The Future of Teaching

1. The Future of Teaching

2. In light of the changing nature of “work” and of teaching as a profession, what can we do to hire, engage, support, and retain the independent school teachers of tomorrow?

3. The Future of “Work”

4. The world of work in a state of flux • Growing polarization of labor-market opportunities between high- and low-skill jobs, unemployment and underemployment especially among young people, stagnating incomes for a large proportion of households, and income inequality are all affecting the world of work. • Development of automation enabled by technologies including robotics and artificial intelligence brings the promise of higher productivity (and, with productivity, economic growth), increased efficiencies, safety, and convenience. But these technologies also raise difficult questions about the broader impact of automation on jobs, skills, wages, and the nature of work itself. James Manyika,“Technology, Jobs, and the Future of Work,” McKinsey Global Institute (May 2017)

5. Key drivers changing the nature of work and how we think about it • Increasing global life spans are changing the nature of careers and learning. • Rise of smart machines and systems are nudging human workers out of rote tasks. • Computational power is increasing. • New communication tools require new- media literacies beyond text. • Social technologies are driving new forms of production and value creation. • Globally connected world puts diversity and adaptability at the center of operations. • Key Skills That Will Be Needed to Work Effectively • Sense-making • Social intelligence • Novel and adaptive thinking • Cross-cultural competency • Computational thinking • New-media literacy • Transdisciplinarity • Design mindset • Cognitive load management • Virtual collaboration Institute for the Future/University of Phoenix Research Institute, “Future Work Skills 2020”

6. The rise of the gig economy and portfolio careers—by choice and by necessity “While independent work is nothing new…the digital enablement of it is. … Twenty to 30 percent of the working age population in the United States and the European Union is engaged in independent work. … 70% choose this type of work, and 30% use it out of necessity.” James Manyika, “Technology, Jobs, and the Future of Work,” McKinsey Global Institute Gig economy: An economic system consisting of part-time, temporary, and freelance jobs. Rapidly growing online platforms have created a new marketplace for work by unbundling a job into discrete tasks and directly connecting individual sellers with consumers. Portfolio careers: A portfolio career involves doing multiple part-time jobs (part-time, temporary, freelance, or self-employment) with different employers. Some people prefer portfolio careers; for others, they are a necessity to meet income and flexibility needs. Donna Orem, “The Workforce Outlook,” 2017-2018 NAIS Trendbook

7. The changing relationship with employers In a Heartland Monitor Poll, half of the younger respondents (ages 18 to 29) said their best possible career path will come from regularly changing employers. About a third of this group said “owning your own business” was the best choice for income, opportunity, and job security (31% compared to 23% of older workers). Donna Orem and Kelsey Vrooman, “The Workforce Outlook,” 2016-2017 NAIS Trendbook

8. The connection between workplace flexibility and engagement/satisfaction “Eighty-four percent of the respondents to [a] Deloitte study reported some type of flexible working arrangement in their organization. “The study found that workplace flexibility was strongly correlated with employees taking more personal responsibility for organizational outcomes.” Donna Orem, “The Workforce Outlook,” 2017-2018 NAIS Trendbook Donna Orem and Kelsey Vrooman, “The Workforce Outlook,” 2016-2017 NAIS Trendbook

9. Culture and compensation are key to job satisfaction “Workers of all career levels and generations place high value on compensation- and benefit-related factors when determining job satisfaction, but nonfinancial factors also weigh heavily.” Factors that the greatest percent of respondents rate as “very important” The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Employee Job Satisfaction and Engagement: Revitalizing a Changing Workforce (2016)

10. Workplace loyalty • Millennial and Generation Z workplace disillusionment leaves them with little sense of loyalty: • “Stark mismatch between what millennials believe responsible businesses should achieve and what they perceive businesses’ actual priorities to be.” • “Diversity and flexibility are key to loyalty. Good pay and positive cultures are most likely to attract both millennials and Gen Z, but diversity/inclusion and flexibility are important keys to keeping them happy. Many respondents view the gig economy as an attractive alternative or adjunct to their jobs.” • “Young workers feel unprepared for Industry 4.0.” They look to businesses to help them develop necessary skills. 43% of millennials and 61% of Gen Z would leave their job within two years, if given the choice. “Given today’s advancements, millennials may be achieving milestones more quickly than their generational counterparts and, therefore, less willing to stay put for extensive periods of time without promotion.” SHRM, Employee Job Satisfaction (2016) Deloitte, 2018 Deloitte Millennial Survey (2018)

