It Is Crucial to Provide Our Schools With Qualified Instructors

ItIsCrucialtoProvideOurSchools WithQualifiedInstructors

Themostimportantresourceacommunitycanofferitsyouthiswell-trained teachers.Inresponse,thousandsofcommunitiesthroughouthavegiventheir kidsaccesstohighlyskillededucatorswhoarebackedbysupportiveprofessional learningsettings.Theirpupilsareperformingathighlevels,andtheirschools offerinstructionthatvariesfromgoodtoworldclass.

However,notallAmericanchildrenarecurrentlyreceivinghigh-quality instruction.Inruralandlow-incomeregions,whereuntrainedand underpreparedteachersarealltoofrequentlyclusteredinschoolsdesignedfor failureratherthansuccess,theshortageisespeciallyacute.Itiswrongthat studentshavetopaythisprice.

Wehavediscoveredthatourattemptstoprovideeverychildwithhigh-quality instructionarebeinghamperedbyhighratesofteacherattritionandturnover. Theissueofteacherretentionhasspreadacrossthecountry.Wehavecometo theconclusionthatuntilweaddresstheissuesthatareforcingteachersoutoffar toomanyofourschools,"teachershortages"willneverendandthateverychild willnotreceivehigh-qualityinstruction.Thisreport'sfirstsectiondetailsthis issue,andthetacticsinthesectionsthatfollowprovideaplanofactiontobuck thisworryingtrend.

It'stimeforourleaderstostepuptheireffortstoimplementcomprehensive educationreformbypromisingtohire,train,andcompensatequalifiededucators inwell-runschools.Toensurethatallofourchildren'sbirthrightsareprotected andthattheywillhaveaccesstoschoolswithhighlyqualifiedteacherswhere learning canflourish,weneedlegislatorsandeducationalleaderswhoarewilling topracticallysigntheirnamesonthebottomline.

Ourleaders'dedicationtoeducationwillbeevaluatedinthisnewageof accountability.Theymustbedeterminedandunyieldingaboutresults,bring knowledgeandwisdomtobearontheobstaclestheyface,andconcentrateon specificgoalsinordertoachieveoutstandingteaching.

Asignificantshiftfromthecurrentsituationiscalledforbytheplan,whichwould establishanewframeworkforprofessionaldevelopmentandanaccountability frameworktoguaranteethathighstandardsofinstructionarefulfilledatall levels.Thereisnowwidespreadagreementacrossthecountrythatwhat teachersknowandcandoisthemostimportantinfluenceonwhatstudents learn.Educationalofficialsatthestateandmunicipallevelsaredirectly responsiblefordeterminingwhetherthecountry'syoungsterswillreceivehighqualityinstruction.Wesuggestedachainofaccountabilitymadeupof certification,licensure,andaccreditationstandardstoassisttheminfulfillingthat obligation.Itdemandedthatalleducationalinstitutionsbeaccredited.In additiontochallenginggovernmentstoimposestrictrequirementsforadmission totheprofessionthroughperformance-basedlicensurethatwouldassesssubject matterknowledge,teachingknowledge,andteachingskill,itsuggestedthat

professionalstandardsboardsbesetupineachstate.Itservedasareminderto schooldistrictsoftheirresponsibilitytomakesureallteachersarequalifiedto teachineachclassroom.Lastly,itsuggestedestablishingnewstandardsasabasis bywhichtomeasureandhonorsuccessfulinstruction.

Whiletherehasbeensuccessonallofthesefronts,theimplementationofthe "highlyqualified"teacherqualificationswillnowtestthestrengthofthischainof accountability.Everytimeshortcutstoteachertrainingareused,weaklinksare created,andthechainisbrokeneverytimerecruitingpracticesandteacher licensurearecompromisedinhasty,ill-foundedattemptstofillclassroom openings.Betteriswhatourcommunitiesandfamiliesdeserve.Theyneedtobe surethattheireducationalauthoritiesarehiringqualified,capable,and compassionateteachersfortheirschools.

