The evidence points to a crisis in teaching, yet Gen Z is still choosing to show up in the classroom

Despite the burnout, they seek connection and purpose as educators.

By

Mark Wales

Apr 28, 2026

By Mark Wales

April 28, 2026

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Photo credit: Canva – Smiling Gen Z teachers.

Anyone interested in becoming a teacher in today’s environment does so under a warning label. With lower pay, political pressure, community standards, lack of necessary funding, and general safety concerns, this profession is in crisis. Seasoned educators are completely burned out.

As more teachers share on social media that they’re tired of the system and ready to leave education, something unexpected is also happening. Despite every statistic adding up to a profession better avoided, Gen Z graduates are choosing to teach anyway.

teaching shortage, young teachers, underfunding, work conditions — Young educator in the classroom.
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A generation shaped by isolation, Gen Z chooses connection

Teach for America (TFA), one of the larger teacher pipelines in the country, brings in thousands of new educators every year. In 2025, over 2,300 college graduates from 600 colleges and universities have joined up.

In January 2026, The Guardian wrote that despite a nationwide decline in teachers, a significant number of Gen Z graduates are entering the classroom. A generation that faced the social isolation created during COVID lockdown looks to make connections and give back. “Teaching is a job where they can find that,” said Whitney Petersmetyer, TFA’s chief growth and program officer. She believes the generation is “craving human connection and experiences that feel real.”

Petersmetyer adds that Gen Z is, “responding to the opportunity for purpose and responsibility at a time where many entry jobs feel uncertain or disconnected from impact.”

purpose, meaning, mental health, Gen Z teachers — What’s your purpose?
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Gen Z craves purpose and meaning

In a global 2024 survey by Deloitte, a massive sample of 23,000 respondents from 44 countries was surveyed on financial insecurity, rapidly evolving technology, and career choices. Results showed 9 out of 10 Gen Zers believed purpose was the key to job satisfaction. Almost 50% of job opportunities were rejected because they failed to meet their personal values.

Gen Z actively wants work that has a positive social impact, acknowledges environmental values, and follows ethical concerns. In 2023, Forbes reported that Gen Z is fueled by purpose perhaps more than any previous generation. They prioritize values over salary.

Many Gen Zers have been rethinking what work should really provide. They want income, yet personal fulfillment and a life balance remain crucial. Business Insider reports this generation is less willing to accept work that feels transactional or leaves them feeling empty.

impactful career, priorities, education impact, classroom innovation — The many roles of a teacher.
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The challenges haven’t gone away

Teaching is still one of the most challenging jobs in the country. The work is complex, emotional, and highly demanding. A 2024 report in EdWeek found that teachers earn lower pay and experience more stress than workers in other professions. A 2024 report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed the teaching profession in decline due to low wages and reduced freedom in the classroom.

In2024, the RAND Corporation also conducted a survey that found 53% of teachers report being burned out. Over half of the educators faced frequent job-related stress and declining well-being.

teaching methods, student engagement, teaching statistics, impact — A Gen Z teacher.
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Choosing a profession that others are leaving

Gen Z knows the challenges. They’ve seen the uncomfortable headlines. Despite everything, they’re still coming to teach.

“My philosophy is focused much more on being a good human at this age,” said 23-year-old educator Van De Vijver. The third-grade math teacher in Fairfax, Virginia, added, “If they leave my classroom as someone who is willing to help others, who keeps an open mind and is caring, as long as they also don’t get zeros on everything, then I feel like I have done a good job teaching.”

Whether these incoming, motivated, young teachers decide to stay will likely depend on their personal motivations and the experiences they encounter as educators. Despite burnout in a strained profession, they’re choosing a job that offers them connection and meaning. Even if the path ahead is uncertain, Gen Z brings new energy and ideas into the classroom.

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Photo credit: Canva – A kitty decides when it's time to work.

Public Good, Society

People thought cats lay on laptops to get in the way. The real reason is surprisingly sweet.

