Teachers that got in the game to make a difference and help form small minds are hard pressed for time to do just that, create lessons and make learning fun because they are pressured into teaching to test. The dumb tests determine their worth. I think the pressure should be on the administrators to get ineffective principals out and pressure on the principals to come clean on who is not doing their job. It must stink for those giving 110% to along someone who is scaping by just for summers off. We don't need the anxiety causing tests to tell us who can't read on level, the teachers KNOW. We don't need those scores to tell us which teacher is not bringing their A game to the class room. The Principals KNOW. People that don't like kids should get OUT. Something has to change so that teachers can take back their power to influence the love of learning in the kids. I think if the teachers realized how valuable they are and what amazing things they can bring to the table and they were allowed to do that they would be happier. They need time and resources to do something other than teach to test and test, test and test some more. A lot of the joy has gone out of the job.

I do not know one teacher who is excited to be teaching now. They all complain of being micro-managed to teach to the test. They all say that the over-all school atmosphere is one of fear. Although all teachers I know dislike the testing frenzy and the high stakes attached, they are all too afraid for their jobs to speak out against it. Same for the principals. In my opinion, teachers would be MUCH happier if they were encouraged to teacher creatively and to think outside the box, instead of just following a cookie-cutter "curriculum" that teaches only how to take tests.

Satisfaction is low because teachers aren't being allowed to teach. They're being forced to "drill and kill" students for the standardized tests and core curriculum. Teachers will be more satisfied when they are allowed to teach. Teachers will be more satisfied when students are allowed to genuinely learn. Teachers will be more satisfied with they are allowed to let 5 year olds have playtime to assimilate their math skills. Teachers will be more satisfied when kids learn social skills at recess instead of spending that time prepping for tests. It's not complicated.