New Report: What Keeps Effective Teachers in the Classroom.

Posted by on March 01, 2010

Sharing expertise, and recognition for it, are key

The Center for Teaching Quality has released a report on the results of a Teacher Network survey aiming to better understand the role of collaboration in supporting and retaining effective teachers in high-needs urban schools. Drawing on the survey of 1,210 teachers and other research, the report finds that teachers whose students make the greatest achievement gains have extensive preparation and experience relevant to their current assignment (subject, grade level, and student population taught). Opportunities to work with like-minded, similarly accomplished colleagues — and to build and share collective expertise — are also strongly associated with effective teaching. Accomplished teachers who have opportunities to share their expertise — and serve as leaders (as coaches, mentors, teacher educators, etc.) — are more likely to remain in the profession. To teach effectively, teachers need access to principals who cultivate and embrace teacher leadership; time and tools to learn from each other; opportunities to connect and work with community organizations and agencies that support students and their families outside school walls; evaluation systems that comprehensively measure the impact of teachers on student learning; and performance pay systems that primarily reward the spread of teaching expertise and spur collaboration among teachers.

See the report: http://www.teachersnetwork.org/effectiveteachers/