Setting the Stage - Eric Hirsch
Overview:
Eric Hirsch from the University of California
According to Eric Hirsch, Director of Special Projects at the New Teacher Center at the University of California at Santa Cruz, teacher working conditions matter, and schools and districts need to consider and respond to data from those whose perceptions matter most—their own classroom teachers—so that they can gauge the successes and areas of concern in their own schools and communities. By hearing directly from educators, who intimately understand working conditions issues, policymakers have the opportunity to make data-driven decisions for developing policies that make all schools better places to work and learn. Since 2004, more than 250,000 school-based educators in eight states have responded to Teacher Working Conditions Surveys conducted by the Center for Teaching Quality. Hirsch reviews key findings from these surveys, including:
- Teacher working conditions are critical for increasing student achievement;
- Improving working conditions creates a more stable teaching force;
- Considerable gaps exist between the perceptions of teachers and administrators regarding the presence of key working conditions.
He concludes his presentation by describing the outcomes that have come about as a result of the research.
Segments:
- Introduction/ Setting the Stage
- Teacher Turnover
- The Start of the Survey Work
- Overview of What We Learned
- Building a Model Linking Working and Learning Conditions
- What Impacts Teacher Turnover
- School Leadership Results
- Using Working Conditions Survey Results as a Tool
- The Impact of the Survey Results on State Policy
Part 1 - Introduction / Setting the Stage
Hirsch begins his presentation by providing the audience with some personal background information. He explains that his research is based on approaching school-based licensed educators and posing the question, “Do you fundamentally agree or disagree that critical conditions of work are in place where you teach?”
Think about:
- What would be your response to the question that Hirsch asks at the end of this segment?
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Part 2 - Teacher Turnover
Hirsch describes how he began his work in the area of teacher working conditions based on one slide, from Dr. Richard Ingersoll’s work, which illustrates that a third of teacher turnover is due to dissatisfaction. He then introduces each of the reasons for teacher dissatisfaction that were outlined by Dr. Richard Ingersoll.
Think about:
- Hirsch outlines several reasons for teacher dissatisfaction. Which of the reasons that Hirsch mentions are evident in your school or board?
- List any other reasons for teacher dissatisfaction in your school or board that Hirsch did not touch on.
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Part 3 - The Start of the Survey Work
In this segment, Hirsch discusses the importance of creating standards around teacher working conditions and having data to show whether the conditions are in place in every school. He mentions that all teachers in North Carolina and throughout other states were surveyed to determine the conditions in each school. Hirsch states that teacher working conditions matter because they affect student learning.
Think about:
- What standards would you like to see in place that are not current teaching working conditions?
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Part 4 - Overview of What We Learned
Hirsch begins this segment by identifying the five working conditions that teachers find to be the most important in improving student learning. He then talks about how he uses standardized testing to compare against the teacher working conditions survey to see the affect that the conditions have on student achievement scores.
Think about:
- Hypothesize whether the teachers in your school/board would find the same working conditions, identified by Hirsch, to be the most necessary in improving student learning. If not, which conditions would be more important to the teachers in your school/board?
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Part 5 - Building a Model Linking Working and Learning Conditions
Hirsch explains how the researchers created models based on the data from the surveys incorporating working conditions, teacher characteristics, student characteristics, and school characteristics. These models helped account for about two-thirds to three-quarters of the variance in student achievement across schools. He then explains what the variance in the studies were attributed to, based on what the models told them.
Think about:
- How can we ensure the working conditions that matter are in place in more schools?
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Part 6 - What Impacts Teacher Turnover
Hirsch states his findings from this study: that the issues affect the students, that teacher working conditions affect teacher retention, and that teachers and administrators view working conditions differently. He then discusses the responses to the question, “Which working condition is most important to future employment plans?” Hirsch indicates which factors influence a teacher to leave or want to leave the profession or the school. Finally, he explains the models based on the results of the research.
Think about:
- In this segment, Hirsch frequently mentions the importance of having an atmosphere of trust and respect in order to reduce teacher turnover. What does an atmosphere of trust and respect look like, sound like, and feel like to you?
- What do you predict would be the response of teachers in your school/board if you were to pose the question, “Which working condition is most important to your future employment plans?”
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Part 7 - School Leadership Results
Hirsch begins this segment by stating that teachers are on the same page, but teachers and principals are not, which is a conclusion he came to after surveying principals on teacher working conditions. Next, Hirsch identifies the findings from the principal surveys and compares them to the findings from the teacher surveys.
Think about:
- Why do you think there is such a discrepancy between the findings of the principal and teacher surveys?
- If you were to survey your school/board, which working conditions would you see the greatest discrepancy between the responses of principals and teachers?
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Part 8 - Using Working Conditions Survey Results as a Tool for School Improvement
In this segment, Hirsch outlines other notable findings that the research reveals.
Think about:
- Hirsch states that 63% of elementary teachers in North Carolina feel that they do not have enough time for planning and collaboration. What would you say is the percentage of teachers in your school/board who feel that they have insufficient time for planning and collaboration?
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Part 9 - The Impact of Survey Results on State Policy
Hirsch describes what has happened in the surveyed states as a result of the data collected. He then shares strategies that help to create non-instructional time for teachers. These strategies are used by the top schools that have the highest proportion of teachers who are satisfied with the amount and use of non-instructional time.
Think about:
- In this segment, Hirsch outlines many different outcomes from the results of the data collected in the teacher and principal surveys.
- What ideas for moving forward did the outcomes give you?
- Which of the outcomes would you like to learn more about?
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