New research finds that compared to their public school counterparts, private school teachers are much more satisfied with their jobs. Why? Private schools hire based on talent and empower their teachers with decision-making about classroom discipline, curricula, and standards. In contrast, public schools often squander teacher talent, with only 68 percent of classroom time available for core instruction-which itself is highly micromanaged by non-educators, including district curriculum “experts,” administrators, and politicians. Such treatment is symptomatic of the fact that K-12 teachers are typically recruited from the bottom third of college graduates. Talented prospective teachers in graduate “education” courses report they are “sick of coloring for a master’s degree” (bottom). Want more top teachers? Look at what the highest-performing countries are doing. They recruit teachers from the top five percent of university graduates, schools compete to hire them, then they pay them competitive salaries rivaling other leading professions to keep them.
This blog entry originally appeared in the Independent Women’s Forum website.
Nothing contained in this blog is to be construed as necessarily reflecting the views of the Pacific Research Institute or as an attempt to thwart or aid the passage of any legislation.
Want Better Teachers? Improve Working Conditions
Vicki E. Murray
New research finds that compared to their public school counterparts, private school teachers are much more satisfied with their jobs. Why? Private schools hire based on talent and empower their teachers with decision-making about classroom discipline, curricula, and standards. In contrast, public schools often squander teacher talent, with only 68 percent of classroom time available for core instruction-which itself is highly micromanaged by non-educators, including district curriculum “experts,” administrators, and politicians. Such treatment is symptomatic of the fact that K-12 teachers are typically recruited from the bottom third of college graduates. Talented prospective teachers in graduate “education” courses report they are “sick of coloring for a master’s degree” (bottom). Want more top teachers? Look at what the highest-performing countries are doing. They recruit teachers from the top five percent of university graduates, schools compete to hire them, then they pay them competitive salaries rivaling other leading professions to keep them.
This blog entry originally appeared in the Independent Women’s Forum website.
Nothing contained in this blog is to be construed as necessarily reflecting the views of the Pacific Research Institute or as an attempt to thwart or aid the passage of any legislation.