Recent headĀlines are soundĀing the alarm:
More MinĀnesoĀta teachĀers leavĀing jobs, new state report shows
One-fourth of new teachĀers leave withĀin first three years, accordĀing to a new state report.
The statewide teacher shortĀage described as an āepiĀdemĀicā has MinĀnesoĀta school disĀtricts searchĀing for strateĀgies that will increase teacher retenĀtion. A FebĀruĀary, 2017, Star TriĀbune artiĀcle offers a starĀtling staĀtisĀtic that should be stopĀping school boards, adminĀisĀtraĀtors, legĀisĀlaĀtors and most imporĀtantĀly parĀents in their tracks:
āThe 2017 verĀsion of the MinĀnesoĀta Teacher SupĀply and Demand report issued WednesĀday found a 46 perĀcent increase in the numĀber of teachĀers leavĀing the proĀfesĀsion since 2008.ā
While I believe a numĀber of othĀer issues also deserve our attenĀtion (increasĀing the numĀber of teachĀers of colĀor, improvĀing teacher trainĀing, and closĀing the achieveĀment gap), we canĀnot ignore the fact that the future of eduĀcaĀtion is uncerĀtain at best. Some might even say the future is bleak.
HowĀevĀer, as a self-proĀfessed chamĀpiĀon of posĀiĀtivĀiĀty and on behalf of the hunĀdreds of colĀleagues I have worked with over the past 26 years, I have comĀpiled a short list of requests. InvestĀing in these five straightĀforĀward conĀdiĀtions would send a strong mesĀsage that we are seriĀous about addressĀing the need to attract and retain high-qualĀiĀty teachĀers for our children.
Isnāt it time to lisĀten to the teachĀers when we ask for the folĀlowĀing?
#1. High qualĀiĀty trainĀing in classĀroom manĀageĀment and engagement
Ask any first year eduĀcaĀtor what he/she learned about these essenĀtial comĀpoĀnents of teachĀing in their underĀgradĀuĀate coursĀes and the answer will likeĀly be āLitĀtle, if anyĀthing.ā The sad truth is that our colĀleges and uniĀverĀsiĀties are not doing an excepĀtionĀal job of preparĀing new teachĀers for the chalĀlenges they will face when it comes to creĀatĀing classĀroom enviĀronĀments that are conĀducive to learnĀing. We must do betĀter. Before the degrees are grantĀed, as well as once new teachĀers are standĀing in front a classĀroom full of kids, learnĀing how to estabĀlish a cliĀmate where kids can and want to learn is essenĀtial.
#2. ReaĀsonĀable class sizes
And speakĀing of that classĀroom full of kidsā¦ Despite the studĀies that insist class size doesnāt realĀly matĀter all that much, 99.9% of teachĀers will tell you, CLASS SIZE MATTERS! A lot! Last year I taught two secĀtions of LanĀguage Arts. My first secĀtion had 31 stuĀdents, my secĀond secĀtion just 22 stuĀdents. The amount of time I could devote to small group readĀing with stuĀdents in the secĀond secĀtion was obviĀousĀly much greater than with stuĀdents in the first secĀtion. ExcelĀlent teachĀers strive to creĀate meanĀingĀful relaĀtionĀships with stuĀdents, they believe in proĀvidĀing relĀeĀvant feedĀback, and they underĀstand the imporĀtance of conĀnectĀing with parĀents. AccomĀplishĀing these goals is posĀsiĀble with 22 stuĀdents. MakĀing it hapĀpen conĀsisĀtentĀly with 31 stuĀdents is a feat that most teachĀers find overwhelming.
#3. Ample classĀroom library and supĀply budgets
There is a joke often shared on social media that teachĀing is the only proĀfesĀsion where you steal from home and take things to work. SurĀveys have shown that the averĀage teacher spends at least $500 out of their pockĀet for everyĀthing from Kleenex to snow boots to graĀham crackĀers. We not only worĀry about keepĀing stuĀdents healthy, warm, and fed, but we also invest heavĀiĀly in putting books on our shelves year after year. Many teachĀers I know dream of winĀning the lotĀtery in order to stock his/her classĀroom with the basic essenĀtials. Rather than make us wait for our lucky numĀbers to hit, how about if the school boards, adminĀisĀtraĀtors, and school finance gurus help us meet the needs of stuĀdents today! Weāre not askĀing for milĀlions, but $500-$1,000 per year would help a great deal.
