According to educationbug.org, there are 1,424 public schools in the state of Maryland. More than half (866/60%) of those schools are elementary level. With a little investigating at localschooldirectory.com one can discover that there are 33,000 elementary teachers (K-5) in Maryland and 24,544 secondary teachers.
The question I have is, if there are nearly ten thousand more elementary teachers in Maryland than secondary teachers, why has there only been one elementary level Maryland Teacher of the Year in the last eleven years? This puzzling pattern is not just a state issue, but a local district issue as well. I can’t remember the last time an elementary teacher won the county teacher of the year award in my district.
I am not suggesting that there is some kind of nefarious plot against elementary teachers, but there may be something as deeply disturbing afoot. Have elementary teachers become the Rodney Dangerfield’s of education? Is there a lack of respect for what elementary teachers do? Are secondary teachers selected more often because they tend to specialize in specific content areas? I have more questions than answers, but I am hoping that respect is not the reason.
I have great admiration for what middle and high school teachers accomplish every year. They make an impact on the lives of students that often determines the direction they will take as young adults. Yet, no one can tell me that their accomplishments are more meaningful or important than what elementary teachers do.
I get the sense that the people who sit on these selection committees think elementary teachers spend their days wiping noses and tying shoes. While our teachers do those things gladly, they also provide innovative instruction in science, technology, reading, math and many other areas. Elementary teachers form the foundation that middle schools and high schools build on. Without that foundation, our educational system would crumble.
I am hopeful that selection committees across Maryland (and other states) will be diligent in evaluating candidates fairly. Fairness starts with giving equal weight to the level that candidates represent. Being a middle or high school teacher should not give one an advantage over elementary level candidates. Perhaps members of the selection committees should spend a little time in an elementary school. If they are brave enough to, it won’t be long before this conspicuous disparity is rectified.