Why Teachers Love Their Private School Jobs

Any person who decides on a career in teaching is in it for more than fame and glory. Teaching – shaping the minds and hearts of young people – is a calling, and you have to be all in to take on that job. At St. Barnabas School we are proud to have a team of incredible, dedicated teachers who add not only to the lives of our students but to the vibrancy of our community. But why would a teacher choose to join a private school faculty when they could teach elsewhere?
Autonomy And Individualism
Not all students are created the same, and neither are their teachers. We see all the time that students thrive in environments where their individual needs can be met. Small classrooms and small school communities are excellent at meeting the needs of both students and teachers. You can’t expect each teacher to come equipped with the same set of skills as the teacher next door. But, in more intimate environments, teachers can bring to bear the special skills they have to help their students thrive.

Access To Engaged Leadership
The public school system is basically a giant corporation. If you worked at an Apple store you wouldn’t expect to have access to Tim Cook, just as when you teach in a public school you won’t have access to the leaders who are ultimately determining what and how you’ll teach in your classroom. The small community of a private school creates much less space between teachers and leaders and allows more opportunity for feedback and dialogue. Do you have questions about a specific curriculum? Have an idea about how to better engage students around a specific subject? You’ve come to the right place.

Teaching For The Sake Of Learning
One of the single biggest complaints you hear from public school teachers is the pressure to drive their students to achieve on state tests. State-sanctioned standardized testing has become the benchmark by which students and therefore teachers are measured without taking into account critical factors like a students home life or their innate ability to achieve in a testing environment. In private schools, teachers are free to forget about standardized testing and focus on learning, and in small classrooms, they are more able to adjust lesson plans and teaching styles to meet the needs of specific students. This type of environment creates a fulfilling working environment that teachers had hoped for when they started their careers. Plus, this commitment to learning extends into the lives of our teachers as well through our investment in their professional development.

We don’t have to convince our teachers that private schools are the best environment for them to thrive in their careers. They experience it every day as they receive mentorship and coaching from their colleagues, and get the satisfaction of leading engaged and happy students through their educational journey. If you’re curious to see why our teachers love private educations so much, contact us today.

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