Wesupportthefollowingrequirementsasbenchmarksforteachertraining, licensing, andhiringinordertoguaranteethat"highlyqualified"newteachers fulfillthenewhighstandards.Thesestandardsreflectagrowing,evidence-based consensusregardingtheknowledgeandskillsinstructorsshouldpossessinorder toenhancestudentlearning.Thosewhoare"highlyqualifiedbeginningteachers" include:

-Haveathoroughcomprehensionofthesubjectstheyinstruct;

-Showthatyouhaveasolidgraspofhowstudentslearn;

-Exhibittheinstructionalabilitiesrequiredtoassisteverystudentinmeetinghigh goals;

-Establishaconstructivelearningatmosphere;

-Toidentifyandaddresseachstudent'suniquelearningrequirements,employa rangeofevaluationtechniques;

-Toenhancestudentlearning,demonstrateandincorporatecontemporary technologiesintocurricula;

-Toenhancestudentlearning,cooperatewithcoworkers,parents,community members,andothereducators;

-Evaluatetheirmethodstoenhanceinstructionandstudentperformanceinthe future;

-Seekprofessionaldevelopmentin pedagogy andcontent;and -Encouragealoveofstudyingintheirpupils.

Commonsensebacksuptheseresearch-basedstandards:Americanstudents havearighttoteacherswhoareknowledgeableabouttheirsubjects,whoare awareoftheirneedsandthoseoftheirpupils,andwhohavemasteredtheartof makinglearningengaging.

Whydon'tallAmericanchildrenhaveahighlycompetentteachersinceweknow thatgoodinstructionmakesadifference?Whywouldanyoneeverthinkabout loweringthebarforwhatconstitutesahighlycompetentteacher?Wejustdon't haveenoughqualifiedteacherstomatchthedemand,isthetypicalresponse.It isnowwidelyacceptedthatanationwideteachershortage,fueledbyrising studentenrollments,reducedclasssizes,andteacherretirements,limitsefforts toenhanceeducationandschools.

Toomanylegislatorscometotheconclusionthattheymustsacrificequalityfor numbersbecausetheythinktheyhaveateachershortage.Therequirementsfor enteringtheteachingprofessionaretoofrequentlydecreasedinanattemptto recruitasufficientnumberofteachers.

However,conventionalwisdomisincorrect.Teacherretentionisthetrueissue withschoolpersonnel.Toomanyteachersleavingratherthantoofewjoiningis themainreasonwhyweareunabletomaintainhigh-qualityinstructioninmany ofourschools.Thehighturnoveramongcurrentteachers,whichisonlymade worsebyemployinguntrainedorunderpreparedpeopletoreplacedeparting teachers,limitsaschool'scapacitytoestablishandsustainastrongprofessional learningcommunity.

Accordingtoresearch,thecountryproducesmorethanenoughnewinstructors annuallytomeetitsdemands,withtheexceptionofafewsubjectsinparticular fields.However,itisestimatedthataboutone-thirdofnewteachersquitafter justthreeyears,andnearlyhalfhaveleftafterfive.Thisattritionrateistoohigh foranyteachersupplymethodtoeverovercome.Instead,weshouldquestion howmanyteachersleftlastspringandwhy,whenwereadabouthowmanya schooldistrictneedstohireinthefall.

Althoughitiscrucialtoprovideourschoolswithqualifiedinstructors,thisdoes notensurethattheywillbeabletoteachatahighlevel.Asecondessential componentisneededforthenationalformulaforschoolreform,eventhough hiringandtraininghighlycompetentteachersisakeycomponent.Ensuringthat everyschoolissetuptofacilitateeffectiveteachingandlearningisa complementaryandequallyimportantcomponentofattainingqualityteaching.

Goodteachingandgood schools areknowntoreinforceoneanother. Additionally,weareawarethatpoorschoolsmayanddoundercuttheeffortsof excellenteducators.Thestructuresinwhichteachersoperatefrequentlyfailto supporttheireffortswhentheyfailtoprovidethekindoflearningthatwe anticipate.Becauseofthoseconditions,qualifiedteachersfartoooftenquit teachingearlyintheircareers,longbeforetheyhavegainedtheexperience, training,andknowledgenecessarytobecomesuccessfuleducators.

