% bring in between $75,190 and $80,970. Novice teachers holding a bachelor’s earn an average of $33,227 yearly. Considering the amount of physical, mental and emotional stress education embodies, many — particularly recent graduates assigned to dangerous schools — desire more commiserate salaries.

Taken From Best Colleges Online