11. Workplace loyalty “The ‘Perfect Labor Storm’ is here. Workers in the United States are leaving at the fastest rate since the low unemployment in early 2001. The reasons are clear: a strong economy and record-low unemployment. … The US Labor Department reports 3.4 million workers left their jobs voluntarily in April. That is double the 1.7 million who were laid off or fired.” “Quitting is hot. Job hopping seems to be affecting all industries. ... The group doing the most job-hopping is the younger workers. The US Census Bureau says about 6.5 percent of workers under the age of 35 changed jobs in the first quarter of last year versus 3.1 percent of those ages 35 to 54.” The Herman Group, “Impending Crisis No Longer, The Herman Trend Alert (August 1, 2018)

12. Workplace loyalty “What employers must do ASAP Establish clear, consistent expectations so that people know where they stand and how to be successful in their jobs every day. ... Make sure people know where they stand with their immediate supervisors on a daily basis, through performance feedback and/or software that facilitates these relationships. “Other intangible factors important to today’s workers Create an environment in which people feel free to share their ideas—and their feedback about what is working and what is not. ... Keep your people up-to-date by giving them frequent opportunities for education, training, and development… make sure that people understand their total rewards/value proposition—including salary, bonuses, perks, and benefits.” The Herman Group, “Impending Crisis No Longer,” The Herman Trend Alert (August 1, 2018)

13. Teaching as a Profession

14. The importance of teaching • Studies like the following show that improving the effectiveness of teachers does more to improve student learning than any other factor. • “When children, beginning in 3rd grade, were placed with three high-performing teachers in a row, they scored on average at the 96th percentile on Tennessee’s statewide mathematics assessment at the end of 5th grade. When children with comparable achievement histories starting in 3rd grade were placed with three low-performing teachers in a row, their average score on the same mathematics assessment was at the 44th percentile, an enormous 52-percentile point difference for children who presumably had comparable abilities and skills.”—Findings from the University of Tennessee’s Value-Added Research and Assessment Center • Donna Orem, “The Impact of Excellent Teachers Amid a Changing Teaching Workforce,” Independent Ideas Blog (August 26, 2015)

15. The next generation of teachers • Harvard’s Project on the Next Generation of Teachers identified factors that impact who chooses the teaching profession and how long they will stay in it: • “Today’s teachers compare a teaching career with many other opportunities—such as law, medicine, finance—fields that were mostly closed to those who entered teaching in the 1960s and ’70s. • “Nearly one-third of today’s teachers have worked in another field first and may have prepared for teaching in nontraditional programs. • “Today’s new teachers are more likely than their predecessors to treat teaching as a short-term career and to be less satisfied with its professional isolation, standardized pay, undifferentiated roles, and lack of opportunities for influence and advancement.” • Donna Orem, “The Impact of Excellent Teachers Amid a Changing Teaching Workforce,” Independent Ideas Blog (August 26, 2015) Overall, the nation’s teaching force is larger, older, less experienced, more female, more diverse by race-ethnicity, consistent in academic ability, and less stable than in previous years.

16. Current shortages and projected growth in demand Over the next decade demand for teachers is projected to increase, particularly for preschool teachers and special education teachers. The demand is being driven by high teacher attrition, changes in student enrollment, and shifts in pupil-teacher ratios. 48 states reported a shortage of math teachers in 2017-2018. Other shortages: special education teachers in 46 states, science teachers in 43 states, and foreign language teachers in 41 states. U.S. Department of Education, Teacher Shortage Areas Nationwide Listing U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, as presented in NAIS Trendbook 2018-2019 by Amada Torres, “The Economic Outlook”

17. Decline in pursuit of education degrees “Back in 1975, more than one-fifth (22%) of college students majored in education—a higher share than any other major. By 2015 though, fewer than one in 10 Americans pursuing higher education devoted their studies to education, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau…. “The shift away from an education major was especially notable among women. Over the past 40 years, the share of female college students majoring in education has shrunk from 32% to 11%.” Jacob Passy, “Fewer Americans Are Majoring in Education, but Will Students Pay the Price?” MarketWatch (Feb. 14, 2018) “Would you want your child to become a teacher?” In 2018, only 46% of respondents said yes to this question, compared to 70% in 2009. Respondents cite concerns that teachers are overworked, underpaid, and underappreciated. PDK Poll, Teaching: Respect but Dwindling Appeal (2018)