Withthisresearch,wereaffirmtheneedtostrikeabalancebetweenrecruiting andpreparingtop-notchteachersandmakingsureeveryschooldevelopsintoa robustlearningenvironmentwherebothteachersandtheirstudentsmay flourish.Poorschoolperformanceistypicallycausedbyveryhighturnoverrates thatresultfromlong-standing,unresolvedissuesintheschoolsratherthana shortageofteachers.

Everychildshouldhaveexcellentteachersinwell-runschools.Thelawoffersour country'sleadersararechancetoreaffirmtheirdedicationtothelaborioustask ofmeaningfulschoolreformandhigh-qualityteacherpreparation.Thereare severalinstancesthroughoutourhistoryofAmericansrisingtotheoccasionand

overcominggreatobstacles.Wearedeterminedandknowledgeableenoughto repeatthat.

WeextendaninvitationtoeveryoneinvolvedinAmericaneducationtojoinus:

1.Everyschoolneedstobesetupforsuccessfulteachingandlearning.

2.Wemustdemandhigh-qualityteacherlicensure,accreditation,and preparation.Goodplanningyieldssignificantbenefits.

3.Fromguidedinductiontosuccessfulteaching,wemustcreateandmaintain professionallyfulfillingcareerpathwaysforeducators.

Thisreportdoesmorethanjustnoteandsuggest.Toaccomplishourgoals,we willneedtodomorethansimplyshoutoutsoundpolicies.Makingteaching engaging,fulfilling,andrewardingineveryschoolistheonlywaytoachievethe typeofinstructionthatthisreportadvocates.Excellenteducatorsshouldbe employedbywell-managedschools.Giventheirabilitiesandachievements,they shouldalsoreceiveahighsalary.

Thestakesarereallyhigh.Webetonourteacherseverydayforthefutureofthis nation.Everyday,wecommitouryoungpeople'sdreamstotheireducators.Itis uptoustodeterminewhetherthosedreamsarepostponed,rejected,orrealized. Astheindividualmanifestationofacommitmentweheremaketo America's children,andwhichwewelcomeeachreadertojoinusin,weshallcontinueto donateourowntime,energy,andeffort.

Toachievethis,wesuggestthreestrategies.Wegointogreatdetailoneachof theseinthepartsthatfollow,andweofferrolesforindividualswhoshare accountabilityinachainofaccountabilityforimprovement.

1.SETUPEVERYSCHOOLFORSUCCESSFULTEACHINGANDLEARNING

Goodschoolsrecruitandnurturegoodinstructors.Becausetheirschoolsare designedbasedonourunderstandingofhowpeoplelearnanddevelop,both teachersandstudents,teachingandlearningthrivethere.Theconnectioniseasy tounderstand:onlywhenwehavehigh-qualityschoolsforallchildrenwillwebe

abletoprovidethemwithhigh-qualityinstruction.Weextendaninvitationto stateleaders,superintendents,schoolboards,principals,andeducatorsto participateinanationwideendeavorthatwillhavepracticalimplications.

-Manageeducationalinstitutionsinaccordancewiththefindingsofresearchon humanlearning;

-Fundsshouldbereallocatedandappropriatelyallocatedtogiveeducatorsand otherschooladministratorsthetime,freedom,andtoolstheyrequiretoestablish andmaintainsmall,targetedprofessionallearningcommunities;

-Reallocatefundsfrombig,underperformingschoolstohelpestablishtiny learningcommunitiesthatwilleliminatestudentanonymityandinstructor isolation;

-Superintendents,principals,teachers,andotherschool leaders whoexhibitthe visionandabilitytocreateschoolsthatcanmeetthedemandsofthetwenty-first centuryshouldbechosen,trained,retained,andrewarded;

-Adoptcontemporarytechnologyandutilizeresearchtohelpteachersidentify thelearningneedsoftheirstudentsandimplementeffectiveteachingtechniques thatallowforproperlessoncustomization;

-Makeuseofnetworked,Internet-basedlearningcommunitiesthatleteducators andlearnersengageinhigh-qualityinstructionwheneverandwhereverthey choose;and

-Employavarietyofevaluationsandaccountabilitymetricstoprovidea continuousandtransparentviewofstudents'progresstowardtheirlearning objectives.

