1. Rhonda Roos Consulting Indiana association of School principals
“Should I Stay or Should I Go?” Five Principal Actions for Teacher Retention
Dr. Rhonda J. Roos
Rhonda Roos Consulting
November 20, 2017
Indiana association of School principals

2. from the IRREPLACEABLES The New Teacher Project (TNTP)
“An effective teacher is worth
his/her weight in gold.
Too few people really know this.”
~ School Leader

3. New Teachers!
One of my first learnings as a principal - - I don’t want to do this every year. It’s really hard work to train a new teacher. There must be a system in place. Hire the best teachers and keep them.

4. SMART & HEALTHY Low turnover Low politics Low confusion
Competent Leader
Solid Academic Core
Worthy Professional Development
Involved Teacher Leaders
Efficient Use of Time
Involved Parents & Community
Low turnover
Low politics
Low confusion
High productivity
High morale
Lencioni’s work from The Advantage

5. Effective Schools = Creating Systems!
Building a cohesive team
Developing clarity for the school
Having difficult conversations
Giving effective feedback
Holding the tension of vision vs. reality
Solving issues fundamentally instead of superficially
Reinforcing critical pieces & beginning new initiatives
Standing in the gap
Leading effective meetings
Discussing data
Interviewing & hiring
Establishing an Induction Program
Observing and evaluating
Facilitating Teacher Improvement Plans

6. Creating More Systems Safety Facilities Athletics Technology PTO
Community Engagement
Paraprofessionals
Secretarial Staff
Plant Operator
Nurse/Health Aide
Cafeteria Manager
Substitutes
Bus Drivers
SRO

7. SOME STATS
Each year, more than 200,000 teachers leave the profession, with nearly two out of three leaving for reasons other than retirement.
-Podolsky, A., Kini, T., Bishop, J. & Darling-Hammond, L. (2016)
12% of teachers are in their first year nationwide and
17-46% of teachers leave within first five years
-Bowman, J.C. (2017)
8% of the 3.2 million public school teachers during the
school year left the profession the next year
-Deruy, E. (2017)
With no structured support, 33% of teachers leave within 3 years, 40% within in 5, and 50% within 7.
-Breaux, A. (2017)
The BIG System is broken. So how can we change the system in each of our schools to change these conditions before teachers feel like they have to depart?

8. SOME MORE STATS
Fewer young people are signing up to be teachers in the first place.
Public School Teachers $1122 down to $1092 (2015)
College graduates $1416 down to $1292 (2015)
There are only five states where teachers make within 10%
of what other college graduates earn.
There is not a single state where teachers earn the same or more
than other people with 4-yr. degrees.
-Deruy, E. (2016)
2015 data for weekly income (adjusted for inflation) and does NOT include benefits which are usually better for the teaching profession. But you can only spend income!

9. CRITICAL. ESSENTIAL. WORK.
The most important in-school factor for student learning is the quality of the classroom teachers.
-Gardner, W. (2016)
A principal’s #1 priority should be fostering effective teaching. We must continually assist them in becoming even better than they are!
-Breaux, A. (2017 at IPLI September Conference)

10. WHY DO TEACHERS LEAVE? Learning Policy Institute -Podolsky, 2016
Tennessee Internal Survey
-Bowman (2017)
Inadequate preparation
Lack of support
Challenging working conditions
Dissatisfaction with compensation
Better career opportunities
Personal reasons
High-stakes standardized testing
Micromanagement by admin. & parents
Lack of respect
Mediocre school leadership or frequent changing of admin.
Lack of resources
Lack of parental engagement
+ several others!
Yes, we must do a better job of attracting new teachers. But we must do a better of keeping the ones we have!!

11. Just Paying Teachers More Won’t Stop Them From Quitting
WHY DO TEACHERS LEAVE?
Just Paying Teachers More Won’t Stop Them From Quitting
-Deruy (2017)
Education Week Blog
-Gardner (2016)
Demonization of teachers
Low morale
Lack of support from school & district administrators (and community more broadly)
Creativity stifled
Not enough support for technology use
No voice in school decisions
1. It’s psychologically damaging. Deruy’s work in the Atlantic interviewed 6 teachers who had left. Independent Budget Office of NYC studied where the teachers went – librarians, cashiers, secretaries, clergy members often suffering in terms of earnings.

