Here’s how you can keep me in the teaching profession
By Olutope Aghedo
“Sir, the whole math book is in your head,” said my student Kylon, a junior. “We like the way you teach, breaking things down in detail.” After years working in an engineering company, I have been a teacher for more than 13 years, with 10 of those in Texas public schools. For seven of those years, I have taught algebra. It makes my day when students grasp the lessons I so carefully plan and then score proficient in math on the state’s State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR). In addition, this spring, 97% passed the Algebra 1 end-of-course exam, the highest passage rate in many years. As a Black teacher, it is also my hope that my students see me as a role model and visualize the possibilities that await them in their future.
I am passionate about teaching because of my students, yet it is pressures outside my classroom that often cause me to pause and wonder if I should remain in education. When I suggest ways to better motivate students to learn during conversations with school leaders, I want my feedback to matter. I no longer want to see my fellow teachers of color leave the profession because they don’t feel their skills are valued. I believe as teachers differentiate instruction for their students, so should school leaders differentiate to accommodate their teachers.
Teachers of color positively affect all students, with the impact being more profound for students of color. Research shows that young children develop keener learning skills when they are taught by teachers of the same ethnicity. A study by The Education Trust found that 37% of Texas teachers are Black or Latino, even though about 65% of students are Black or Latino. Nationally, a Teach Plus and EdTrust report reveals that listening to the needs and feedback of diverse teachers is necessary to disrupt educator turnover.
Change is essential if teachers like me are to make teaching our home for the long term, as detailed in last year’s report Completing the Cycle: Supporting and Retaining Teachers of Color in Houston. Here are my three solutions that value our experiences and expertise.
First, district leaders should take the time to gather feedback from teachers of color and create opportunities for us to engage in dialogue with them about the profession and our needs. At my school, the conversation could include such topics as longer class periods, campus environment, teacher-administration relationships, and educator collaboration and coaching. When there is space to share, teachers like me feel safe. This will also help school leaders to reflect on how to better retain teachers of color and create a positive work environment.
Next, districts and the state should enhance the current evaluation system by adding student surveys that would encourage meaningful feedback about their teachers and the classroom experience. I embrace honest input from my students, especially since I work so hard to build strong classroom relationships. Research shows that students who connect with their teachers are more likely to be engaged in the learning process and achieve academically. Teachers who receive high student marks should be given higher overall evaluation scores.
Lastly, we should create a consistent system in which teachers of color interested in leadership positions are assigned mentors who also are teachers of color and can engage in leadership-themed professional learning. This allows veteran teachers to share their experience with those of us interested in becoming leaders. In addition, incentives and scholarships should be available to foster and kickstart leadership development of teachers of color, particularly those with strong evaluation marks and evidence of high student achievement.
Students like Kylon, who told me I should make math YouTube videos, are the reason I enjoy breaking down problems for my students so that they can solve them. Let’s work together to ensure teachers of color remain in our schools so we can keep making a difference in the lives of tomorrow’s leaders.
Olutope Aghedo is a 9th-12th grade math teacher at South Early College High School in Houston, Texas. He is a 2023–2024 Teach Plus Texas Houston Policy Fellow.
