Are Personal Learning Networks the Key to Keeping Teachers?
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Loading... - Cecile Sanchez
- 23 May 2022
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Educator shortages continue to be a top concern for many. And the trend of teachers leaving the classroom is unlikely to reverse course anytime soon.
In a recent National Education Association survey of roughly 3,600 educators, more than half indicated that they were likely to leave or retire from education sooner than planned because of the pandemic. Perhaps more distressing, Black and Hispanic/Latino educators—already underrepresented in the classroom—indicated an early departure at even higher rates than their White counterparts.
In terms of mitigation, raising teacher salaries was, understandably, the option supported most strongly by educators. Other preferred strategies included providing mental health and behavioral support for students, hiring more support staff and reducing paperwork requirements. However, hiring additional teachers ranked second overall on that list.
Yet, if adding new teachers to the roster is to be a lasting solution to this growing problem, schools and districts must be able to effectively support and retain those newcomers once they are hired. How do they ensure that new educators don’t burn out and leave the profession like so many of their predecessors?
A new twist on an old idea may be one way that tomorrow’s educators find and keep their spark in the classroom.
Putting the ‘Person’ in Personal Learning Networks
While educators building communities to learn and share ideas isn’t new, today’s personal learning networks (PLNs) offer educators the chance to hone their focus and build their practice in specific areas of professional development. Educators can access the knowledge and expertise of others and share their own experience in a constructive, solution-oriented setting. These networks are proving valuable to veteran and new educators alike, all seeking to focus and improve their practice.
As part of its Reinvent the Classroom initiative, a collaboration with HP, Microsoft and Intel, Digital Promise hosts the HP Teaching Fellows. The program is designed to support innovative elementary and secondary school teachers across the U.S. and Canada who demonstrate powerful teaching and learning with technology.
The fourth, and newest, cohort consists of six educators from Tulsa. This cohort is unique for its composition of educators—three of the six began teaching during the pandemic, and all teach in North Tulsa, a region historically challenged by economic and racial inequities. This new cohort connects educators from different schools within Tulsa, as well as the other 75 fellows located across the U.S. and Canada. This opportunity will offer them a broader perspective on the powerful use of technology in the classroom. The Fellowship program has proven to be a lifeline for educators facing the tremendous challenges of the pandemic and its impact on their students and practice.
“Now, more than ever, educators need a consistent network of compassionate, creative peers,” says Reinvent the Classroom Project Director Nick Schiner. “Our team is thrilled to have the opportunity and responsibility to meaningfully connect educators while supporting their professional learning and growth.” Read More...
