I asked students whether they’d want to be teachers? They quickly responded, ‘Why would I?’

Approximately 52% of teachers in 2024 said they would not advise young adults to enter the profession.

By: Lee Ann Rawlins Williams, University of North Dakota, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: February 18, 2026

Words: 1,126

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 2 days ago

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By Lee Ann Rawlins Williams, University of North Dakota

I spoke in January 2026 with 150 high school students about career options. After explaining my own career as a professor of education, health and behavior, I asked the students a simple question: Would you want to be a teacher?

“Why in the world would I want to be a teacher?” one female student said.

“My aunt is a teacher and she works all the …

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