Teachers Need More Prep Time to Fill Their Charge

In August 2023, LAUSD reported 450 unfilled teaching positions. Additionally, according to Educators for Excellence’s 2024 Voices from the Classroom survey of educators, only 16% of current classroom teachers would recommend the profession to others. Why is it that teachers are struggling and have such urgency to leave the profession? As the numbers suggest, the teaching profession simply is not sustainable, and teachers in LAUSD are no exception.

As members of E4E-Los Angeles, and LAUSD classroom teachers ourselves, we sought to answer these questions when interviewing our colleagues on the topic of teacher sustainability. We wanted to understand more deeply how we can address LAUSD educators’ concerns while illuminating the bright spots of educating students in today’s education climate.

Each of the teachers we interviewed brought to the table their own experiences, their own insights by grade levels, and their own pedagogy. When asked questions like, “Why did you join the profession of teaching?” answers are overwhelmingly positive, citing the desire to make change, the desire to help others, and an underlying passion for the profession.

One educator from North Hollywood explained, “I read a ton of research on equality and education, particularly as it pertained to women and girls and I genuinely…believed that the best way to implement social change was through education.” When asked why these moments of joy and inspiration aren’t making the profession sustainable, the answer was clear: teachers aren’t given the time.

Where does the time go? What’s holding teachers back from the change and impact they hope to make?

When asked, a math teacher in LAUSD felt that “the expectations from the math department at LAUSD seemed more interested in just getting teachers to follow a prescribed curriculum versus actually becoming better teachers.” This is not an isolated issue: Another educator plainly stated,

“I never have enough time to fulfill my job requirements at work, and I am made to feel like I have to take my work home. I don’t get breaks during the day.”

Ultimately, these issues can be addressed if educators are granted more prep time.

Teachers need adequate time to practice their craft. Currently, educators are left with very little time to tailor lessons to individual classes, sometimes leaving passionate educators unfulfilled. Additionally, this small window of time gives teachers very little opportunity to look externally for classroom resources to help supplement curriculum or assist students.

Teachers are professionals, and we need time to practice the art of teaching and prepare our lessons. We need time to collaborate with other educators, and to receive coaching from our mentors. This will allow us the opportunity to best serve our students, and to feel more fulfilled in our field.

Most importantly, we must ensure that the daily work of educators can occur during the work day itself. This prep time needs to be paid time, and needs to not eat into personal time to recharge and spend time with family outside of the classroom. Creating the space for flexibility and listening to educators’ needs is the first step in that direction. Then, and only then, will the passion for teaching and helping others once again entirely outweigh the responsibilities and hardships that can come with being an educator.

– Elise Pepe and Laura Kampmeyer Jaeggi, E4E-LA Teacher Action Team Members