Good Beginnings, Great Teachers from Duke’s Faith and Leadership Blog

I love teaching--just not full-time. Most of my workday energy is best spent writing, reading and editing. However, because I've taught many different classes to different types of students over the years, I admire full-time instructors immensely. A teacher's days are long, loud, and often frustrating. Even those teachers who are called and equipped by God have seasons when they're tempted to quit.

In a piece on Duke University's Faith & Leadership blog, Jennifer D. Jordan wrote about the lack of support for new hires in school systems: "In the United States, most new teachers work in isolation. Apart from a few visits from their principal and maybe an occasional encouraging word from a colleague, they are left to struggle on their own. Disillusioned and drained, about half abandon the profession by their fifth year."

Surprised? I was, too. That attritition is why the non-profit New Teacher Center, based in Santa Cruz, Calif., has spent the last 24 years striving to prevent teacher burnout.

Read about their remarkable--and effective--program.