12. “What could I have done to get you to stay?”
“Anything!” (tell story.)

13. TWO LETTERS
Why I left . . .
Why I stayed . . .
Testing Culture A Broken System Depression Anger Punitive Evaluation System
The kids & developing human beings Invigorating Work My Network of Colleagues
Education Week’s blogs – several letters WHY I QUIT!
Justin Minkel (Arkansas Teacher of the Year) who also writes for Education Week. WHY I STAY!

14. “What did your principal do that made you stay?” ~-
“Most principals retain Irreplaceables and low performers at strikingly similar rates. That’s so discouraging.”
1. Provided me with regular, positive feedback
2. Helped me identify areas of development
3. Gave me critical feedback about my performance informally
4. Recognized my accomplishments
5. Informed me that I am high-performing
6. Identified opportunities or paths for teacher leader roles
Put me in charge of something important
Provided me with access to additional resources
****** GREAT RESOURCE! The Irreplaceables-low cost retention strategies. 2012

15. LAW of THIRDS Naysayers Undecided Supportive
TAKE MARKER PAD to use here!!! Patrick Lencioni’s work The Table Group
If leader gives attention to the nay-sayers, half of the undecided will go over there. And half of the supportive will LEAVE. If leader gives attention to the supportive, half of the undecided will go there. And half of the nay sayers will LEAVE. Be careful.

16. PRINCIPAL ACTION #1 IMPROVE INTERVIEWING & HIRING
Make expectations clear to candidates
Strengthen your interviewing skills & rethink your questions
Try innovative interviewing techniques
Be clear. Give honest advice. “Nobody ever said it was going to be really hard work and sometimes I’d want to cry.” People will take a job even if it’s not a fit, but very few will want a job if they are aware that they will be held accountable for these three virtues of begin humble, hungry and smart.

17. “Hire the new teacher who you hope the rest of your staff will be like
“Hire the new teacher who you hope the rest of your staff will be like!” (T. Whitaker)

18. humble smart hungry 3 Qualities to Consider
The Ideal Team Player –P. Lencioni

19. Quick Definitions
HUMBLE-quick to point out the strengths of others & slow to seek attention
HUNGRY-always looking for more, pushing themselves, creating next steps
SMART-ability to be interpersonally appropriate & aware

20. SAMPLE QUESTIONS HUMBLE HUNGRY SMART
Tell us a time that you messed up and what you learned from that.
Tell us about someone who is better than you in an area that really matters to you.
HUNGRY
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
What kind of hours do you generally work?
SMART
Share an example of how you’ve shown empathy to a teammate.
What kind of people annoy you the most & how do you deal with them?
And Interviewing TECHNIQUES = 1) Go to lunch as a group
2) “Oh, you’re not on our list. Now who are you again?”
3) Run an errand with the applicant!

21. 7 Questions When Hiring Future-Ready Teachers
By Katrina Schwartz
Mindshift EDUCATION SITE
Division of KQED
July 7, 2017
MindShift article by Katrina Schwartz (July 2017) and Alan November (former teacher & now consultant) speaking at the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference. “We are still spoon-feeding students problems to solve. Kids must be able to define problems and attack them. It’s motivating for students. If’s fearful for teachers.”

22. 1. How do you teach students to become problem designers?
Jessica Caviness - teacher

23. 7 QUESTIONS #2. How do you manage your own PD?
#3. What are your expectations for students to self-assess their work and publish it for a wider audience?
Try PRISM for writing
Try publishing to the world!
Teachers must grow in their content & the craft of teaching. MUST be SELF-MOTIVATED to do this! Can’t count on school’s PD (although that PD should be consistently exemplary!) Earning micro-credentials. Twitter chats. Personalized learning networks. Math circles. MATH CIRCLES don’t plan lessons. Math teachers from across the region come and work math problems together! Wide networking of influencers.
Hattie reports that self-assessment has a significant impact on the quality of learning. November recommends a tool called PRISM for self-assessment on writing. He recommends publishing to the world and getting feedback on some pieces. Take pictures of math projects and post for comments.

