Many teachers want to resign — Auck. survey

Press, 28 August 1978, Page 4

Many teachers want to resign — Auck. survey

PA Wellington One-third of secondary teachers who responded to a Post-Primary Teachers’ Association survey said they wanted to get out of teaching. Physical and emotional stress was the main reason given for wanting to leave teaching. Of 335 teachers who said they planned to leave, 92 per cent said they were getting out because of dissatisfaction with the job, and only 8 per cent gave personal reasons such as retirement or pregnancy. Results Of the survey by the P.P.T.A. Auckland region were distributed at the association’s annual conference in Wellington. The survey co-ordinator, Liz Smalley, said that some teachers were leav-

ing to become freezing workers or hospital porters.

“A number of people said they would da anything rather than teach any more,” she said. Other teachers said they were going into town planning, computer work, accountancy, or business. The survey was sent to every Auckland P.P.T.A. member, and so far 1003, or 8.6 per cent, have replied. Of these, 335 said they were leaving, and 668 were staying.

The four most common reasons for leaving were, in order, stress, poor pay, extra-curricular duties, and intransigent pupils. Next came a lack of resources, the amount of work that had to be taken home, and a lack of support from the Education

Department and the community.

“The answers to the survey showed a lot of frustration among teachers who believed their job was important, but couldn’t do it well because of a lack of support and resources,” Mrs Smalley said.

“They were also upset about the amount of preparation and marking they had to do at home, which interefered with their social and family lives,” she said. Teachers in the survey were asked what changes would induce them to stay in teaching. The three mast common pleas were for smaller classes, more time at school for preparation and marking, and higher salaries.