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Why Quit?

by Jeffrey M. Christner

120 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #02-0457; ISBN 1-55369-644-1; US$13.99, C$16.09, EUR11.49, £8.04

This book is about the problems in schools today that are causing teachers to quit. It gives a first hand look at what is going on in our schools with personal experiences. It also gives possible solutions to the problems.

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about the book      about the author      sample excerpts or table of contents      catalogue info

About the Book The title of the book WHY QUIT? is by no means suggesting to anyone within or around the public school system to quit. The title was chosen because the problems that I discuss within the book are all problems that are frustrating good teachers, sometimes to the point that it negatively affects their teaching ability or even forces them to seek employment elsewhere. The fact of the matter is, fewer young people are choosing the teaching profession, while more and more leave within their first three years or once they have found a better job. Losing great educators is a problem that needs to be dealt with. Subtle changes in the teaching environment can make the difference. WHY QUIT? is a book written from the teachers perspective. The book includes real teacher accounts of events that have made teachers question their devotion to teaching. This book is my way to voice the concerns of many taechers and to allow others to hear about some of the harsh realities that teachers are faced with. I hope that all who read this book will be inspired to help resolve these issues. Maybe then, more young adults will seek teaching as a job and turn it into a profession.

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About the Author

Jeff Christner was born and raised in Ligonier, Pennsylvania, where he graduated from Ligonier Valley Senior High in 1993. He went on to earn his B.S. in Mathematics Education from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania. He did his student teaching at Big Spring High School in Newville and at Faust Middle School in Chambersburg.

He has taught mathematics in Virginia and North Carolina public schools for the past four years. As a young teacher, he has encountered many frustrations that all teachers run into. Jeff was not content to just complain. At every school, he has quickly become known as an innovative teacher who wants to make education the best it can be.

Many chapters in his book were inspired by discussions around the teacher lunch table, in the halls, at games, and in class. When teachers or students would whine, Jeff's answer was always, "Well, why don't we do something about it?" This book is Jeff's way of "doing something."

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Sample Excerpts or Table of Contents

Discipline- There are a number of reasons for the problems we have in our disciplinary procedures. 1) Too many warnings are given out. 2) The punishment set forth is not appropriate for the action done by the student. 3) Lack of discipline and respect taught at home. 4) Little support from parents when schools do discipline.

Who's Responsible?- The internet is one of the best ideas/concepts of this time. It has also helped in alleviating the responsibliity of parents and children to communicate about their grades. Once again, instead of asking their children about their grades or being able to trust them, they now just email the teacher and expect them to send home a weekly progress report updating them on their child. Now we can have constant communication back and forth between the teachers and parents without the student even being remotely involved in the process.

Dr. Christner- Now, I'm no doctor but it feels like every place I go to teach they are requiring me to take more classes, further my education, develop portfolios, earn re-certification points, and anything else to justify my job and education. None of these requirements are bad, but when they want it, who they are requiring them from, and how much they want, is the problem.

Introduction
Student Health
Discipline
Watered Down Curriculum
The Classroom
School Size
False Testimonies Hurt Education
What About the Good Students?
Who's Responsible?
Dr. Christner
Stop the Testing
Block Scheduling
Respect
18 Assesments
What's the Importance of Sports?
Attitude
Student Stress
Dress Code
The Answer

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Catalogue Information

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