Gordon Chan: Without strong support, teachers’ morale will sink

Re “Provide Incentives to bring in Teachers” (Page 3D, Nov. 29): State Sen. Fran Pavley and Assemblyman Kevin McCarthy wrote: “Schools can provide the newest books, the most cutting-edge technology and the best curriculum, but the most important tool in the classroom is the teacher.” I heartily agree with this closing sentence in this op-ed. Teachers are the most important resource any school can have – not the books, curriculum or computers.

When I started teaching at Modesto High School in 1965, I joined a team of experienced, professional teachers in the English Department who helped me by leading and teaching me to create lesson plans that worked successfully, to deal with unmotivated students with attractive readings, to organize units of studies that required students to read and write essays and compositions based on textual evidence, and to help me develop a passion for teaching. I had the encouragement and constant support of my principal and the staff who helped an inexperienced teacher. I did not care that the pay was low.

Today, I hear talk from many of my colleagues that they are counting the months before they can retire at the earliest age. For many, the love of teaching is gone. Low morale can discourage new teachers.

This story was originally published December 3, 2015 at 11:14 AM with the headline "Gordon Chan: Without strong support, teachers’ morale will sink."