New teachers often get the students who are furthest behind — and that’s a problem for both

Posted on April 16, 2019April 13, 2019 by coreeducation

Matt Barnum, writing for Chalkbeat, recently wrote an article exploring the fact that new teachers often end up in the most challenging classroom assignments. Excerpts of the piece appear below: Being a new teacher is notoriously difficult — and schools often make it even tougher. New research out of Los Angeles finds that teachers in Read more about New teachers often get the students who are furthest behind — and that’s a problem for both[…]

Instructional Coaches: The Heroes of the Golden Age of Educational Practice

Posted on March 28, 2019March 25, 2019 by coreeducation

Recently in the Fordham Flypaper, Michael Petrilli wrote about the practice and promise of instructional coaches. Excerpts from the piece appear below: Whether initiated from the bottom-up or the top-down, any effort to help educators align their practice with the best evidence is going to succeed or fail on the strength of its implementation. This Read more about Instructional Coaches: The Heroes of the Golden Age of Educational Practice[…]

Center on Great Teachers and Leaders releases M&I Toolkit

Posted on February 28, 2019February 22, 2019 by coreeducation

High-quality, evidence-based mentoring and induction (M&I) programs can transform classroom instruction, improve teacher retention rates, narrow gaps in equitable access to effective educators, and raise student performance. The Center on Great Teachers and Leaders’ updated toolkit helps states and districts design M&I programs that support beginning teachers in strengthening classroom instruction in high-need schools and Read more about Center on Great Teachers and Leaders releases M&I Toolkit[…]

September Issue Brief: Teacher Mentoring

Posted on September 20, 2018September 13, 2018 by coreeducation

Teacher mentoring has proven to be an effective form of professional learning that has positive results on student performance. But too often, mentoring programs are loosely designed and fall short of desired outcomes. In Core Education’s September issue brief, we explore teacher mentoring and coaching, including the research base for this form of professional development, Read more about September Issue Brief: Teacher Mentoring[…]

State Efforts to Solve Teacher Shortages by Strengthening the Profession

Posted on September 12, 2018September 8, 2018 by coreeducation

Most states have been struggling to address teacher shortages for several years now, often filling the vacuum with underprepared teachers who aren’t able to give children the high-quality learning they need and who leave at two to three times the rate of well-prepared teachers. Most often, these teachers are hired in schools serving students of Read more about State Efforts to Solve Teacher Shortages by Strengthening the Profession[…]

August Issue Brief: Effective Feedback for Educators

Posted on September 4, 2018September 3, 2018 by coreeducation

Teachers need helpful feedback and support to improve their instruction and own their professional growth. But what kinds of feedback translate into improved teaching practice? In Core Education’s August issue brief, we explore the research on teacher feedback, including teacher perceptions of feedback systems, characteristics of feedback that may influence teacher response, tools and resources Read more about August Issue Brief: Effective Feedback for Educators[…]

Mentors matter: Good teaching really can be passed down to student teachers, new research finds

Posted on August 9, 2018August 3, 2018 by coreeducation

Writing for Chalkbeat, Matt Barnum explores the research on the value of being mentored by an expert teacher. Excerpts from the piece appear below: Studies released this year offer real evidence that good teaching can be passed down, in a sense, from mentor teacher to student teacher. In several cases, they find that the performance Read more about Mentors matter: Good teaching really can be passed down to student teachers, new research finds[…]

Revisioning the Principal Supervisor Role

Posted on August 7, 2018August 3, 2018 by coreeducation

Principals and districts benefit when principal supervisors move beyond the role of administrator to coach and mentor, according to a new Vanderbilt University report. The report, “A New Role Emerges for Principal Supervisors: Evidence from Six Districts in the Principal Supervisor Initiative,” details the implementation of five key components to reshape the supervisor position in Read more about Revisioning the Principal Supervisor Role[…]

Teacher Coaching Can Boost Instruction and Student Achievement. But Can It Be Scaled Up?

