Because of this, people are reluctant to become teachers and the occupation tends to attract folks who lack better options.

It has not been my experience that people go into teaching because they lack better options. You're right that it's a hard job and the pay isn't commensurate. This means, though, that there are almost always "better options".

People go into teaching because they like to teach. Some want to feel like they're making a difference. Some like the challenge of it. It's complicated. Yes, many regret the decision and then feel trapped in education. But they usually make it out eventually.

What I will say, though, is that our country doesn't get nearly enough of its very smartest to think seriously about teaching kids, especially if the subject they could teach is one that's easy to get an exciting and high-paying job doing instead.

According to this theory, Teach for America helps by making teaching in to a high-prestige occupation that you'll want to put on your resume.

In my experience, American teachers generally do enjoy a certain amount of prestige with a wide cross-section of the population. But it's mostly a kind of "moral" prestige that comes from that combination of low pay and difficult conditions. Many people see teachers the same way they see charity workers. This perversely helps keep salaries low, I think, because there's a sense that teachers shouldn't be in it for the money.

Teachers have an appreciation day, you know. Of course, I have a stand-up comedy bit about how you know you're getting shafted if there's an appreciation day in your honor...

Also, I'm gonna be obnoxious and ask you what you think of Paul Graham's essay on English classes since you're an English teacher.

I love Paul Graham's writing, and that essay in particular. But he's operating several meta levels higher than my student writers, and at least one level higher than me. I might get two or three students a year who need to stop worrying so much about structure and follow their guts more. The rest just need to master the traditional 5-paragraph essay so they can pass the state test and survive the rest of high school.