What happened to my Interns?

The headline read:

"Teaching is facing a recruitment crisis. ....."

I believe it...my principal asked me not long ago "What has changed?" I couldn't put my finger on it, but after seeing that headline it became clear to me... WHERE ARE MY INTERNS?

I usually have 1 or 2 interns a year, at least for the past five years it has been like that. Last year (2014-2015) I had one Junior intern...in the beginning of the year , two days a week for eight weeks...then nothing...absolutely NOTHING.

In 2010 I had a senior intern...
2011 two senior interns...
2012, a junior intern and a senior intern...
2013, two junior interns and a senior intern...
2014 a junior intern...
2015..no one..
2016 no one!

Where are they? I love them! I love watching them "catch fire" I love watching them have that "aha" moment. The kids love helping them become a great teacher.

The article suggests ideas of how to find them again...by giving them real working hours...but that isn't teaching? We get here are 7:30 and go home around 4:30 or 5:00 depending on the needs of the next day...that is just what we do...we are perfectionists..they need to feel that excitement, that tiredness, yes I hear you..." WHAT, but you only get paid from 8:00 to 3:30?"  Seriously teachers we get paid other ways too! 

It says to treat educators with respect, and I agree. We are not, NOT babysitters...and it is about time the general public ranks our position in life a little higher!

The next point was to pay us what we would make in the private sector...again I don't disagree, but we are public servants, we knew that! How much would you pay someone who is the founder of all other careers? A million dollars? two million? At this point I will settle for $50,000 + health care and a descent vision and dental plan, plus retirement. Too bad ,  21 years in the business and I don't have this yet. 
I remember when I started teaching in 1990-something  I made $18,000 a year...I thought I was rich..then somewhere in the 2000s they raised all the teacher's pay to $35,000...new teachers, old teachers, good teachers, bad teachers...they claimed we would make more in the end but...I haven't gotten a ton of money more than the "newer" teachers...like it was when I first got hired, I made my 18,000 while a teacher with 10 years made 30,000...I wish that was the difference now too!

This article's headline is what got me thinking about what is wrong with my career this year! Why I feel so different this year...I know why  I MISS THEM...I MISS TEACHING THEM...I HOPE THEY COME BACK!!!

I found this article on Facebook as I was reading my teacher friends posts. It says a few more things in better detail, here is the article if you want to read it...It's from The Guardian