Opinion
School & District Management Letter to the Editor

Teachers Should Receive More Time to Collaborate

May 07, 2013 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

To the Editor:

Laurie Barnoski’s Commentary, “School Leaders: Don’t Let Your Teachers Lose Heart” (April 3, 2013), was an important reminder of the emotional and professional demands of teaching.

While I agree with many of the common-sense recommendations Ms. Barnoski had for encouraging our teachers, the most important thing we can do is give them time to work together, to collaborate. The idiom “many hands make light work” holds true in schools where educators are encouraged to build shared strategies to deepen student learning.

The National Center for Literacy Education, or NCLE, just released a survey report, “Remodeling Literacy Learning: Making Room for What Works,” with responses from 2,400 educators across all grade levels and subject areas. When asked what kind of professional learning they value most, educators cited co-planning with colleagues because it allows them to actively exchange ideas and implement new approaches quickly and effectively.

Sarah Brown Wessling, a good friend and former national teacher of the year, says collaborative practice allows educators to become learners again. As an experienced, innovative high school English teacher, Ms. Wessling knows that when collaboration is the norm, trust among educators soars and insights about effective practices spread. This leads to greater job satisfaction and sustained school improvement.

Yet despite strong interest in collaborative practice and decisionmaking among educators, results from the NCLE’s findings and the 2009 MetLife Survey of the American Teacher on collaborating for student success show that the time available for structured collaboration in schools is small ... and shrinking rapidly.

If we want to embed educator collaboration and problem-solving in the school day, we need to think boldly about how instructional time is organized, how to eliminate nonessential duties, and how other education professionals and students themselves can collaborate.

It’s time to stop piling on the initiatives and start building the capacity of educators to work together on the real issues that inhibit high-quality teaching and learning.

Kent Williamson

Director

National Center for Literacy Education

Executive Director

National Council of Teachers of English

Urbana, Ill.

A version of this article appeared in the May 08, 2013 edition of Education Week as Teachers Should Receive More Time to Collaborate

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
IT Infrastructure & Management Webinar
The Reality of Change: How Embracing and Planning for Change Can Shape Your Edtech Strategy
Promethean edtech experts delve into the reality of tech change and explore how embracing and planning for it can be your most powerful strategy for maximizing ROI.
Content provided by Promethean
Reading & Literacy K-12 Essentials Forum Reading Instruction Across Content Disciplines
Join this free virtual event to hear from educators and experts implementing innovative strategies in reading across different subjects.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Harnessing AI to Address Chronic Absenteeism in Schools
Learn how AI can help your district improve student attendance and boost academic outcomes.
Content provided by Panorama Education

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

School & District Management Opinion What's the No. 1 Way to Retain Principals?
When it comes to the demands of the job, principals share common concerns, according to a recent survey.
5 min read
Screenshot 2024 12 09 at 12.54.36 PM
Canva
School & District Management The Top 10 Things That Keep Principals Up at Night
Principals’ jobs are hard, but what are their most common concerns? We asked, principals answered.
5 min read
School & District Management Superintendents Wrapped: The Songs District Leaders Listened to This Year
Five brave superintendents shared their top songs and artists from the past year with Education Week.
1 min read
A bright blue and pink background with a hand holding a phone with the spotify logo. A pair of headphones frames the cellphone.
Collage by Gina Tomko/Education Week and Canva
School & District Management Opinion I Invited Students to Help Hire a New Assistant Principal. Here’s What Happened
What began as an opportunity for the students turned into a gift for our administrative team.
3 min read
Centering students in the school community.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva