For the past twenty to thirty years, the act and the art of teaching has become increasingly more complex and difficult. The difficulty of the profession and the effects on teacher sustainability are becoming even clearer. Recent studies have indicated that on average, 46% of teachers leave the profession within five years. This is a rate of attrition that is much higher than any other profession and far ahead of the national average. Moreover, as Joel Rose, former Founder and Executive Director of School of One, often reminds us, over 40% of teachers often feel ‘disheartened’ at this point in their career as well. A disheartened teacher is far from where many of these individuals began their career with their idealistic beliefs in students, learning, and deep excitement and investment in kids and families.
It is time for all of us to revisit this school model, especially for teachers. How can we begin to elevate the profession, elevate the possibilities of sustainability, elevate the ability of teachers to realize excellent levels of student achievement with all students, and lastly, eliminate any disheartened teachers within our schools?
At Rocketship, we believe that this is possible and act upon it daily. We are consumed with the question of how to elevate the profession of teaching and fully invest in and empower the incredible talent that is at the foundation of Rocketship. Moreover, as I have participated in the first week of our month long professional development with teachers prior to the start of the 11.12 school year, I am reminded on a daily basis of the incredible talent that is in the room. With this extraordinary talent base within our network, it is critical that we ensure that we are investing and focusing on revisiting the profession in a manner that ensures that these unbelievable people and teachers are invested in, fulfilled, and remain active participants in education.
At Rocketship, in order to make this happen, we believe a school must ‘deconstruct’ the act of teaching. What is it that teachers do each day that is the best and most important use of their talent? What is it that they, and only they, can do?
At Rocketship, we are focusing on this work and attempting to elevate the role of the teacher in a manner that also proclaims the immense value and worth of each and every teacher, and each and every minute of their day and work. This takes effect in Rocketship leveraging the hybrid model to help teach students with basic skills. At Rocketship, a teacher is not solely tasked with closing the basic skills gap, but is able to leverage online curricula in this work—(http://venturebeat.com/2011/08/01/dreambox-aces-test-study-shows-edutainment-program-boosts-exam-scores/). Moreover, teachers at Rocketship are supported by a robust Response to Intervention program, which means that Rocketship teachers are not tasked with teaching and then tutoring and interventions after-school as well. Rocketship is actively working to move different components of the day out of the classroom and not task a teacher with this work. As components of the classroom like assessments and independent practice are moved beyond the classroom, as online curricula supports teachers and teaches basic skills, then teachers are again able to focus more time on critical thinking and depth in the art of teaching—something only teachers can do.
At Rocketship, we are also focused on revisiting the act of supporting teachers, coaching teachers, developing teachers in their art of teaching, and investing in teachers as leaders (http://schoolleaderstoolbox.org/toolkit/explore/introduction). This occurs in weekly one to one coaching meetings with school leaders, an Academic Dean regularly working with teachers and investing in their work, and various other means. Likewise, teachers are paid a higher salary and are eligible for a merit based bonus. Yet, even now we do not believe this is enough and we are currently revisiting our professional development and coaching model, while also revisiting our compensation model and working to compensate teachers in a manner that truly honors the profession and work.
Teaching is still an incredibly personal act, an act and an art that requires talented individuals to lead, invest in, and personally connect with students—the future leaders of our world. Consequently, with over 13,000,000 students still suffering under the achievement gap, it is incredibly important that we figure out how to truly invest in teachers, transform the profession, and consequently, transform the outcomes for students. Eliminating the achievement gap will require thousands of unbelievable teachers, teachers that are transformed and empowered like doctors, teachers that are ‘heartened’ and passionate about their work, while also being deeply invested in and rewarded. At Rocketship, we are committed to this path and work and have already accomplished a great deal. Yet, we know that more can be realized and as an organization we are committed to continuing to work to honor our talented teachers by diligently focusing on the transformation of the profession and art of teaching.
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