As schools around the country are beginning to let out for the summer, many classrooms may not only find themselves empty of students—but teachers, too.
That’s because for thousands of educators, this year may have been the tipping point on calling it quits, with social media like TikTok and technology like ChatGPT piling stress onto the already overworked and underpaid field.
“I’m actually leaving the profession. I am quitting. Friday is my last day.”
“High turnover negatively impacts student learning and undermines school improvement efforts,” wrote Ryan Saunders and Amy Skinner of LPI. “Schools with frequent teacher turnover see lower student achievement and face higher financial burdens, with teacher turnover costs ranging from $12,000 per teacher in small districts to $25,000 in larger ones.”
“Teachers are more than twice as likely than other working adults to report job-related stress,” Carver-Thomas tells Fortune.
Cell phones have been in the classroom for decades now. In many cases, cell phones have also been effective research tools for students to access the internet when they may not have Wi-Fi or a computer at home. Plus, they’ve helped young people stay connected with the world and contact people in emergencies.
“Most of these kids prefer to live on their phones rather than experience real life. Additionally, cellphones are a constant distraction. Many students would get distressed if they couldn’t check their phones frequently,” says Greg Freebury, who taught high school math before quitting and starting his own private tutoring company.
At the same time, there needs to be a balance, experts say. While having ChatGPT do students’ homework assignments is not productive to learning, using it properly can be a gamechanger for their future.
