When we feel like we matter, we can do our jobs better and feel more fulfilled. For educators, this can make the difference between staying in teaching or leaving. Researchers Shelly Wilfong and Ryan Donlan look at eight elements of the concept of mattering and how they can enhance a teacher's sense of efficacy.

Using time to enable success in teaching and learning is a critical part of every school's, district's and state's journey to success. It seems that there is never enough time in schools, and leaders struggle to make the most of what they have. How best to use this precious resource is a critical question. While time in isolation from other…

This is the third publication in a series of research reports from the UCL Centre for Educational Leadership-led study, The Impact of the ECF Programme on the Work Engagement, Well-Being and Retention of Teachers: A Longitudinal Study, 2021--2026. This paper describes the conditions in schools which advance the development and retention of teacher…

Special education teachers (SETs) are expected to use effective practices to improve outcomes for students with disabilities, yet even those who are well-prepared may not be effective in teaching these students, as problematic working conditions may limit their opportunities to teach effectively and their longevity in the profession. To complicate…

During a time when teacher turnover is high, retention is low, and some positions go unfilled for years at a time, the conditions have never been more favorable to redesign the fundamental way we staff our nation's schools. Brent W. Maddin and Randy L. Mahlerwein describe how Arizona's Mesa Public Schools and Arizona State University are working…

Authors and education consultants Jane Kise and Ann C. Holm explore how teachers and leaders can treat challenges facing their schools as "polarities" which require regular work and attention to the needs of the entire community, as opposed to quick, one-time fixes. This approach not only provides more effective solutions to ingrained…

Drawing on the disability justice paradigm of care work (Piepzna-Samarasinha), this article moves to shift the labor of resilience from students to our course design, noting how models of student resilience are often tied to ableist expectations of performance and coherence. The authors share their ongoing experiments in creating…

As schools begin to fully or phase into re-opening, they should ensure that the 3 "I"s that have emerged during COVID-19 in education; infrastructure, interaction, and instruction (both in-person and online) are adequately addressed.

Maintaining an active research agenda while teaching full-time at a community college can be daunting, but with institutional support for scholarly research by way of course release it is possible. This personal reflection offers up evidence of institutional support from a variety of sources within the public university system of New York City,…

Most educators encounter any number of stresses during a typical day in the classroom. They may face pressure from administrators to meet unrealistic expectations, experience frustration when students act out or shut down, or feel stretched beyond limit by extensive meetings and other noninstructional demands on their time. These daily stresses…

Teaching in K-12 schools is stressful, as educators know and research documents. Although all teachers experience stress, minoritized teachers of color often experience unique stressors. Common examples include being asked to translate for parents who do not speak English or function as the disciplinarian for students experiencing behavioral…

Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Deborah Gist and her team, along with school-based leaders, have worked with the district's school leaders to implement a comprehensive strategy to improve instructional quality for all students in Tulsa. Grounded in a clear vision for instruction and starting with the introduction of new curricula aligned to…

If leaders want to support and retain--not just hire--Black educators, they must understand what it means to be a Black educator now. El-Mekki, a veteran educator and founder of the Center for Black Educator Development, shares realities Black teachers face, from the fact that schools don't always feel safe to them to the responsibility they feel…

Educators are dealing with tremendous amounts of stress, experiencing burnout, and feeling a lack of efficacy, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, racism, and ongoing threats to their autonomy as professionals. Despite their desire to help, school leaders have been caught short on how to provide the support teachers need. It doesn't have to be this way.…

When the pandemic took hold, the superintendent of Selma City Schools realized the strategic plan her district had in place wasn't enough. She shares the collective steps her team took to embrace change and rethink what school could look like from the ground up.