Engage Teachers in Careers that Reward Collaboration and Expertise

In today’s Washington Post, the article Longer Year for Fairfax Teachers discusses the pros and cons of Fairfax County Public Schools’ new strategy to develop new roles and responsibilities for teachers, while also paying them for their time.

"[Fairfax is implementing] an $8 million, three-year county pilot initiative to extend teacher contracts into summer and encourage teachers to take on greater responsibilities, inside and outside the classroom. With intensifying demands from high-stakes tests and an increasingly diverse student population, Superintendent Jack D. Dale said, effective teaching requires more planning and collaboration. Away from the whiteboard, some teachers are data analysts, combing through test results to set priorities for September. Others are curriculum developers, teacher trainers or researchers on instructional techniques. By paying them for their time, Dale is trying to cement these roles in their careers."

This approach illustrates one of the components of NCTAF’s Pledge to Organize Schools for Success. “It is time to support multiple career paths with pay systems that recognize accomplished teaching and reward effective performance.”

In the article, University of Wisconsin professor/researcher Allan Odden said the notion of giving teachers more responsibilities in exchange for more pay is gaining momentum in public education. Do you agree with this statement? What other examples are out there? What do you think of Fairfax County's approach?

Keep the Conversation Going: Symposium Follow-Up

On July 10-12, 2008, the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future (NCTAF), held a destination meeting for policymakers and educators who are working on “Building a 21st Century Education System”. We challenged national and state leaders to mobilize in support of 21st century teaching, moving schools away from an industrial model and changing schools from teaching 1.0 to teaching 2.0. Keynote speaker, Congressman George Miller (D-CA), Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee said, "The implications of globalization and the realities that today's students face make it increasingly important that we invest in an education system that supports 21st century teaching and learning." What does 21st century teaching and learning mean to you?

Over the next few weeks, we will be taking a detailed look at some of the topics that were featured at the 2008 NCTAF Symposium. Stay tuned …

Building a 21st Century Education System

Welcome to the NCTAF Learning Network! Today is the official launch of NCTAF’s new blog.

The NCTAF Learning Network is a new platform where education thought leaders can share ideas and stimulate new thinking about education, with a particular focus on new pathways to 21st century teaching. Entries posted to the blog will challenge you to re-examine the organization of schools and re-imagine the teaching profession. We hope that you will engage in a dialogue with us about promising practices, success stories and ways to overcome obstacles that hinder 21st century teaching and learning.

The success of education in the 21st century is dependent upon collaborative effort – a network of education stakeholders who stop tinkering with status-quo to make way for a new generation of schools. Creating learning environments that develop the competencies needed for true workforce readiness, lifelong learning, and 21st century citizenship is far beyond the capacity of a stand-alone teacher delivering text-based instruction in a self-contained classroom. Preparing today’s students to participate in a globally integrated community and a knowledge-based economy is a demanding challenge. No teacher should be expected to do this job alone. It is time to draw on the spirit and power of teamwork, and the new resources available in an open learning economy, to transform our schools into 21st Century learning organizations. We encourage your to make your voice heard!