Posted on April 13, 2018April 6, 2018 by coreeducation

One-on-one teacher coaching generates meaningful improvements to both classroom instruction and student achievement, according to a newly published meta-analysis of existing research. But there’s a tricky caveat: Efforts to expand coaching programs on a wider scale might only dilute their value, the authors find. Key takeaways from this study include the following: Coaching programs tend Read more about Teacher Coaching Can Boost Instruction and Student Achievement. But Can It Be Scaled Up?[…]

State Mentoring Policies Key to Supporting Novice Teachers

Posted on April 11, 2018April 6, 2018 by coreeducation

The National Association of State Boards of Education has released a policy brief exploring state mentoring policies related to the support of novice teachers and the research on effective mentoring programs. Policy recommendations as well as state exemplar programs are offered. The brief finds that although there is evidence that formal induction programs lasting at Read more about State Mentoring Policies Key to Supporting Novice Teachers[…]

Mentoring Program Posts 81% College Persistence Rate

Posted on November 29, 2017November 26, 2017 by coreeducation

Writing for The 74, Kate Stringer reviews a new randomized controlled trial that finds that one-on-one, in-person mentoring that starts in high school and continues through university study can have a significant effect on college persistence rates for low-income students. Excerpts from the article appear below: A college mentoring program aimed at getting low-income and Read more about Mentoring Program Posts 81% College Persistence Rate[…]

Mentors for New Teachers Found to Boost Student Achievement—by a Lot

Posted on July 26, 2017July 21, 2017 by coreeducation

The final results from a U.S. Department of Education Investing in Innovation (i3) analysis has found that the New Teacher Center’s teacher induction model increases student learning by up to five months. These third-party evaluation results show that the NTC induction model yields statistically significant gains in student learning. The teacher induction model increases student Read more about Mentors for New Teachers Found to Boost Student Achievement—by a Lot[…]

Teachers Supporting Teachers: State Policies for Non-Classroom-Based Instructors

Posted on May 25, 2017May 22, 2017 by coreeducation

The Center on Great Teachers and Leaders has released a new Ask the Team Brief, Teachers Supporting Teachers: State Policies for Non-Classroom-Based Instructors. Across the United States, non-classroom-based positions have been added in districts and schools to provide instructional support to teachers. They go by various names–coach, mentor, teacher leader–but typically they help classroom teachers Read more about Teachers Supporting Teachers: State Policies for Non-Classroom-Based Instructors[…]

Study Finds Positive Impacts of Retired Educators to Support New Teachers

Posted on April 5, 2017March 30, 2017 by coreeducation

A new study finds that using retired educators to mentor and support new teachers can be a cost effective strategy to improve math achievement. Regional Educational Laboratory Central worked with Aurora Public Schools in Colorado to conduct a randomized controlled trial study in the 2013-14 and 2014-15 school years during implementation of the district’s innovative Read more about Study Finds Positive Impacts of Retired Educators to Support New Teachers[…]

Coaching Roles That Achieve Their Potential to Improve Teaching and Learning

Posted on March 6, 2017February 22, 2017 by coreeducation

Despite decades of efforts to support teachers with coaching, most teachers still do not get the support they need in their own classrooms. Yet many teachers, including experienced ones, need support to continue to evolve professionally, hone their practice, and use new tools. Based on experience, the research base on coaching, and a forward-looking analysis, Read more about Coaching Roles That Achieve Their Potential to Improve Teaching and Learning[…]

Developing Resilient, Equity-Conscious Teachers

Posted on November 16, 2016November 12, 2016 by coreeducation

In Education Week Teacher, Elena Aguilar writes an insightful piece about the promise of transformational coaching. Excerpts appear below: I believe new-teacher support programs must be linked to schools’ moral imperative to meet the social, emotional, and academic needs of every child, every day. To that end, the overarching objective of a teacher-support program should Read more about Developing Resilient, Equity-Conscious Teachers[…]