The following blog post was written by Sarah Meltzer. To read more newsworthy blog posts from Eye On Education, subscribe to our Insights eNewsletters.
Teachers spend the majority of the school day behind closed doors with students, and there is little time left after planning and grading to collaborate with colleagues. Indeed, 93% of today’s teachers spend their official working day in isolation from other teachers (MetLife, 2010). This isolation, along with limited opportunities to share knowledge, has led a large number of teachers to explore new careers. In 2008–2009, the National Center for Educational Statistics reported 9.1% of teachers with one to three years experience left the profession Keigher, 2010). Approximately 46% of these teachers report the most common reasons for leaving are lack of support, lack of influence, and inadequate time to collaborate (National Commission on Teaching & America’s Future, 2003). The inclusion of collaboration into professional development has become a successful practice that can provide teachers with the communication and support they need to enrich their personal growth and encourage them to embrace their careers.
...to learn about incorporating collaboration into your professional development through planning, implementation, and follow-up, download Eye On Education's free whitepaper: Collaboration: A Building Block for Effective PD in Technology by Sarah Meltzer.
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