Let Teachers Use Their Minds

"Schools Pinched In Hiring" [front page, June 24] reported on a familiar problem: the teacher shortage and the challenge of retaining excellent teachers. Important progress has been made in teacher recruiting and new teacher induction. However, as the article stated: "About a third of new teachers leave the profession after three years."

What can be done to avoid the burnout that leads teachers to leave the profession or to remain and become ineffective?

We know that students are more likely to stay in school when their intellect is engaged and challenged. It should come as no surprise, then, that the same is true for teachers.

Unfortunately most learning opportunities for teachers take the form of professional development that doesn't treat them as professionals. Too often teachers are expected to implement programmed curricula that allow little intellectual involvement from teachers, requiring them instead to follow a script. Creative, thoughtful individuals who enter the profession seeking an intellectually stimulating career quickly become frustrated with these "teacher-proof" approaches.

If we want to attract and keep the kinds of teachers who will engage and challenge children, we need to expect our teachers to be engaged and intellectually challenged, too.

ALETA MARGOLIS

Executive Director

Center for Inspired Teaching

Washington