The look of education in South Dakota through the eyes of a 2nd year teacher...

This is something I wrote for the South Dakota Democratic party's blog.. I don't think it's been published yet, but I thought I'd put it up here for those who are interested..

For me, when I decided to go into the teaching profession it was a chance to impact lives and change the world at a grassroots level. Every kid counts, and if I can reach even one student, that’s all that matters.

One of the great parts about education is the continual search for renewal and learning. I am very motivated by the constant desire my colleagues display to be better teachers. I see teachers open up to new ideas and approaches in the classroom in order to help every student achieve to their greatest potential. Student learning is the motivating factor, and it is uplifting to be apart of such a noble campaign.

Unfortunately, student learning isn’t the only motivating factor-it’s also money. Yes, teachers in South Dakota rank the lowest for average teacher pay in the nation. In fact, our average teacher pay is almost half as much as the average teacher pay in the highest paying state, Connecticut. This is embarrassing because I know we as South Dakotans value education highly and our numbers don’t show that to the nation.

Education is changing, though, and teacher pay needs to reflect the added responsibility, work, and strain that legislation like No Child Left Behind puts on teachers. How are we as a state showing respect or gratitude for the skill and expertise of our teachers with a salary that doesn’t even match inflation?

Our low teacher salary is distressing to me, but even more troubling is the fact that only 54 percent of new teachers are still teaching by the end of their fifth year according to the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future. With baby boomers closing in on retirement at the tender age of 55, that number is pitiful. As a new teacher last year, everyone in my building did their best to make me feel appreciated, but the workload, financial strain, and school stress made it hard many days to remember why I wanted to do this in the first place.

One of my favorite teachers in middle school once told me, “never pick a profession because of the money. Do what you love and you will be happy. That is worth more than any salary can ever pay you.” I think this attitude is very telling of why South Dakota’s teachers teach. We do this because we believe in education, and we believe in the kids we get to work with everyday. So, I’d like to see our state invest more in the promise of an educational system that will start looking younger, and recognize the increased pressure and hard work students today are putting into their education.