Supporting Teachers to Enhance Students Success in the USA and South Africa
Dr. Ethel King-McKenzie, Dr. Bongani Bantwini, Dr. Barry Bogan

Abstract
Teachers have become the major topic of discussion, occasionally blamed for students’ poor performance, failure, and poor implementation of new reforms. This paper explores and discusses the recent issues with which teachers in the United States of America and South Africa are confronted, including teacher layoffs, abolishment of teacher tenure, evaluation of teachers by their students’ tests score, teacher lack of support, deteriorating school condition, and mixed messages over what teachers should do. In discussing these issues, the paper raises many questions and concerns and argues that too much of a pressure on teachers will not necessarily bring the desired outcomes, but rather be the recipe for disaster of our education system. To conclude, it proposes some suggestions to be considered in order to change the current status quo and yield the desired results.

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