The Answer - A blog about Education, Preparation, and Commitment.

Are YES Prep teachers happy?

January 18, 2010 by Jeremy Jones

There is no mystery that the economy has seen better days. The United States is in a unique economic climate right now which some have described as the “jobless recovery,” while some economic indicators suggest that we are climbing out of the great recession, job numbers aren’t rebounding. 

At the same time, Americans seem to be increasingly dissatisfied with the work they are doing. Without a fluid job market, we find ourselves stuck between a rock and a jobless marketplace. We aren’t happy, but we can’t do much about it because professional mobility is a dangerous prospect when so much of the workforce is competing for very few jobs.

Teachers are certainly not immune to the same sorts of feelings as other professionals. In his book, Building Engaged Schools, Gary Gordon explains that, while teachers enter the education field with a completely different set of values (not profit maximization), school leaders have taken advantage of those selfless feelings and not treated their teachers as a professional workforce.

Additionally, CNN recently posted an article on its website about job satisfaction. After reading this article, we were compelled to address both CNN and Gordon. At YES Prep, we know that the single greatest factor in the achievement of low-income students is the teacher. The teacher and the instruction he/she delivers will determine the academic outcomes of students and it is with this premise that our entire system operates. With this understanding, we engage our teachers in conversations about how to make our system better, seek out ways to make sure YES Prep has a compelling future for everyone, and treat our teachers with the dignity and respect that all professional deserve. 

Here is what our teachers had to say:

“I love my job because the day flies by! I get to work with people who believe in the same things that I do and who work just as hard as I am to accomplish our goals!”

--Holly Wright, Middle School Principal, YES Prep North Central

“I love my job because every day I get to be creative; I get to be an energetic and positive force in the life of a student.  I am also constantly and simultaneously supported and challenged by leaders and coworkers who have the best interests of all of our students and staff at heart.  They are part of my family.”

--Lindsey Windham, 9^th Grade English Literature/Service Learning Coordinator, YES Prep East End

“Why do I love my job? The answer is this: I love that I work with individuals who are creative, committed, and passionate.  I love that I work in an organization where ideas are welcomed, challenges are overcome, and excellence is achieved! Most of all, I love that I work with students whose faces light up at the thought of higher learning, success, and hard work.  Put all of these things together and why WOULDN’T I love my job?”

--Sarah Murphy, 6^th Grade ELA, YES Prep East End

“If people out there being surveyed out there had anywhere near the cultural cohesion and sense of mission we do at YES Prep these numbers would be a lot different.  Pretty sad.  I have the absolute best job in the country because I do work that matters, alongside other intelligent, mission-driven people who get that truly meaningful change in life comes from hard work, commitment, and caring.  Doesn’t matter what my salary is – I would do this for half the pay – as long as we continue to equip kids for college and make it possible for them to change the trajectory of their lives.”

--Jen Hines, Chief Program and People Officer, YES Prep Public Schools

What makes your job satisfying? Leave us a comment and tell us what you think. To learn more about how you can join our team, visit www.yesprep.org/work or email us at teach@yesprep.org. 

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