Education Week - May 5, 2021 - 15

ing teachers found that the percentage who wanted the
model to continue went up during the pandemic, as did
those who said they'd recommend this model to others.
" In a time when overall [teacher] satisfaction was pretty
low, we saw increased levels of satisfaction which I chalk
up to the support, " Hassel said. " It's made [teaching] a
much less lonely existence. "
3. Consider teachers' strengths

Teachers consistently say in surveys that they want
more time to collaborate with their peers. The EdWeek
Research Center survey done in March found that 13 percent of teachers said having more opportunities to collaborate with, learn from, and plan with colleagues would
make a major difference in reducing the likelihood that
they leave the profession in the next two years.
" Teachers like to collaborate, they just don't have time
to do it, " said Holdheide, of the Center for Great Teachers
and Leaders. " When we're thinking of a school day where
you're teaching from 7 to 3 every day in your own classroom, it doesn't afford for that level of collaboration. "
Holdheide said the pandemic has prompted districts
to reconsider how they can best leverage their effective
teachers and specialists. One such way is implementing
a differentiated staffing model, in which schools build instructional teams based on each teacher's strengths.
Teachers would have roles according to their expertise,
" rather than one person trying to be a data specialist and
a curriculum specialist and a community engagement
specialist and a technology specialist, " said Gretchen Weber, a senior managing director at the nonprofit research
group WestEd. Currently, she added, " all of those things
sit on the shoulders of teachers. "
That would allow teachers to learn from each other, focus on their strengths and interests, and provide a more
intentional learning experience for students, experts say.
Elementary teachers, for instance, are typically generalists, expected to teach all subjects. But there are models,
already in place in some schools, that allow elementary
teachers to be content specialists instead: Students rotate
between teachers, learning language arts from one and
science from another. A teaching assistant or paraprofessional can handle homeroom or other transitional times.
In these models, much of the administrative tasks could
be outsourced to teaching aides, too. In the EdWeek survey, 43 percent of teachers said reducing administrative
burdens, such as paperwork, meetings, and hall duty,
would make a major difference in getting them to stay-the
second-highest answer, behind increasing their salaries.
4. Offer ﬂexibility beyond the school day

Even if school and district leaders aren't ready to
shake up their staffing models just yet, some teachers
are hoping they will at least provide more flexibility

outside of the classroom by offering virtual professional development and staff meetings or giving parents the
option to have remote conferences with teachers.
" If any of those kinds of meetings can happen online, that might free up some time that teachers need
and deserve, " said Harvard's Johnson, adding that a
remote option could especially be helpful for teachers
with young or school-aged children or those who live
far from the schools in which they teach.
While the RAND survey of school system leaders
from last fall found that only 4 percent expect virtual
parent-teacher conferences to stick around after the
pandemic, Lake said she expects more district leaders
to get on board after this school year, in part to meet
parent demand.
" Parents have really loved virtual meetings, " she
said. " The idea that a parent might have to drive 30
minutes for an hour-long meeting ... I think [a remote
option] will at least be offered " post-pandemic.
They're helpful for teachers, too. Steven Boyd, a high
school engineering teacher in Coral Springs, Fla., said
he enjoys being able to log into meetings from home
instead of having to stay at school late or come early.
Remote parent-teacher conferences also make it less of
an inconvenience if there's an unexpected cancelation,
he said.
" How many times did you go to the guidance department and have a no-show? " he said. " At least with remote, I don't have to go anywhere. I'll be working [on
my computer], and parents can dial in. ... I find the remote [option] to be very productive. "
While some parents might not have reliable internet
access or a laptop to easily dial into a video conference,
a remote option is beneficial for parents whose work
schedules don't allow them to come to school for meetings, Boyd said.
Meanwhile, the EdWeek Research Center survey
conducted in February found that 41 percent of teachers, principals, and district leaders say they think it's
likely professional development will continue to be
done virtually after the pandemic. Johnson said that
while sessions that are more discussion-focused might
be more effective in person, large-group PD could easily remain online.
Laurie Ferguson, an elementary reading intervention teacher in Cumberland, Md., prefers the flexibility virtual PD offers. Teachers were able to complete
some trainings this year from the comfort of their own
homes, before or after school, she said.
" It keeps you totally on track, there are not a lot of
other distractions, " she said. " You get your content, and
you're done.
" Sometimes we can learn from the worst events in
our lives, " Ferguson added, " and this may be shifting
people's views for ways that can be more efficient to do
things. "

Retaining Great Teachers in a Time of Turmoil

Education Week - May 5, 2021

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