The keyboard is only part of the story.

Mark Wales

6/4/2026

People who work from home with a cat nearby tend to recognize this moment well. The instant a laptop opens and a document appears on the screen, a cat arrives within seconds, claiming ownership of the keyboard.

It can feel like an unwelcome interruption, yet veterinarians and animal behavior specialists have identified a common pattern among domestic cats. Cats often choose to sit on objects their owners are engaged with, particularly when those things are central to human attention or activity.

A cat with a little attitude on the computer.
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Cats aren’t trying to be a nuisance

The first, and probably most familiar, reason a cat jumps on you and the computer when you’re working is attention. Animal behavior experts at vet-reviewed sources like Catster explain that cats repeat behaviors that reliably get responses from their owners. Why work when you can play and look at me?

Another commonly cited explanation is simple comfort. Laptops, keyboards, and similar devices radiate heat. Cats seek out these warm surfaces for napping. Daily Paws notes that warmth is one of the practical reasons cats may choose electronics over other available spaces in the home.

And let’s face it, cats are naturally curious. They are highly responsive to human activity and tend to investigate objects their owners are focused on. The laptop, papers, and even a phone being scrolled at home become sources of fascination.

A white cat relaxes on a laptop.
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The science behind cats lying on laptops

Research suggests there is more behind this behavior than basic attention-seeking and curiosity. Physical contact with objects can shape how cats interact with their environment, especially with items frequently handled by humans. For cats, scent helps create and strengthen connections with their owners.

“Cats are very possessive individuals,” Dr. David Sands, an expert in animal psychology, told BBC Science Focus. “For them, the more they can brush past you and deposit your scent, the better!”

The laptop is not just a warm surface but also a shared space that already carries a lot of its owner’s presence.

Research from the Tokyo University of Agriculture found that cats can differentiate between familiar and unfamiliar humans using smell alone. In everyday settings, this may explain why cats often spend time on items like clothing, beds, or computers that carry their owner’s scent. These objects are strongly associated with a favorite human.

A kitty on a laptop.
Photo credit: Canva

Cats want to be close to their owners

These explanations point in a similar direction. What may seem like a deliberate effort to interrupt work is more likely the result of several well-intentioned feline behaviors. The family mouser is probably not plotting against your productivity.

From seeking warmth and comfort to investigating the objects that hold our attention to interacting with surfaces carrying our familiar scents, cats have plenty of reasons to gravitate toward a laptop. These soft and cuddly family members adapt to the people and environments around them, even if that process occasionally lands them squarely on our keyboards.

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Photo credit: WBZ/CBS News Boston via YouTube – A group of Girl Scouts are 3D printing wheelchairs for kids in need.

Public Good, Society

Girl Scouts use their cookie sale money to 3D print wheelchairs for toddlers

Girl Scouts step up to help their peers who need mobility devices.

Erik Barnes

6/1/2026

When people buy Girl Scout cookies, it’s typically known that the proceeds would go to programs and activities for that particular troop and the organization as a whole. However, for eight third-graders in Dorchester, MA, the money was paid forward to another cause. They used the funds to purchase a 3D printer to make wheelchairs for younger children.

Along with their troop leader, Corinne Curran, the girls spent nearly $200 of the cookie profits on the supplies. It took about 200 hours for the pediatric wheelchair parts to be fully printed and less than an hour for the group to build it.

Kids helping kids

“They were so excited,” Curran said to ABC News. “One of the cool parts about Girl Scouts is they know they earn this money and they can see where it’s going and how they can use it to do good, make the world a better place.”

Curran said that the troop was inspired to build wheelchairs for fellow kids after a visit to Curran’s employer, The Boston Home. The Boston Home is a residential care center for adults with neurological conditions. After seeing the wheelchairs in use at the center, the girls wanted to provide such mobility to their peers.

