Teaching can be a rewarding career, but for many Black women, it can be a very challenging one to sustain. According to a recent report, Black teachers are more likely to leave the profession and are exiting in record numbers. Millennials and Gen Zers make up a large portion of educators, and the Learning Policy Institute reported in 2019 that the demand for teachers had exceeded supply by more than 100,000 positions—confirming that there’s a severe gap in the pipeline from college-to-classroom for new educators.
Many have loved and watched shows like Abbott Elementary, a fictional depiction of some very real-life issues inspired by former Philadelphia Public Schools veteran Joyce Abbott. Whether a parent, educator, or student, as Black women we've known all well the challenges we all face when it comes to the educational system.
Let's explore the issue and a few tips on burnout and career transitioning for Black women in education:
Why Are Black Teachers Quitting?
For some, it's really not about the act of teaching being the problem. It's the red tape, the constant pressures they face from state and institutional authorities, and the lack of resources. State reports indicate that Black teachers have the highest rates of turnover in education, with "major culprits" being stress, low pay, and intrusion of politics.
There's also the issue of Black and Hispanic teachers being more likely to not have certification in major markets where there are shortages, or they're teaching in an underfunded district. These factors, according to experts, are associated with the higher rates of professionals leaving as well. When in such situations, it's more likely that an educator might quit due to the added pressures and challenging environment.
Pay for teachers, according to statistics, has not changed in 30 years (yes, you read that right), so one can only imagine the very demoralizing impact of the salary issue. The pay has not even begun to catch up with inflation. It's gotten to the point where legislation has been introduced on the federal and state levels just to ensure parity and a decent working wage for teachers.
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Beating Burnout and Transitioning Out
With teachers leaving the industry or using their skills of people management, lesson planning, and communications in other ways (à la Tiffany "The Budgetnista" Aliche), there are ways to not only beat burnout but go into something a bit more fitting for the stage of life you might be in.
Experts at The University of San Diego offer the following tips for beating burnout:
Prioritize your health: Be sure you're eating balanced meals and putting your mental and physical wellness first. Seeking therapy, exercising regularly, and taking on a fun new activity are a great start. Find ways to boost emotional intelligence.
Lean into your resources for educator support: Talk with your fellow teaching network and organizations, and participate even if it's virtual. Be sure you're tapping into all the support resources afforded to you.
Advocate for yourself: Keeping track of your successes, speaking up about promotions or other benefits, and going to where you are loved and valued are steps you can take as well.
Set work-life boundaries: When possible, leave work at the school and be present in the moments of rest and self-love at home.
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For those looking to transition out, sit down and create a good exit plan both related to your career and your finances. Think about how you can use your transitional skills to pursue a different career, start a side hustle, or work in a different aspect of education. Tap into what led you into teaching in the first place and go from there. If everything seems a bit overwhelming, seek the help of a coach or consultant who can help you navigate the journey of the career transition.
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Chase is an LA resident who wanted to use her platform to give back to firefighters in a big way. "I don't think that firefighters are paid anywhere near enough for what they do because I know I couldn't do something like that. I wouldn't even know where to start," Chase tells us.
"I admire them and how brave they are to even do the job that they do. And then also, LA just needs a better system in place to prevent things like this [from] happening, obviously. So it was just important to me, and I'm thankful that I have the platform to do so. So it was just important to me to give back in any way that I could and make a positive out of this really negative situation."
Anela's Vintage (Anela is Chase's middle name) is a vintage store that was influenced by the iconic Y2K era. While anyone can shop on the site, it's also a go-to spot for stylists who want to pull items for video shoots, award shows, and more.
The boutique is also a full-circle moment as T-Boz once had a children's fashion boutique named after Chase. The "No Scrubs" singer opens up about how proud she is of her daughter using her talents in a positive way.
"I think giving back to the fires is amazing because a lot of things that I do, I usually incorporate sickle cell," says T-Boz. "So the fact that she's giving back and it's coming through something that people love to do anyway, which is shop, you can't get better than that. And then you're helping people in the process, that's the perfect kind of event to me."
Since Chase followed in her mother's footsteps by getting into fashion, can we expect the same with music? "I mean, I can sing, but it's not the path I really chose," Chase says.
"Music is a huge part of my life. I love music a lot, and I'm honestly really good at things involving music. I don't know why I've never chose to do it as a career, to be honest, but at this very moment, no."
If Chase ever gets into music, T-Boz thinks she would make a great A&R executive because she has a good ear for music. When it comes to their mother-daughter dynamic, the "Girl Talk" artist jokingly says that Chase thinks she's the mother in their relationship and always tells her what to do. However, she admits that she has helped her embrace saying no to people who ask to borrow money.
Tron Austin, Rozonda Thomas, Chase Anela Rolison, and Tionne Watkins attend the CrazySexyCool Premiere Event at AMC Loews Lincoln Square 13 theater on October 15, 2013 in New York City.
Photo by Brad Barket/Getty Images for VH1
"I'm sucker free Sunday in the department of when people are sick, or say they sick, some of them be lying," T-Boz says. "But, you know, like, I have a soft spot there--"So I have said no all last year, at the end of the year, and all this year, even though we're in the beginning, I still said no."
The multi-platinum artist reveals she recently moved to Tennessee and is looking forward to writing with country artists. She also wants to get into producing films and is currently working on a TLC Broadway play. "It's not going to be typical, like behind the music and all that. It'll be more like the strength and triumph of three females and probably through the islands of the lyrics of our songs, if that makes sense," T-Boz explains.
"So I think it'll be done differently. It's time consuming. This is the third year we've been working on it, but it actually will hit Broadway next year, and I'm nervous about that. Like, she gets nervous. I get nervous."
The next steps for Chase include growing Anela Vintage and having a storefront. The pop-up shop will be held Sunday, January 26th, at 2520 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, from 3- 9 PM.
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Feature images by David Livingston/Getty Images, @chaserolison/ Instagram