Reimagining the Teaching Job

Students deserve teachers who thrive in a job that is dynamic, rewarding, collaborative and sustainable—especially as we all work to recover from the learning, family and community losses of the past two years. But in an era of unparalleled innovation, the job of an American teacher remains stubbornly unchanged.

Teachers are expected to do it all, in positions that aren’t flexible enough to accommodate the unique challenges of their districts. This one-size-fits-all approach is leading to higher teacher turnover and burnout—and school districts are left scrambling to hire, guide, and retain new staff. By reimagining the teaching job, district leaders can give educators the support they need to have the greatest positive impact on student learning and well-being.

Reimagining the teaching job requires bold leadership and a willingness to challenge long-held assumptions about how people, time, and money are organized in our schools. It’s not an easy task—but it is possible. It will require broad buy-in, a restructuring of long-term costs, and a strategy for continuous improvement to make this vision a reality. By adopting a “Do Now, Build Toward” approach, leaders can address both school- and system-level structures and practices through doable starting points—and take meaningful steps in service of a truly reimagined teaching job.

Framework for Action: Organizing Resources
to Reimagine the Teaching Job

ERS' David Rosenberg joins WNYC Studio's The Takeaway Podcast

Rosenberg recently joined WNYC Studio's The Takeaway podcast with Melissa Harris-Perry to discuss causes of teacher shortages, where shortages are felt most in the U.S., how the political landscape affects educators, and how to retain teachers and improve the core teaching job.

Rosenberg & Miles: Teachers Shouldn’t Have to Be Superheroes to Get the Job Done

The current moment offers unique opportunities to reimagine how school districts approach teaching and learning, with the potential for significant near- and long-term benefits for students, families and educators.

Teacher Turnover During the Pandemic

Our latest analysis explores three different areas of teacher turnover data, telling a nuanced story about teacher turnover that has significant implications for how leaders respond to the unique situation in their communities. Read all three pieces below to learn more and find key takeaways and actions to improve the teacher experience in your district.

Pawnee ISD: Utilizing the Additional Days School Year

We interviewed leaders at Pawnee ISD to see how they're leveraging an Additional Days School Year grant from the Texas Education Agency to provide students with outdoor learning activities and educators with professional learning and collaboration opportunities.