RALEIGH, N.C. — First-time teachers are entering the education field as the U.S. grapples with school shootings and rising COVID cases.
One new teacher says she's in it for the children, and she's encouraging others to enter the profession.
What You Need To Know
- With school security top of mind, stresses from the pandemic, the mental health crisis and so much more, the teaching profession has undoubtedly faced much uncertainty and changes
- Across the state and country, some veteran teachers are leaving the classroom for good as school districts struggle to fill hundreds of vacancies
- And yet there’s nothing like the enthusiasm of a first-time teacher
Kay Sumpter is getting used to all the chaos and clutter, as her apartment transformed into a school supply closet over the last three months, although it's the opposite of how she wants her classroom to look.
"I am definitely hoping to bring in a peaceful space for my students where they feel welcomed, where it's not very chaotic. It's a very calm space where they feel comfortable learning," Sumpter said.
Sumpter has spent hundreds of dollars preparing for her first teaching job, and she's happy to do it. The salary isn't what motivates her.
"Honestly, a lot of times when I told people I wanted to be a teacher, they said 'you're not going to get paid a lot. How will you live?' A lot of things like that," she said.
Amid school shootings and staffing shortages, Sumpter realizes teachers are on the front lines of everything going on in our country. She keeps a blue folder handy from student teaching to help ease some of her anxiety.
"[It has] different things that I get from my students, whether it's appreciation cards or notes that they write in class," Sumpter said. "Ultimately, remembering that I'll be doing something that keeps me happy is what keeps me motivated. Remembering that I want to have those positive impacts on those students is something that keeps me motivated."
Of course, Sumpter knows there will be good and bad days to come. When times get tough, she says it's all about remembering her "why."
"There will be a lot of people who will tell you you shouldn't be a teacher or you shouldn't go through with this," she said. "I want to be someone who encourages students to reach their full potential, whether they believe that they can or not. Just being someone that helps them get there and see the potential in themselves that they may not see."
Sumpter says she isn't sure she'll stay in the classroom forever, but she does want to remain in the education field. She hopes to encourage other graduates who are considering going into teaching to not feel discouraged.