Student learning is more powerfully impacted by the teacher than any other school factor. Student success and educator professional excellence are both impacted by the same key elements of school culture. How can we transform culture to achieve excellence?
Transform the culture: This question was answered as NEA convened an expert panel including teachers at all career stages, researchers, policymakers, and parents. They identified five crucial elements of school culture that should guide every decision made in schools and classrooms:
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Passion for learning – focus on how every action impacts a student’s learning
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Assessment for excellence – assess what matters in authentic ways meaningful to learners
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Culture of collaboration – among students, P-12 educators, families, higher education, and communities
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Authentic autonomy – students’ and educators’ ability to direct their work, interests
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Worth of each person – genuine respect, caring, honoring each student, their families, educators, and communities
Address every career phase: Supporting student success requires focus on professional excellence among educators and support at every phase - Recruiting prospective educators, preparing aspiring educators, inducting early career educators, supporting career professional educators, nurturing accomplished educators, and fostering leaders among all educator roles.
Engage all constituencies: Explore the recommendations in this report and become part of the force to transform schools, to “fulfill the promise of public education to prepare every student to succeed in a diverse and interdependent world.”
Download a copy in the downloads section, or explore the interactive online version to join in the important work to be done by parents and policymakers, schools and teacher unions, higher education, and P-12 educators.
For more information, contact Blake West.
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