The Missing Intangibles

            Across the country, a new school year begins under a dark cloud of testing scandals, steep budget cuts and an unprecedented economic recession.  Parents and critics will bemoan the loss of teachers and non core academic programs such as Art and Music, and complain about the fear of punishment which was the impetus behind the testing scandals.  While it is too early to determine the impact these factors will have on the students what will immediately impact the students are the loss of teachers and support staff. 

            For those who perceive teachers and support staff as being solely responsible for providing academic instruction to students.  The intangibles a teacher, classroom assistant, and non-teaching assistants (NTA) provide help students cope with personal, social and non-academic challenges.  Intangibles such as greeting students in the morning and providing support and encouragement for academic, non-academic, and personal challenges are supports students need to thrive in school. 

As confidants and mentors too many students, the loss of teachers and support staff may cause some students to lose confidence in themselves or abilities.  As confidants and mentors, teachers and support staff provide advice that allows students’ to make informed decisions concerning which classes to take, decide to try out for a school sport, music or art group, or submit a project for state or national competition. 

The loss of teachers and support staff can affect students’ post-high school decisions.  With the economy in a deep recession, many high school students are fearful of taking on large college debt and are questioning if they will be able to obtain a job after graduating from high school.  Younger students seeing older siblings moving back home from college, unable to find a job and their parents struggling to keep their jobs.

As the new school year begins, and students do not see the familiar faces of teachers and support staff that provided the intangibles in the classrooms and hallways, they will notice the difference and wonder who will provide the intangibles.