Some of my most introspective or reflective moments happen in hotel rooms early in the morning. I am in Washington D.C. to deliver a series of addresses at the invitation of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the largest professional science society in the world. Such pinnacle opportunities imply, I suppose, that my career has been somewhat successful. I have been honored at the White House, by leading professional organizations, and various Universities. The national media, federal agencies, NASA, and Congress seek my counsel on weather-climate related issues. I was even voted by my peers as President of the American Meteorological Society (AMS). None of this is possible without the influence of K-12 and collegiate educators along the way. A far-fetched kid's dream to be a meteorologist became a reality because of teachers.
Recently, a public figure called teachers "losers." I found that statement particularly offensive. It also undermines a critical backbone of our society. Both of my parents were teachers and school administrators. My two kids are being shaped and educated by the amazing teachers in the Gwinnett County Public School System. More importantly, every single professional was molded by teachers. I saw a meme that said something along the lines of "Engineers make the bridge, but teachers make the engineer."
K-12 teachers are vital, and their pay should consistent with their importance. Atlanta Journal Constitution education columnist Maureen Downey recently wrote,
Respect for teachers demands more than rhetoric; it requires policies and laws that support and treat teachers as professionals and pay them accordingly. A new study on attracting the brightest minds to the classroom, “The Value of Smarter Teachers: International Evidence on Teacher Cognitive Skills and Student Performance,” found American teachers are paid 22 percent less than comparably experienced and skilled college graduates doing other jobs.
I was raised by a single mother who happened to be a teacher. I really don't recall not having what I needed for school, sports teams, and other activities. From the lens of maturity, I am sure it was a struggle on a teacher's salary in the 1970s and 1980s. Heck, I am sure it is a struggle for many teachers now as evident by the various teacher strikes and walkouts in recent years.
It is not just pay. Teachers have to deal with challenges from all flanks. Some parents exhibit the Dunning-Kruger Effect toward teachers by thinking they understand education more than trained, degreed teachers. Other parents are in denial about their kids' behavior or work ethic so blame teachers . There is also woeful institutional and budgetary support. A recent article points out that "In 2015, 29 states were providing less total school funding per student than they were in 2008." It is not surprising that teachers are leaving the field or having to work multiple jobs to make ends meet.
This leads me back to my journey to become a meteorologist. I wanted to be an entomologist. I would catch insects for hours during the warm season. After being stung by a bee, it was revealed that I had a severe allergy to stings. Thanks to a bee, plan B was to do my sixth grade science project on weather. It was entitled "Can A Sixth Grader Predict The Weather?" This was my first experience with a science project. I remember my science teacher, Mrs. Lillie Mae Nash, challenging and encouraging me. Of course, there were numerous teachers along the way that honed my math, science, communication, writing and other skills.
I focused on the 4th to 6th grade period because data from the American Meteorological Society has shown that a significant percentage of meteorologists, climatologist, and atmospheric scientists became interested in weather during elementary or middle school. Meteorologist Tom Moore did an informal survey of his social media friends and overwhelmingly confirmed these findings in the article at this link. I don't know how unique this is to meteorology, but it is clear that the influence of K-12 educators has been vital to generations of meteorologists.
I invest my time and resources to support educators (see picture above) because value gained from those formative years were so important to me. There are a host of challenges facing our K-12 educators. A report led by Richard Ingersoll at the University of Pennsylvania summarizes some of them:
- An over-representation of young, inexperienced teachers (However, they have to gain experience somehow),
- Minority teachers, who are critical to changing student demographics within schools, are leaving the field of teaching at a higher rate because they are disproportionately working in some of the most challenging school environments,
- Attrition of teachers at low-income rural and urban schools, in part because of lack of resources, and
- Lack of "voice" and autonomy of the teachers in schools.
Every single step of my career has the fingerprint of a teacher on it. I am not the product of fancy, exotic innovative schools or pedagogy. I am the product of teachers that were dedicated, independent, nurturing, and engaged. I want to thank all of my teachers at North Canton Elementary, Cherokee High School, and Florida State University. I also want to deliver an "open thank you" to all teachers. You are winners.