18. Cost of living realities “For new teachers in about a quarter of large school districts across the United States, renting a one-bedroom apartment is simply unaffordable. … New York City, San Francisco, and Washington are (not surprisingly) the least affordable places for new teachers.” Some cities have been experimenting with ways to ease the cost burden on their educators including home-buying grants and “teachers villages” with reduced rents. Liana Loewus, “Where Teachers Can and Can’t Afford to Live,” Education Week Teacher Beat Blog (October 17, 2017)

19. Stress impacting teacher well-being, engagement, satisfaction, and performance Four drivers of stress: School organizations that lack strong leadership; a healthy school climate; and a collegial, supportive environment Job demands that escalate with high-stakes testing, behavioral problems, and difficult parents Work resources that limit a teacher’s sense of autonomy and decision-making power Lack of social and emotional competence to manage stress and nurture a healthy classroom M. T. Greenberg, J. L. Brown, and R. M. Abenavoli, Teacher Stress and Health: Effects on Teachers, Students, and Schools, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation/The Pennsylvania State University (2016)

20. Reasons for teacher attrition “Richard Ingersoll of the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education has conducted extensive research on teacher turnover in both public and private schools. “After controlling for the characteristics of both teachers and schools, he concluded that inadequate support from the school administration, low salaries, student discipline problems, and limited faculty input into school decision-making are all associated with higher rates of turnover.” Donna Orem, “The Impact of Excellent Teachers Amid a Changing Teaching Workforce,” Independent Ideas Blog (August 26, 2015) Public educators are quitting at record rates, citing small raises, budget frustration, and other opportunities. Michelle Hackman and Eric Morath, “Teachers Quit Jobs at Highest Rate on Record,” The Wall Street Journal (December 28, 2018)

21. Attrition shown to level off over time • “Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics notes some significant improvements due to mentorship programs and higher starting salaries: • “‘Ten percent of teachers who began their careers in 2007-2008 left teaching after their first year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. But attrition then leveled off, and five years into their careers, 83 percent were still teaching. That figure—indicating that just 17 percent of new teachers left their jobs in the first five years—stands in stark contrast to the attrition statistic that has been repeated (and lamented) for years: That between 40 percent and 50 percent of teachers leave the profession within their first five years.’” • Donna Orem and Kelsey Vrooman, “The Workforce Outlook,” 2016-2017 NAIS Trendbook; quote from Emma Brown, “Study: Far Fewer New Teachers are Leaving the Profession Than Previously Thought,” Washington Post (April 30, 2015)

22. The evolving role of the teacher in the classroom “Education 2020 [a report by EduCitizen] describes the role of the teacher evolving into one of mentor, facilitator, and fellow learner rather than the sole provider of information in the classroom. “Much of the field research also suggests that learning is best accomplished as a social activity, rather than one done in isolation, with students interacting and working collaboratively on projects and other authentic learning situations.Technology also changes the equation, with new technologies emerging that are quite adept at differentiating instruction according to the individual learner’s needs.” Donna Orem and Kelsey Vrooman, “The Workforce Outlook,” 2016-2017 NAIS Trendbook

23. The evolving role of the teacher in the classroom Some micro-schools employ “guides” rather than “teachers,” shifting both the teaching/learning model and the financial model. “[Acton Academy] has learning guides—they aren’t called teachers—whose role is to push students to own their learning. The model enables the academy to have far fewer on-site adults per student than a traditional independent school and to operate at a cost of roughly $4,000 per student per year.” Michael B. Horn, “The Rise of AltSchool and Other Micro-Schools,” EducationNext (Summer 2015)

24. Impact of artificial intelligence on teaching and learning • Collaboration: The vision for AI in education: Machine and teacher work together for the best outcome for students. • Individualized/differentiated learning: Companies are developing instruction design/digital platforms that use AI to provide learning, testing, and feedback that give students challenges they are ready for and identify gaps in knowledge. • Universal access: AI can make global classrooms available to people who speak different languages or have visual or hearing impairments. • Automate administrative tasks: As AI automates admin tasks, teachers have more time to spend with each student. AI could also be used in enrollment and admission processes. • Tutoring and support outside the classroomBernard Marr, “How Is AI Used In Education—Real World Examples of Today and a Peek Into the Future,” Forbes (July 25, 2018) Artificial intelligence in U.S. education is expected to grow by 47.5% from 2017 to 2021.

25. New approaches to teacher professional development: ongoing and customizable education The digital endorsement initiative, while still in its infancy, is likely to shape professional development in the future. “Millennial faculty strongly value a customizable ongoing professional development program with personalized feedback and recognition… “Digital micro-endorsement initiatives, also known as microcredentialing and badging, create a system to record informal knowledge and skill development, such as on-the-job training, individual study, or action research…. Microcredentialing programs for faculty professional growth are emerging at many higher education institutions.” Donna Orem and Kelsey Vrooman, “The Workforce Outlook,” 2016-2017NAIS Trendbook “From the perspective of many teachers, attending one-size-fits-all workshops is not a compelling solution to the daily challenges they face in their classrooms.” Thomas Arnett, Bob Moesta, and Michael B. Horn, The Teacher’s Quest for Progress: How School Leaders Can Motivate Instructional Innovation, Christensen Institute (September 2018)

26. New approaches to teacher professional development: a social-emotional focus “The changes needed to support students in preparing for the emerging world of work will require teachers who are themselves emotionally intelligent and who can model the skills and practices described in the new foundation for readiness.” “Teacher education needs to be redesigned with emotional intelligence at its core [and with] more concerted training in asking meaningful, respectful questions that help students’ curiosity unfold and confidence grow. Teachers … also need more training in creating emotional climates that support diverse learning experiences and productive social interactions.” Katherine Prince, Andrea Saveri, Jason Swanson, The Future of Learning: Redefining Readiness From the Inside Out, KnowledgeWorks (January 2017)

27. Hiring, Engaging, Supporting, and Retaining Independent School Teachers

28. The independent school outlook “We are at the beginning of a long bubble of baby boomer retirements, and, as jobs become more plentiful post-recession and give job seekers more choice, there is speculation that millennials will not choose teaching as a profession in the same numbers as their predecessors. “Many millennials value different benefits than employees in earlier generations, and they may be seeking to have a different relationship with their employer. Millennials aren’t the only ones looking to work in new ways; the number of freelancers and independent workers has increased dramatically in recent years across all age groups. “As employees look to engage with employers in new ways, school leaders and futurists are examining new educational models that will not only benefit employee preferences but will enhance student learning as well.” Donna Orem and Kelsey Vrooman, “The Workforce Outlook,” 2016-2017 NAIS Trendbook

29. Demographic profile of teachers at NAIS schools Years of Experience The steady, and slightly growing, numbers of experienced teachers suggests that the expected retirement wave has largely not yet begun. Gender The gender breakdown of teachers has remained steady, with a significant, and slightly growing, female majority. Mean percentages of male and female teachers 1998-99 2008-09 2018-19 NAIS Data and Analysis for School Leadership (DASL) (2018)

30. Rethinking the hiring process • “Pedagogy has changed significantly in recent years, admission continues to evolve to meet market demands, and fundraising continues to look toward innovative ways of engaging donors, so why would hiring not follow the same path of change?” • Understanding what millennials and Gen Z want: • “They want and need flexibility. • “They have multiple degrees and massive student loans. • “They want workplace culture and diversity.” • Greg Martin, “Hiring Practices: Understanding What Millennials and Gen Z Want,” Independent Ideas Blog (October 29, 2018)

31. Engaging young professionals “Stop the stereotypes. Getting rid of any preconceived notions about millennials can avoid carrying forward inaccurate perceptions about the group.” “Cultivate culture. Value-centric millennials typically place high importance on openness, equality, community, and purpose.” “Develop and engage your talent. Millennials are looking to create outcomes within meaningful projects; developing a bond with these employees and showing confidence that they can accomplish objectives will help keep them engaged and hold them accountable in achieving set goals.” The Society for Human Resource Management, Employee Job Satisfaction and Engagement: Revitalizing a Changing Workforce (2016)

32. Engaging young professionals • “To realize the full potential of their newest and future teachers, school leaders may need to adjust traditional lines of thinking about the independent school and see it as a modern workplace.” • What independent schools have that appeal to millennials: • “Freedom to develop and tweak curriculum • “Genuine gratitude from parents of graduates • “Collegiality of highly educated fellow faculty” • William Stribling, “A Millennial’s View: How to Transform Independent Schools Into Modern Workplaces,” Independent Ideas Blog (February 6, 2017)

