On this edition of Your Call, we're getting a lesson on teaching from career educators.
There are approximately 3.8 million public school teachers working in US classrooms, according to the Institute of Education Sciences. They are responsible for shaping minds, sparking curiosity, and building the foundation of young people. It’s a job that demands endless patience, relentless energy, and the capacity to care for their students—every single day.
And yet, most teachers are underpaid and overworked. The average annual salary for a starting teacher is less than $45,000. The national average pay for all teachers is less than $70,000 a year.
Public school teachers say they are stressed about their jobs and growing less optimistic about the future of education. Teacher shortages continue to rise and school funding continues to shrink. What changes would teachers like to see?
Guests:
Sanjay Makhijani, science teacher educator with the Exploratorium Teacher Institute in San Francisco, where he specializes in programs for teachers of color, former high school biology teacher, and public educator with 20 years of experience in San Francisco and Peninsula schools
Alysia Sharief, high school English teacher in Santa Cruz County for 25 years
Resources:
Time: NEA President — Trump’s Tax Bill Will Starve Public Schools
EdSource: Trump administration unfreezes billions in federal education funds after outcry
The 19th: From tissues to tariffs — The school supply debate just got political
NPR: Six months in, how Trump has changed the Education Department.