2.DEMANDTOP-QUALITYACCREDITATION,LICENSING,ANDTEACHER PREPARATION

Thepointlessargumentbetween"traditional"and"alternative"teachertraining shouldbeputaside.Weknowthatexcellentteacherpreparationisapowerful predictorofbothteacherretentionandeffectiveteachingpractices,regardlessof

howorwhereitisobtained.Allwaystoteachingshouldadheretothesamehigh standardssinceallpathsleadtothefrontoftheclassroom.Newteacherswho gethigh-qualityteacherpreparationareequippedwiththeabilities,selfassurance,andcompetencetostarttheirteachingcareers.Ateacher'slicense shouldattesttothefactthattheyarewellcompetenttoinstruct.

Makingsurethat(a)theyhaveobtainedthecredentialsrequiredtoteachfroman accreditedinstitutionand(b)theyhavebeenevaluatedbyperformance standardsthatwillguaranteethequalityoftheirinstructionthroughlicensureis themoststraightforwardwaytoensurethatschoolsarestaffedwithhighly qualifiedteachers.

Byimplementingthenewrecommendationsforteacherpreparationandquality assurance,states, universities, schools,andschooldistrictscanworkwithusto makesurethatteacherpreparationcreatesasolidfoundationandthatlicensure ensureshigh-qualityinstruction:

TeacherPreparation

-Toguaranteethatallapplicantsareadequatelypreparedtoteach,strict admissionandgraduationrequirementsshouldbeimposedonteachertraining programs;

-Demandthatall"traditional"and"alternative"trainingprogramsoffer demandinginstructionintendedtocultivateandimpartthequalitiesofhighly trainedteachers;

-Createprogramsforpreparingteachersthatarefoundedonthesixpillarsof effectiveteachereducation;

-Establishincentivesatthefederal,state,andlocallevelstoattractandtrain educatorsinfieldswithhighneeds;and

-CreateandsupportrobustK–16collaborationswhereteachertrainingclosely reflectstheneedsofbothstudentsandschools.

TeacherQualityAssurance

-Demandthatallprogramsthatprepareteachersadheretostrictaccrediting requirements;

-Establishleadershipaccountabilityforthecaliberofteacherpreparationatthe programandinstitutionlevels;

-Closeanyprogramsthatcan'tgenerateteachersofagoodcaliber;

-Iftherearenoindependentstandardsboards,establishoneanddevelop regulatoryprocessestocarryouttheboard'srulings;

-Createandapplygenerallyrecognizedbenchmarksandpassingscoresfor licensingteststhatarebasedonastrictdefinitionofqualityinstruction;createa varietyoflicensurerequirements,includingdemandingtopic knowledge exams, performance-basedevaluationsofteachingabilities,andportfoliosthatrecord bothcontentknowledgeandteachingabilities;

-Applypenaltiestoschoolsthatforceinstructorstoteachoutsideoftheirfields andtodistrictsthatemployunlicensedteachers;

-Publicizeinformationaboutteachingassignmentsandteacherlicensurestatus;

-Toenhancethesystemforteachertrainingandlicensure,gatherandapplydata onK–12studentachievement,teacherlicensure,andteacherretention;and

-Adoptadvancedcertificationandmultitieredlicensingprogramsforteachersat alllevels,fromnovicetoexpert.

