And the Survey Says…5 Comments
Effective teaching is the key to student achievement, but how do you keep those effective teachers in the classroom?
Teachers Network is pleased to share the results of the groundbreaking survey, “What Keeps Effective Teachers in the Classroom,” funded by the Ford Foundation, in partnership with The Center for Teaching Quality and WestEd. The study focused on two primary areas: 1) what keeps quality teachers in the classroom as opposed to what makes them leave, and 2) the contribution of teacher networks to quality teacher development and retention.
Preliminary key findings show that both quality teaching and teacher retention are fostered through *professional development, effective teacher networks, and teacher leadership*. Ellen Dempsey, Teachers Network’s President & CEO, adds that, “The Teachers Network survey is especially noteworthy because it sheds new light on how professional collaboration and teacher networks contribute—in extraordinarily cost-effective ways—to increase the retention of good teachers.”
Some survey highlights include:
- 64% of teachers said they joined teacher networks because they “wanted a professional community,” which far outshone any other reason for joining networks.
- 80% reported that network participation encouraged them to remain in the classroom, while 90% shared that it improved their teaching practice.
- 59% also reported that network participation prompted them to develop better relationships with students’ parents.
- Colleagues’ support was the only school culture factor significantly associated with teachers’ long-term retention. Collaboration was by far the dominant factor in retaining teacher leaders.
Comments
Is anyone familiar with the Center for American Progress, a Washington think tank that has recently been zeroing in on this aspect of school policy. The study, by the researchers Morgaen Donaldson and Heather Peske, takes an illuminating look at the evaluation systems used in schools?
We make teaching effective in a school by collaborating on deciding what is most important to teach, planning units and common formative and summative assessments together, looking at student work together, and figuring out together what our students need.
School leaders must value the collaboration, make funding and untouchable time available if effective teaching is to be nurtured. And in such an environment, teachers who teach effectively will stay.
On another note, I was wondering about the nature of the research project undertaken- were web based surveys or interviews used to get data?
To respond to your question--both methods were used. This study employs a mixed methods research design. We conducted an online survey of 1,210 teachers and then organized follow-up interviews with 29 network participants. These methods provided a more nuanced view of ways in which opportunities for collaboration and leadership can increase teacher efficacy and effectiveness, and improve retention of the classroom experts students deserve.
Thanks for asking!
Sandy Scragg
Co-Director, Technology Programs
Teachers Network