Reduce physical and psycological stress: Stop changing the curriculums and the tests that go with them every year so that days are not wasted in constant teacher training, take some of the paperwork load off and hire more secretaries, fix the old buildings and tear down the oldest, give teachers bathroom breaks, stop constantly evaluating teachers and assist parents in what's going on at home, train principals to support teachers instead of catering to parents, reduce the obstacles to teachers taking a day off when they need to, and finally-- politicians: remember that teachers vote too!

I believe all of the suggestions need to be applied as well as doing something to assist teachers with stress. The incrased workload given due to the "No Child Left Behind" legislation has created a workplace loaded with stress. Accountability has loaded the teacher down with paperwork not directly related to learning. Morale is low in many schools.

Most teachers went into education because they love seeing children open up and learn. Seeng the spark of comprehension on a young face is a reward that no amount of money can replace.

The last post contains many if not all of the other thought That I have. She has said it perfectly. Thank you Becky.

Take the lead from tribal groups and build learning entities made up of a total population of less than 150.

Build relevance and relationships within these smaller learning communities - the rigor will be intrisic for both student and teacher.

All the rest of the overhead (Bureaucratic drag) that exists today will no longer be necessary.

And the above can be contained within current physical and financial structures.

Treat teachers as respected members of the community. The teacher's word should carry some weight - the child is not always honest about what happens. They are human and want to come out of a situation looking blameless, even when they really did make a mistake. Most teachers have the child's best interest at heart. Administrators should trust their teachers to do their best and not keep scrutinizing all that a teacher does and says unless that teacher has given them reason to doubt what they say. More than once I have thought about leaving the profession after 12 years, mostly because of parents not being responsible for what their child does or does not do and because of poor support from administrators.

Unfortunately, my comment that merit pay is anti-teacher is being "moderated".
I do not feel a sensored forum is fair and balanced and would like to have both sides of an issue given equal freedom to be expressed.
I checked none of the above also becuase the choice of more pay/merit pay is really about two distinctly different issues. Merit pay is NOT about supporting teachers or education. Educators are required to have more continuing education than any other profession and yet we are paid less than most other professions requiring a degree.

Here is what I feel we need in a concise format:
***Meaningful discipline for students with removal of those who cannot conform to the rules of a learning environment.(Major reason for teachers leaving the profession)
***Lower class sizes for grades K-8 that reflect REAL numbers in each classroom
(not counting counselors, project teachers, etc... which is common practice today)
***Continuing support for new teachers, such as the BTSA program and site specific mentoring programs which are available on a daily basis
***Higher pay with extra pay for teachers teaching math/science/low income/ ELL
(This is much different than "merit" pay)
***Freedom to perform our craft without scripted programs and pacing guides which make it impossible for real learning to occur
(Memorizing for a test is NOT true learning)
***Less emphasis on test results and more emphasis on teaching our students how to think critically and problem solve.
***Respect from the government, our administrators, parents and the organizations that are supposed to support teachers

Nice try. You have created an invalid and misleading poll by including "merit " pay with an increase in salary. This is an anti-teacher agenda. Shame on you!

If being a teacher means that you have no voice, no time to be creative, no say so in what happens in the classroom, with the instructional ideas coming from on high, we lose teachers.

If being a teacher means that if you love the classroom and don't want to be an administrator, the changes that are imposed often get in the way of the skills you develop as a teacher. Many of us know how to teach, but like fashion we have to adapt and create according to whomever is in the seat of the Dept of Education.

if being a teacher means that all of the creativity is squeezed out of you, you find a way to do what you do best outside of the classroom.

Whatever happened to the respect that was given to head teachers who had a different schedule and who mentored teachers as they worked?

Whatever happened to the trust, and confidence that was given to teachers to do their job?

Whatever happened to flexibility, field trips, dreams, and the joy of learning?It used to be a pleasure to walk into a school, to meet the children and parents. Now, teachers seem to be suspect. Although we are at the bottom of the food chain in education , WE get all the blame. How can that happen? What makes it so that the responsibility only stops in the classroom.

Find the answers to these questions and we will know how to keep teachers in the profession.

Money helps, but respect, support, resources and flexibility are key components in keeping talented people. Some people are visionary. When good teachers see the wrong vision, and the problems that ensue from gluing kids to the seat for endless testing... they use their creativity to find something else to do.

Classroom teachers, both novice and experienced, are overwhelmed right now. In order to really provide quality instruction to each and every student in their classes, they must have smaller classes. There is so much content to teach and limited time to do it well. They know they need to teach for understanding and continually assess for learning, but with classes as large as they are -- ist isn't reasonable to expect. Add to this the inclusion of students with varing disabilities and students who do not speak English and you can see why teachers feel depressed. And don't forget the NCLB testing pressures.

Increased professional development and team planning time is definitely needed as is a longer school year.

If we can "fix" the buildings that facilitate the educational program, teachers will want to be there. Healthy, high performing, safe and sustainable school buildings enhance student and teacher performance and community vitiality. Renovation and modernization needs to happen now!

I have found that the teachers in most school districts are asked to do a lot of assessing yet there isn't as much time for teaching. Teachers at the elementary level have inconsistent planning time and tend to spend extended hours after school planning and preparing. In a nutshell, overworked and underpaid.