3.CREATEATOP-RATETEACHINGPROFESSION

Wemustalsofocusonmaintainingteachingasaprofessionifwewanttoday's noviceeducatorstogrowintotomorrow'sskillededucators.Thisentailscreating careerpathwaysthat,fromonboardingtosuccessfulteaching,provideinstructors withthefulfillmentofafulfillingcareer.Weurgestates,educationalsystems,

unions,schoolboards,andcorporateexecutivestotakethefollowingactionsto solvethisissue:

StaffingActions

-Createdata-drivenplansandprocessesforschoolstaffing;

-Establishincentivesatthefederal,state,andlocallevelstorecruiteducatorsin fieldswithsignificantneeds;

-Makeuseofcontemporarytechnologiestoexpeditethehiringandrecruitment ofteachers;and

-Removeobstaclestoteachermovementbyestablishingportablelicensesand standardizingstatepensionplans.

SupportingNewTeachers

-Developandpromotepeerassistanceprogramstohelpseasonededucatorsand mentoredinductionprogramsfornewteachers.

-Toaddressteacherswhocontinuetoperformbelowexpectations, outplacementprocessesshouldbeestablished.

PromotingTeachers'ContinuingGrowth

-Allinstructorsshouldhaveaccesstoflexibleprofessionaldevelopment opportunities.AcknowledgingSuccessfulInstruction

-Implement NationalBoardcertification incentivesandassistanceineachstate andschooldistrict.

-Createattractiveleadershiprolesforsuccessfuleducatorsandpayincentives thatincentivizeinstructorstoimprovetheirpractices.

And,AllAlongtheWay

-Teachersshouldbepaidandgivenworkingcircumstancesthathonortheir positionasprofessionalsin Americansociety.

Anexcessivenumberofschoolsareturningintorevolvingdoors,losingasmany instructorsastheyhireannually.Highturnoverratesresultinayearlyrushto replacedepartingemployees,whichcostsschoolsmoney.Teachers'careersare short-circuitedasaresultoftheirdisappointments.Thegreatestcost,however, isbornebystudents:lesslearningandunfulfilledgoals.Studentswhohavethe mostdifficultiesarefrequentlyplacedwithteacherswhoareill-prepared, teachingoutsideoftheirprofession,haveprovisionalcertification,orarelastminutesubstituteswhendeckchairsareshuffledintheseschools.Asschoolsfall intoadownwardspiral,studentachievementfallsandteachingquality deteriorates.Thecycleofeducationalinferiorityintheseareasisperpetuated fromonegenerationtothenext.

It'stimetoendthispattern.Wemustincreaseoureffortstoensurethatevery childhasaccesstoqualified,capable,andcaringteachersinschoolsthatareset upforsuccessifwearetohelpAmerica'schildrenrealizetheiraspirations. Understandingthatthedemandsofaheterogeneoussocietyandaknowledgebasedeconomyproducenewexpectationsforteachingandlearningiscrucial.All teachersmusthaveathoroughunderstandingoftheirsubjectsinordertohelp eachchildgetreadyforsuccessfuljobandproductivecitizenshipinthetwentyfirstcentury.Toeffectivelyinstructadiversegroupofkids,theymustpossessan understandingofhowchildrenlearn.Tobuildengaginglearningenvironments, theymustbeadeptatusingcontemporarylearningtechnologyandableto collaboratecloselywiththeirpeers.Schoolsmustdevelopintopowerful,laserfocusedlearningcommunitiesinordertosupportexcellentinstruction.That entailsputtinganendtothepracticeofteachingaloneinremoteclassrooms. Smallprofessionallearningcommunitiesmustbecomethecornerstonesofschool development;theycannolongerbeviewedasidealisticorvisionary.Ourschools musttransformintoprofessionalworkplacesifwewishtohaveprofessional teachersworkingthere.

MeganWilson isateacher,lifestrategist,successfulentrepreneur,inspirational keynotespeakerandfounderof https://Ebookscheaper.com.Meganchampions aradicalrethinkofourschoolsystems;shecallsoneducatorstoteachboth intuitionandlogictocultivatecreativityandcreateboldthinkers.

Source: https://ebookscheaper.com/it-is-crucial-to-provide-our-schools-withqualified-instructors/