Notes:

Bill Ferriter uses Gov. Mike Easley's refrain to explain how teacher working conditions can impact the achievement gap.

Ferrier, B. (2005). Teacher working conditions are student learning conditions. Teacher Leaders Network diaries. Retrieved from the Teacher Leaders Network 8 Apr 2008. Link: http://www.teacherleaders.org/old_site/diaries04_05/other/BF03_04_05.html 

Full Text:

Teacher Working Conditions Are Student Learning Conditions

Having recently been named Teacher of the Year at my school, I've been putting together a packet of materials to submit for consideration in the county level TOY competition. One of the questions that I had to respond to was particularly interesting: "What are the major public education issues today? Address one, outlining possible causes, effects and resolutions."

The issue that I chose to write about is probably the first thing that pops into most people's minds in today's accountability culture: The student achievement gap between children of high and low socio-economic classes. My resolution, however, could be a new slant for some: Improve teacher working conditions.

See what you think of my reasoning:

Despite years of effort by educators and community activists, closing the achievement gap between students of high and low socio-economic classes remains one of the most significant issues facing public education today. This gap is influenced by a number of factors, both school and non-school related. In the school setting, children of poverty are more likely than children of wealth to be taught by inexperienced or uncertified teachers and to attend schools that lack instructional supplies and essential equipment. They are also less likely to be exposed to the after-school and summer enrichment experiences that children of the middle or upper class often take for granted.

Children of poverty also struggle with a variety of challenges away from school. These challenges and their impact on student achievement were well documented by Richard Rothstein in his recent book Class and Schools (2004). Medical issues such as poor vision and hearing, as well as lead poisoning and asthma are more prevalent in children of poverty. Families frequently move, interrupting the consistency of education. Children of poverty often arrive at school with disadvantages in vocabulary development and reading comprehension because they lack the types of pre-school experiences available to children of higher socio-economic classes.

While addressing the non-school factors for the achievement gap would require policy decisions outside the control of schools and districts, there are steps that can be taken by the educational community to make a difference. I believe that foremost among these should be an attempt to improve teacher working conditions.

Few would argue that the quality of a child's teacher is one of the single greatest factors in influencing student achievement, yet little has been done to stem the flood of teachers out of America's classrooms. Despite increased recruitment efforts, teachers in their first five years continue to leave the classroom at alarming rates. These percentages are often highest in our most challenging schools. To quote Susan Moore Johnson (2001), recruitment incentives are often "short-term responses to long term challenges," that will "ultimately make little difference if a teacher is dissatisfied with teaching."

A renewed focus on teacher working conditions could reduce turnover rates, leading to an enhancement in teacher quality and subsequently, student achievement. To improve working conditions, I believe schools and systems should:

    1. Ensure that every new teacher is provided with an effective mentor, as well as with release time to work with that mentor. While many districts have worked to provide mentors for their beginning teachers, often these mentors have little significant time to connect with their protégés in meaningful ways. Even though new teachers often desire support and feedback, opportunities are limited. Teachers who leave the profession within their first three years often report feeling overwhelmed and under-supported.

    2. Provide opportunities for experienced teachers to assume leadership roles without leaving the classroom. Teaching is a flat profession, with few opportunities for advancement. This stagnancy frustrates accomplished educators who crave the opportunity to grow professionally. As a result, teachers are often forced to leave the classroom for positions where they can have more of an influence as instructional leaders. If we create school-level leadership positions that allow teachers to remain in the classroom, we could keep more of our best educators in the profession.

    3. Create schools that function as professional learning communities. Despite years of reform, schools remain largely isolated places where little interaction occurs between teachers. Furthermore, teachers are often not empowered to make key school-level decisions. Richard Ingersoll's recent research has documented that "leavers" often cite this lack of interaction and empowerment as a source of dissatisfaction. If we can structure schools as "integrated professional cultures," we are likely to retain more of our most accomplished educators. The learning community model as outlined by Richard DuFour holds great promise and should be pursued.

To quote Governor Mike Easley of North Carolina, "Teacher working conditions are student learning conditions." Closing the achievement gap requires creating the kinds of teacher working conditions that attract and retain the most accomplished individuals to our classrooms. Without addressing this critical issue, we cannot hope to meet the ambitious goals that have been set for public education in America.

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