Hey Teacher Tapp Community!
It’s Week 29 and our first school year is coming to a close! Wow – what a ride it has been!
Want to help Teacher Tapp grow?
👥 Invite your colleagues to join!
The best link to share is onelink.to/teachertapp — it takes them straight to the app store! 📲✨
📌 Share us in your breakroom!
Print this poster and pin it up in your breakroom to help spread the word.
💬 We’d love your feedback!
What do you love about the app? What could be better? Let us know by emailing usa@teachertapp.com — we’re all ears!
Now, time for the edu-data!
1. Charter schools
Data from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools says that there are 8,150 charter schools in the US, with 327 of those schools opening between 2022-23. But what is it like to teach in one? And does teaching in a charter school change your preferences for charter or district?
Last week the scenario was put to Teacher Tappers: imagine you move to a new area and can choose between a charter or district public school – which would you pick?
- 72% of teachers picked district schools
- 18% picked charter schools
- 11% would flip a coin
But how do these numbers shift when we take into account whether or not that teacher has experience of teaching in a public school?
32% of charter school teachers would opt for a charter school – more than double that of teachers with no charter school experience.
53% of teachers with charter school experience would pick the public school, compared to 76% of teachers with no experience of working in a charter school.
And the coin flippers? That isn’t too different between the two groups: 15% for charter school experienced teachers, and 10% among those without experience of teaching in a charter school.
Autonomy in charter schools can often be cited as a reason why teachers would (or wouldn’t!) want to work in one. We asked teachers whether they believed charter schools had more, or less autonomy than district public schools.
- 16% much more autonomy
- 34% slightly more autonomy
- 18% neither more nor less autonomy
- 12% slightly less autonomy
- 20% much less autonomy
But how do opinions differ when we take into account whether or not that teacher has worked in a charter school?
At the positive end, teachers in charter schools are around twice as likely to say “much more” autonomy when compared to teachers who have no experience in a charter school.
However, at the extreme negative end, nothing changes. 21% of teachers who have worked in a charter believe teachers have much less autonomy – and so do 20% of teachers without charter school experience.
When it came to ‘slightly less autonomy’ – this was where far more teachers with no experience of charter schools diverged from teachers who have taught in charter schools. Just 4% of teachers with charter school experience believe there is slightly less autonomy in charter schools, compared to 18% of teachers who have never taught in a charter school.
At the moment these numbers are quite small, and don’t allow us to split out teachers working in areas of high economic disadvantage, or even elementary, middle and high schools. The best way for us to make more insightful conclusions from the findings is to get more teachers on board! Show your teacher friends these insights, and get them on the app! The easiest way to share is sending the link: onelink.to/teachertapp we would love more Tappers on board!
Do you have more questions you would like us to ask on charter schools? Get in touch through ‘contact us’ in the app – we would love to hear your ideas.
2. What pushes teachers out of the classroom?
A third of teachers leave the classroom in the first five years, but what are the reasons they give for why they think about exiting the profession?
😔 Dissatisfaction with school admin is the top reason, with 21% citing unhappiness with the quality of leadership and management.
⛔️ Close behind was student behavior as the next top answer, with 20% giving this as the most important reason.
💰 Pay came in third – but quite a drop behind at 13% – closely followed by workload at 12%.
😍 14% reported NEVER thinking about leaving!
Grade level challenges
However – things change when the school level is taken into consideration.
⛔️ In elementary and middle schools, behavior becomes equal top or the top reason (22% in elementary and 23% in middle), but in high schools it slips into 4th place (10%).
🚪 Also high school teachers were more slightly more likely to say they hadn’t considered leaving when compared to middle and elementary teachers (16% vs 14% and 13%).
3.🌟 “You Are a Lighthouse During a Storm”
What Teachers Told Each Other in Their Darkest Moments
When teachers feel like they’re at breaking point, what do they need to hear?
We recently asked Teacher Tapp users to share the words of encouragement that helped them carry on when they were struggling. 127 heartfelt, funny, honest, and deeply moving responses poured in.
Here’s what we noticed.
💬 “You Make a Difference” – The Core Reassurance
The most consistent message was one of impact: “You are making a difference.”
Teachers were reminded that—even when days felt wasted, chaotic, or hopeless—their work mattered:
- “Even on your worst day, you are some child’s best hope.”
- “You truly are making a difference, whether it’s easy to see or not.”
- “What you offer these kids nobody else can.”
This affirmation cuts through noise and doubt, anchoring teachers to their deeper purpose. It also reflects what many teachers wish they heard more often—from colleagues, leaders, and society.
🤝 Shared Experience Beats Empty Positivity
Some of the most powerful lines weren’t grand speeches—they were quiet acknowledgments of struggle:
- “I agree—this IS hard.”
- “You’re doing a great job in impossible circumstances.”
- “This too shall pass.”
Others found comfort in colleagues who simply listened, or in knowing someone else had been there too. As one respondent wrote, “None really. It’s more empathy due to shared experiences.”
It’s a reminder: sometimes just sitting with someone in their difficulty can be the best support of all.
❤️ Remember Why You Started…and keep the humour!
Many teachers drew strength from a return to purpose, as well as injecting some levity:
- “Remember your why.”
- “You were made to teach.”
- “Worst case scenario… you’re one day closer to retirement.”
When the system feels broken or the pressures are relentless, this emotional centering—on students, values, and long-term goals—provides a powerful reset. And the jokes also lighten the mood!
✨ Final Thought: “You Are Enough”
The final, most important theme that emerged?
Validation.
Over and over, teachers shared variations of:
“You are doing your best.”
“You are enough.”
“You are valued and necessary.”
And that’s perhaps the greatest reminder of all.
Daily Reads
We know lots of teachers on Teacher Tapp LOVE the daily reads! If you have ideas of reads we could feature, get in touch by emailing usa@teachertapp.com and we will check it out!
This week our most-read blog was on AI and schools.