33. Engaging young professionals “Millennials want to be mentored,” and mentoring can be two-way. “Millennials thrive with a roadmap to success and they expect their company to provide it. ... Millennials can demonstrate to faculty and administrators the latest methods of technology integration as well as new pedagogical theories.” “Millennials want to learn from peers and colleagues. It’s incumbent upon school leaders to find ways to blend the talents and experience of baby boomer employees with the ambitions and talents of millennials… having young faculty willing to keep their schools relevant is a golden opportunity for everyone.” “Millennials want financial security. … Independent schools can improve their ability to attract millennials by adjusting starting salaries to account for our massive student loan debts…. Schools should also consider affordable housing options.”William Stribling, “A Millennial’s View: How to Transform Independent Schools Into Modern Workplaces,” Independent Ideas Blog (February 6, 2017)

34. Supporting teachers’ progress and development What teachers believe are the “jobs to be done” in making progress in their classrooms: “Help me lead the way in improving my school. “Help me engage and challenge more of my students in a way that’s manageable. “Help me replace a broken instructional model so I can reach each student. “Help me to not fall behind on my school’s new initiative.” Thomas Arnett, Bob Moesta, and Michael B. Horn, The Teacher’s Quest for Progress: How School Leaders Can Motivate Instructional Innovation, Christensen Institute (September 12, 2018)

35. Questions to consider with your board and leadership teams If you could build your workforce from scratch today, what would it look like? What could you do to make your school a preferred workplace of the future? What do your data tell you about your workforce, including who may be retiring in the next five years? How might you approach those roles moving forward—eliminate, outsource, redesign, and so on? Are you casting a wide net to attract new types of teachers, including those from different career paths? How could your school take advantage of the growing freelance workforce? How can you communicate your culture—e.g., classroom autonomy and diversity initiatives—in the hiring process? Does your benefits package address new economic realities and generational preferences? If your school is located in an area with a high cost of living, what new approaches might be necessary to help your faculty be financially stable?

36. Questions to consider with your board and leadership teams What is your school’s position on paid parental leave? How is this position being communicated to your faculty and staff? What defines job satisfaction for your teachers and staff? What are you doing to support the newest teachers in your ranks? Are you considering new ways younger faculty and staff could bring value to your programs and future planning? Could your professional development practices and culture benefit from new approaches, such as a digital micro-endorsement model? Are they supporting teachers in the challenges they face? Do they address teacher well-being? Do you offer mentorships or sponsorships, and how could they be enhanced or made “two-way” in nature? Are you intentionally creating leadership development and “stretch opportunities” for teachers? How could technology support both teachers and learners at your school?

37. Resources • James Manyika, “Technology, Jobs, and the Future of Work,” McKinsey Global Institute • Institute for the Future/University of Phoenix Research Institute, “Future Work Skills 2020” • Donna Orem, “The Workforce Outlook,” 2017-2018 NAIS Trendbook • Donna Orem and Kelsey Vrooman, “The Workforce Outlook,” 2016-2017 NAIS Trendbook • The Society for Human Resource Management, Employee Job Satisfaction and Engagement • Deloitte, 2018 Deloitte Millennial Survey • The Herman Group, “Impending Crisis No Longer,” The Herman Trend Alert • Donna Orem, “The Impact of Excellent Teachers Amid a Changing Teaching Workforce,” Independent Ideas Blog • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections • U.S. Department of Education, Teacher Shortage Areas Nationwide Listing • Jacob Passy, “Fewer Americans Are Majoring in Education,” MarketWatch • PDK Poll, Teaching: Respect but Dwindling Appeal • Liana Loewus, “Where Teachers Can and Can’t Afford to Live,” Education Week Teacher Beat Blog • M. T. Greenberg et al., Teacher Stress and Health, RWJ Foundation/Pennsylvania State University • Michelle Hackman and Eric Morath, “Teachers Quit Jobs at Highest Rate on Record,” Wall Street Journal • Michael B. Horn, “The Rise of AltSchool and Other Micro-Schools,” EducationNext • Bernard Marr, “How Is AI Used In Education,” Forbes • Thomas Arnett et al., The Teacher’s Quest for Progress, Christensen Institute • Katherine Prince et al., The Future of Learning, KnowledgeWorks • NAIS, Data and Analysis for School Leadership (DASL) • Greg Martin, “Hiring Practices: Understanding What Millennials and Gen Z Want,” Independent Ideas Blog • William Stribling, “A Millennial’s View,” Independent Ideas Blog