From the Sunday New York Times:
For at least a decade, students who intend to major in education have had among the lowest SAT scores of all college-bound seniors - in 2004, they ranked 19th of 22 intended majors, two points in combined verbal and math scores below those who planned to major in agriculture. Even "undecided" ranked higher. And according to the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, those who leave the profession during their first few years have higher scores than those who stay. An institute report also shows that the weaker the undergraduate college, the more likely its students will end up teaching as a career.
That's so depressing! There are so many interesting articles about teaching this week, though.

So why doesn't education attract the brightest and best? Maybe because there's so little respect because there are often articles like this about why teachers are dumber than everyone else. Or maybe because people assume that anyone who will work for "minor ducets in a thanksless job" and spend all day with children is mindless. My parents were so mad when I declared my major. Essentially, I worked so hard during high school and then they spent $35,000+ per year for Wash U...I chose a profession which is deemed intellectually inferior and which will earn me less than that tuition. I've questioned my decision sometimes too.

I always return to faith in my decision for three reasons. First, I think that with all of the complaining and failure in U.S. public education, going into teaching is a challenge; can I overcome stardardization, administration hierarchy, and low expectations to properly education my students? Secondly, I know that I can always improve and continue to develop my pedagogical practices. As an ESL teacher, there will always be new cultures to learn about, new languages to learn, and new methodology to experiment with. Finally, I think that (as obnoxiously teacher-ish as it is) teaching children is one of the most important jobs in the world. For normal development to take place, every child needs a supportive and accepting adult in their lives- for many, his or her teacher may be the only person to fill that role.

Sometimes I feel like my decision to major in Educational Studies was a mistake. I should have squeezed in a business minor or gone on to law/medical school. One of my old friends from high school said "a job is just a way to make money to find happiness outside of work." Well, isn't that a bit more depressing?

What do you think? Why is teaching such an undervalued profession (and why does it continue to progress in that direction?) Why didn't you go, or consider going into education?