A survey from the teacher-policy group Teach Plus points to differences in how “new majority” teachers—those with fewer than 10 years of experience who now make up more than half the teaching force—view aspects of their profession, compared with their peers who have 11 or more years in the field.
The new-majority teachers were generally more receptive than veterans to the accountability movement and its implications for teacher policy, but they also hold some traditional opinions on working conditions. For instance, they agree with their veteran peers that improved professional development would help them do a better job in the classroom. Likewise, both groups agreed that “more time to collaborate with peers” would be the best way to improve student outcomes.
The data are based on an online survey of 1,015 teachers conducted by the Boston-based Teach Plus early this year. While not a random sample of the teaching population, the results were reflective of the experience of the national teaching force, with 49 percent having 10 or fewer years of teaching experience and 51 percent having 11 or more years.
Among the areas where the groups differed, the survey found that:
• Almost three-quarters of new-majority teachers felt student growth should be part of their evaluations, compared with 42 percent of veterans;
• 60 percent of new-majority teachers were interested in changing compensation and tenure systems, compared with just 20 percent of veterans; and
• 41 percent of new-majority teachers—and 22 percent of veterans—said they’d consider changing pensions to pay for higher salaries.
