Amid a statewide teacher shortage, there is widespread discussion of teachers leaving the profession or not entering it at all. According to a 2022 UCLA study, 1 in 5 California teachers stated they would likely or definitely leave teaching in the next three years due to burnout, low pay, and student apathy and misbehavior.
But what about the teachers who are choosing to enter the profession? What motivates Gen Z students to pursue teaching today, when it may seem less financially rewarding and less appealing than before?
One reason students like Katherine Osajima Pope, a recent University of California Santa Cruz graduate currently pursuing her master’s degree and teaching credential at Stanford University, choose to become teachers is to make a positive impact. Osajima Pope wants to influence her students and her community positively, even if it means impacting one person or one classroom at a time.
Chloe Decker, a rising senior at UC Berkeley, has observed a growing number of students approaching teaching from an advocacy standpoint. As a peer adviser in UC Berkeley’s CalTeach program, which allows undergraduates to gain teaching experience and earn their credentials, Decker regularly interacts with students considering the teaching profession.
Decker has seen many inspired students eager to advocate for students, change lives, and be influential figures in shaping how education is perceived. CalTeach and other credential programs emphasize the role of teaching in promoting equity and social justice. Osajima Pope expressed her pleasant surprise at Stanford’s commitment to educating students about anti-racism and equity.
Decker, who aims to become a teacher and then a school social worker, noted a shift in the perception of schools, moving beyond academic requirements to becoming support and social systems for children. Decker and her peers are excited to engage in this aspect of the job, understanding that teaching goes beyond just teaching facts and figures.
Many future teachers are energized by the idea that educators can do more than impart knowledge and are eager to bring their own educational experiences into the classroom while departing from traditional teaching methods.
Osajima Pope, who has volunteered at schools and libraries since childhood, described her educational journey in Oakland as transformative. She aims to return as an ethnic studies teacher to teach students similar to her younger self.
Susana Espinoza was introduced to Chicano/Latino studies by her high school Spanish teacher and hopes to broaden students’ perspectives similarly. She wants to be a steppingstone for students to achieve their dreams, just as her teacher was for her.
While equity and education access are strong motivators, some future teachers are also drawn to the creative expression and deep interpersonal connections that teaching offers. Lindsay Gonor, a recent Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo graduate now pursuing a teaching credential, was inspired by her involvement in a theater camp during her teen years.
These Gen Z individuals are aware of the challenges of teaching, with Decker noting that teacher panels often include speakers discouraging students from entering the profession due to issues like low pay and long hours.
Despite acknowledging the challenges, Gonor expressed that those who want to be teachers are passionate about the profession. Osajima Pope highlighted that while she faces resistance when discussing her career choice, her passion for teaching outweighs any monetary concerns.
Clara Brownstein is a third-year student studying English, Spanish, and journalism at UC Berkeley and a member of EdSource’s California Student Journalism Corps.