Educators of any grade have a heavy load to bear when teaching children. One group whose load we tend not to consider heavy is early childhood teachers, teaching children three through five. A new study from the University of Georgia reveals that only 10 percent of early childhood teachers have enough time to finish their work. The study shares how early childhood teachers tend to do tasks like lesson planning and documenting children’s progress during the evenings and weekends. This trend has led to teacher burnout and people leaving the field. Professor Erin Hamel co-authored the study and discusses why teacher planning time is essential. Her research illuminates the larger consequences of no planning time and why we must take this matter seriously.
“To take care of children, we must take care of teachers. When teachers reported not having enough time to do their work tasks, they did their work during their personal time. Over half of them were using their personal breaks and lunch to do their work. 41% were coming in early and staying late. All of these methods they’re trying to use to meet their job expectations encroach on their personal time, and they can eventually lead to burnout and stress,” said Erin Hamel, Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Georgia.
The University of Georgia released a report about the study in July, which was conducted in 2021. Hamel co-authored the study with Rachel Schachter, a University of Illinois Chicago professor. Together, they surveyed 106 teachers and 104 directors of early childhood centers about how much planning time teachers are scheduled and how much they get. According to the results, teachers have reported receiving 37 minutes less than what they are scheduled for. The amount of work they have to do takes away from their time. Early childhood teachers have to teach multiple subjects to a batch of students in a sensitive period of brain development. Prof Hamel explains what could be on the plate of an early childhood teacher that would make anyone reach their limit.
“Early childhood teachers are responsible for all aspects of the curriculum, they’re also working with children who developmentally need more assistance with daily living. The younger the child, the more involved the teacher needs to be. That includes diapering, feeding, and comforting a child when separating from a parent,” said Hamel.
Early childhood center directors are aware that teachers take the work home. Unfortunately, there is no wiggle room in the system to change that. The report explains that every state requires a specific child-to-teacher ratio. The safety of the children is impacted if there are not enough teachers present, which leaves early childhood centers vulnerable to legal issues. The pandemic played a factor in recent years. Many early childhood centers had to close due to COVID, leaving several early childhood professionals out of work. When the restrictions were lifted and centers reopened, most professionals did not return to the field.
“We saw an Exodus, especially after the pandemic, of teachers who left because centers were closed or didn’t have enough children to support the number of teachers that were in the classroom. Centers had to downsize their staff,” said Maisa Williams-Foote, President of the Georgia Association for the Education of Young Children.
“The teacher shortage is real, and centers do not have enough qualified teachers. Some states have lessened the requirements for teachers. Previously, a teacher may have been required to get a Child Development Associate credential or even an associate’s degree. Now, some states are reducing that to a high school diploma,” said Williams-Foote.
Professor Hamel recommends retention programs for early childhood teachers to address this growing problem. The UGA professor mentioned that the Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) offered a tuition assistance program that paid a portion of child care costs for Early childhood teachers. She also recommends that parents who are available to volunteer. A few hours a week can make a huge difference.
Early childhood teachers need the proper support to do their job. Their planning period is critical to their performance and children’s outcomes. Morehouse College Sociology Professor Dr. Keon Berry expressed how the shortcomings in preparation affect everyone.
“We need to take it so seriously because our children’s future depends on it, but most importantly, the world depends on it. Planning time is connected to preparation, and preparation is connected to performance. With less planning time, imagine the impact on performance. I am happy Prof. Hamel shed light on what’s happening in the classroom,” said Dr Berry.
