Why Quit?

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.

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."