#4. Time in our classĀrooms durĀing āback to school workĀshopā days
Every August itās the same old stoĀry. TeachĀers sit through hour after hour, day after day of meetĀings and workĀshops that are supĀposed to help us become the best teachĀers we can be. The intenĀtions are honĀorĀable. Most of us realĀize this. But hereās the thing, our minds are elseĀwhere durĀing this cruĀcial time periĀod. It is tough to get or stay engaged in talk about interĀvenĀtions, effecĀtive math rouĀtines or even worse, new rules for using the lamĀiĀnaĀtor, when more than two dozen litĀtle peoĀple and their famĀiĀlies will be walkĀing through the door for open house in 48āāā72 hours. Give us the time we need to get our classĀrooms ready. Make it a priĀorĀiĀty to limĀit those August workĀshop sesĀsions in favor of supĀportĀing us in a subĀstanĀtial way ā with adeĀquate time to be in our classĀrooms preparĀing for our learnĀers and the advenĀtures that lie ahead.
#5. OngoĀing, job-embedĀded, teacher-driĀven proĀfesĀsionĀal development
The benĀeĀfits of āone and youāre doneā or āsit and gitā workĀshop trainĀing days are minĀiĀmal. OftenĀtimes there is litĀtle change in beliefs or behavĀiors after attendĀing this type of PD. As an instrucĀtionĀal coach, I am privĀiĀleged to be in a disĀtrict that valĀues investĀing in teacher develĀopĀment and growth. I have worked in sevĀerĀal othĀer disĀtricts that have not approached proĀfesĀsionĀal develĀopĀment in the same way. HonĀorĀing teacher voicĀes in this process is the way to fosĀter sysĀtemic change and susĀtain improveĀments. RecentĀly I joined a group of teachĀers as they colĀlabĀoĀratĀed on creĀatĀing a teacher-friendĀly guidĀed readĀing lesĀson plan forĀmat. It was so impresĀsive to see how they bounced ideas off of one anothĀer, disĀcussed their ratioĀnale and insights, or offered difĀferĀing opinĀions on how to approach the plan. There was a loveĀly mix of synĀerĀgy, respect, and affirĀmaĀtion. They knew what they were doing and they were doing it well. The next day, they decidĀed to put in a request for half-day subs so everyĀone on the team could dig even deepĀer into their underĀstandĀing and impleĀmenĀtaĀtion of the new approach to guidĀed readĀing. This is the type of proĀfesĀsionĀal develĀopĀment we need. No one at the disĀtrict office or State DepartĀment of EduĀcaĀtion could do a betĀter job of preĀscribĀing or designĀing effecĀtive training.
Ask the teachĀers. And most imporĀtantĀly, lisĀten to them. They know. Trust me. They know. Trust them. They realĀly know.
Great artiĀcle, Maurna! ā¤
Thank you, Jane!
AweĀsome artiĀcle. We need to supĀport our teachers.
Thanks so much , Kay! SupĀportĀing teachĀers is the key to supĀportĀing our kids and their learning!
Thank you for this artiĀcle, MauĀrĀna. All of your requests for teachĀers are exactĀly right! Even though itās been years since Iāve been in the Kā12 classĀroom or library, I had the same desires. May I add anothĀer request? That request is for full-time school librarĀiĀans to colĀlabĀoĀrate with teachĀers. TeachĀers and librarĀiĀans workĀing togethĀer can truĀly make a difĀferĀence for both the stuĀdents and the teacher. It proĀvides supĀport that can increase stuĀdent achieveĀment. Hooray for teachĀers and school librarĀiĀans and all the folks that work with and for children!
Thank you for your kind words, HeiĀdi and yes, you are absoluteĀly right! Full time school librarĀiĀans who colĀlabĀoĀrate with teachĀers to proĀmote a school-wide love of litĀerĀaĀcy are essential!
You are so, so right, MauĀrĀna! As a forĀmer classĀroom teacher myself, and someĀone who still visĀits dozens of schools every year, all of your sugĀgesĀtions are on the mark. Yes, please lisĀten to the teachers!
Thanks, David! In addiĀtion to school librarĀiĀans, I should also have includĀed makĀing it a priĀorĀiĀty to bring authors into schools! CreĀatĀing a school culĀture that puts a love of litĀerĀaĀcy and learnĀing ahead of test scores is critical!