The low compensation associated with being a teacher and a systemic lack of respect for the profession discourage students of color and Indigenous students from pursuing careers in education, according to a new report from Teach Plus and the Center for Black Educator Development.
More than 100 high school students of color and Indigenous identities from 18 states participated in the research study for “Seeing Myself: Students of Color on the Pros and Cons of Becoming Teachers.” Among other key findings in the report, which was released Oct. 17:
• Students of color and Indigenous students value the unique benefit teachers of color and Indigenous teachers have on students’ experiences in school and on their futures
• For students of color and Indigenous students, the representativeness of the curriculum and teachers’ level of agency in their own classrooms play an important role in shaping their school experience and influence their perspective on the attractiveness of the teaching profession
“Our hope is that by creating the types of school environments in which students of color and Indigenous students thrive, we ultimately help grow a strong pipeline of teachers of color and Indigenous teachers committed to serving our students,” the report’s conclusion says. “Together, we can transform the profession by embracing and supporting educators of color and Indigenous teachers, and supporting all our students.”
View the report here.