I just read a blog post at Education Week’s Teaching Now blog that I found both disturbing and important.
It began like this:
Obviously, this data is disturbing. Clearly, if we want all students engaged, we need to increase these percentages. So what did the researchers find that could increase teacher engagement? Effective instructional leaders who understand the importance of a collaborative culture and work to engage both teachers and students so that teaching and learning improves.
As schools work to effectively implement Alabama’s new college-and-career standards, it will be essential to focus on both teacher and student engagement. The new standards call for a renewed sense of active learning, moving away from old lesson plans, worksheets, and prepackaged questions at the end of a chapter.
This change in the way we teach and learn will require a lot of work on the part of teachers, instructional coaches, and instructional leaders. With the right conditions and support, it can reenergize and reengage teachers and help them rediscover what they hoped to accomplish when they first entered the profession.
Rick DuFour, one of the prominent thought leaders about professional learning communities (a key element of collaborative culture) speaks to these “right conditions.” Based on his experience as a school leader and PLC researcher, he says: “We are convinced that teachers typically do their best; however, they have not always known what to do.”
DuFour continues: “If the key to improving schools is ‘learning to do the right things in the setting where you work’ (Elmore, 2006, p. 73), then the key to effective collaboration is to ensure that educators collaborate, or co-labor, on the ‘right’ things—the things that actually impact student learning.” (DuFour, et al., p. 183)
Principals, district office staff, and teacher leaders can help foster these conditions. And when they are present, amazing things can happen, as instructional coaches in the Alabama Instructional Partners Pilot are finding out.
Recently Kala Carlson, the instructional partner at Attalla Elementary School, spoke about reengaging teachers:
We have teachers who are collaborating and writing lessons aligned with the new College- and Career-Ready Standards. We have never had students so engaged in learning and teachers so excited!
I have so enjoyed sitting with teachers and all of us planning. I have teachers texting me throughout the weekends, sending email, etc. — excited about finding some new things to use in their classrooms.
I see smiles on teachers and students’ faces. Students that were never engaged or slept through class, now have found a reason to listen…..they are engaged in the learning! It has meaning!! So exciting!!!
As you prepare for this new school year, what can you do to ensure that you and your colleagues are creating the right conditions for professional growth and focusing on the things that lead to heightened teaching and learning?