How to 3D print a wheelchair

With this mission in mind, the troop discovered a design for a 3D printed toddler mobility trainer wheelchair through MakeGood. MakeGood is a non-profit organization that aims to provide more accessibility for those who need assistive technology. They do this by offering 3D printer designs for such devices to those who want to build them. They are also willing to pick up and deliver finished 3D printed devices to a person in need free of charge.

Items like toddler wheelchairs can be incredibly expensive, especially for those without health insurance coverage. According to a 2022 report by the World Health Organization and UNICEF, almost one billion children and adults need a form of assisted technology such as wheelchairs, but lack access. Because of the expense and growing need, many have turned to 3D printing to create those devices on their own. It should be noted that because these 3D printed devices are made from volunteers and aren’t regulated or clinically-approved medical equipment.

The Girl Scouts are excited to be a part of this movement to help others, and are eager to make more wheelchairs for kids.

“We do what the girls want to do, and this was a huge project for them. They were so excited about it,” Curran said. “They want to make another one that is multiple shades of violet. And they also said that they want to build [a power wheelchair].”

If Girl Scouts can make a difference with something as important as free wheelchairs, many more can. You can contribute to those in need of assistive technology locally and globally via different resources available online. The Wheelchair Foundation also has a list of relevant organizations to consider.

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Photo credit: Canva – A window washer's social media is helping boost local business.

Public Good, Society

Window washer’s free cleanings are saving struggling Kansas City restaurants through social media

Getting views got them customers.

Erik Barnes

5/26/2026

No matter where you hang your hat in today’s world, a social media presence can impact your business. Former social media content manager turned window cleaner Davis Roethler knows this more than most. But he isn’t just using social media to boost his Window Wolf cleaning service. He’s actually highlighting other local businesses along the way.

Knowing that the restaurant industry is one of the hardest to break even, Roethler wanted to help out struggling eateries in Kansas City. Wearing his Meta glasses, Roethler eats from a local restaurant and offers to clean their windows for free. While washing the windows, he records video from his Meta glasses to make a quick profile to promote the eatery.

A small video led to huge impact

The restaurant owners aren’t only thankful for the free window cleaning, but also for the boost in foot traffic that Roether’s covert videos have provided. Yeyo’s Bakery is one of them.

“He offered to clean our windows for free, and my wife was like, ‘Sure, why not?’” said Pedro Sagrero, co-owner of Yeyo’s Bakery to KCTV 5. “For the last two or three weeks [after Roethler posted a video], we’ve been noticing our sales are increasing tremendously. From, I would say, a hundred per day to four hundred.”

Another restaurant, Tasty African Food KC, was struggling with an incorrect address listed on Google and low attendance. About 24 hours after Roethler cleaned their windows and posted a video about them, the restaurant’s address was corrected online and they had a line form before they opened.

“By Friday at 9:30, and I was like, ‘Why are they out there? What’s going on?’ and so I finally just flagged one of them and said, ‘What’s going on?’” said Florence Muni of Tasty African Food KC. “I haven’t seen this much traffic since we’ve been here for two weeks, and he’s like we’re just waiting for the restaurant to open.”

Social media creating local community

“When you just look at the data, opening up a restaurant, from a business standpoint, it’s a terrible idea. It’s a huge risk. The numbers are not on your side,” Roethler told the Kansas City Star. “When you realize that, you realize that there’s so much opportunity in KC to help out these small businesses to make sure that they’re not part of that statistic of closing down.”

While Roethler is a businessman, the focus on the videos was from a community perspective. While he would give a good review of the food, his videos provided a window into the people who prepared it.

“What’s missing is like the story behind the owner and the person and the magic behind the food,” Roethler said to KCTV 5. “But ultimately, I know it’s right when I show up and you’ve got mom or dad behind the register and you’ve got their kids working in there…that’s where I’m like, all right, they deserve the limelight.”

The success that Roethler brings to local businesses isn’t mere social media marketing. His Instagram account has less than 10,000 followers. That number is meager compared to true influencers. But it’s the local community that does follow him that shows up to enjoy good food and uplift one another.

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