Why teacher-coaches may be overlooked in a teacher shortage: Michelle Scott
Life as a teacher can be hard but when you take on more than teaching it can become a whole new ballpark, especially in Colorado where there is also a teacher shortage.
Michelle Scott, a Skyline High School teacher, knows exactly what it is like to take on more than a teaching position. Scott is a social studies teacher during the school day and once it is over she goes straight to the pool to coach swimming.
Scott coaches Skyline’s Swim and Dive Team for girls as well as Longmont High School’s Boys Team. She had been coaching only the girl's team but three years ago she decided to start coaching the boys.
Having around eight years under her belt of teaching and five years of being a head coach, Scott has tremendous knowledge in the realm of balancing the two jobs.
Scott having this knowledge, brought an interesting insight into how the education system is now with the teacher shortage and how teachers have a lot on their plate.
What gets overlooked from taking on more than just teaching in your opinion?
I think the stereotype of a teacher-coach is still a negative one overall. Teaching is one of the toughest professions, and coaching brings on a whole other level of pressure. The amount of prep work alone for either is immense. I’m not sure people see that from the outside.
I think many coaches hide just how much it can affect your wellbeing by putting a positive spin on it. Don’t get me wrong — we all coach because it is an outlet and we love our sport and helping others. However, so many people discount the hours of planning, prepping, etc. that we do in addition to teaching.
What is it like to balance being a coach and a teacher? Does it ever take a toll on your mental health?
I won’t lie and say it is easy. However, things become easier after coaching for 7 years. However, some weeks that balance is just too hard to manage, but you just have to prioritize.
Despite all the extra work and stress coaching is, I love getting to help students succeed outside of the classroom, and give students an opportunity to try a sport, whereas before they may have not been comfortable joining one.
What do you think could be done to help support teachers that are not being done now?
I think a competitive pay increase is the reason fewer and fewer people are getting into the education field. When your pay raise only matches the rate of inflation, it’s not actually a pay raise.
As well as, any pay increase in recent years hasn’t covered the cost of living. This is a huge reason many people are choosing to leave the profession entirely.
What do you think teachers like you (who take on more things like sports/clubs) could benefit from a change in pay?
My number one reason to coach was because I love the sport. And I think that is universal. However, I won’t lie to you that the pay is not also a lucrative part of why people coach.
I rely on that money from coaching each month. So, while I coach because it is my passion, many other coaches continue to coach because it helps them pay the bills.
If there was any advice you could give to someone going into teaching what would you say to them?
I would tell newer teachers that things do get easier, and that right now it’s tough, but there are still so many students who make it worth it.
