May I suggest two more factors for the high attrition rate amongst teachers? One might have something to do with your last article at PJM – the specter of perpetual emotional adolescence in the current generation. The psychologically-adolescent adult will be utterly incapacitated to lead, inspire, or direct a class of other adolescents, even of elementary age children. Young people quickly detect immaturity in the teacher and will proceed to make mayhem of their efforts. These types of teachers will usually opt for two reations – either letting the class go to pot and claiming that they have an “open style” of teaching, or they will consistently blame the students, making an “example” out of one or two of leader-type of student.
The other factor has to do with another general pox on our “progressive” society -the post-modern worldview foisted upon prospective teachers in most universities, especially in the humanities area, not to speak of in the general media. The teacher who buys into this Nietzschean philosophy which says there is no truth, nor right or wrong, no real authority, will find himself completely hamstrung, mentally and emotionally, as to leading a group of young people already affected by the same weakness.