24. 7 QUESTIONS #4. What does your global network look like?
#5. How do you give students an opportunity to contribute purposeful work to others?
Classroom Twitter account. First-grade teacher in globally connected and opened up the world to her kids. Students post their work, discuss their learning, and pose questions. They also follow other first-grade classrooms.
Kids CRAVE to know they make a difference. POWER of PURPOSE! Kindergartners in Loudoun County, Virginia were studying orangutans. Conference call with zookeeper in Waco. Orangutans were acting naughty, so kids shipped puzzles and games to zookeeper. Video conference to watch!

25. 7 QUESTIONS
#6. How do you teach students to learn what you don’t know?
#7. How do you teach students to manage their own learning?
Don’t give kids too much. Choose a real-life topic you’re trying to learn about. Walk students through your questions, web searches, organization of info, etc.
Really effective way is for students to create their own tutorials for other students. Student chooses a question. Studies & researches. Makes tutorial. Make the learning MESSY. Don’t ask kids to do a report on Romeo and Juliet. Tell them to find 10 powerpoints already created and choose 10 slides to create their own presentation on the subject of irony in the play.

26. PRINCIPAL ACTION #2 CREATE INDUCTION PROGRAM
ACADEMIC
CORE
MANAGEMENT
CLASSROOM
TECHNOLOGY
HOUSEKEEPING
Academic, Classroom Management, Housekeeping (Faculty Handbook, Attendance, Open House, Parent Conferences), Technology

27. REGIONAL NEW TEACHER RETREAT
SELF-CARE
NETWORKING
Education Week (under Teacher Tab) “A Retreat for New Teachers Offers Support, Mentorship” by Alix Mammina
Two Reasons: self care (yoga, mindfulness, meditation in A.M. / bowling, cooking classes in P.M.) and strong networking of teachers in the area
$350 for 3 days and area districts went together to have enough people (new teachers paid their own way!)

28. PRINCIPAL ACTION #3 LEAD SYSTEMATIC MEETINGS
MONTH
TOPIC – 8:00-8:50 am
STAFF
AUGUST
Special Education/504 Plans
Sp. Ed. Staff
SEPTEMBER
Olweus Bullying Program/
Child Protection Services
Counselors
OCTOBER
Assigned Teacher Observations & Notes
NOVEMBER
Schmoker’s “Read, Discuss, Write” Strategy
English Coach
DECEMBER
Principal & Mentor Critical Questions
Mentors
JANUARY
CFA (Common Form. Assessment) Data Review
FEBRUARY
Assigned Teacher Observation Notes
MARCH
Problem-solving Strategies
APRIL
Professional Library Review
MAY
Journal Reviews

29. PRINCIPAL ACTION #4 FACILITATE MENTOR EXPERIENCES
“If new teachers are paired with high-quality, trained mentors and receive frequent feedback, their students may receive the equivalent of up to five months of additional learning.”
~SRI Education Study (2012)
New Mentor Program funded by Innovation Validation Grant (Obama-era Federal Grant) Chicago/Broward County, Florida/eastern Iowa
Full-time mentor with 12 teachers After two-year program, teachers’ instructional strategies/abilities were rated nearly the same, but student achievement was much higher with the teachers who had this mentoring program!!

30. PRINCIPAL ACTION#5: IMPROVE WORKING CONDITIONS
Hire high-quality principals who provide timely and specific feedback after frequent classroom observations.
Become principals who take action with teachers who perform poorly in the classroom. There must be a low tolerance for low performance!
Provide worthy & effective Professional Development alongside your Teacher Leaders.
Provide time and be specifically involved in weekly Teacher Collaboration.

31. What influences teachers to stay in the profession?
External and
Employment factors
Dr. Louie Jensen / NAFC Schools / dissertation in Question Survey done in Indiana. 2,428 participants. 2,219 teachers (91.4%) 208 principals (8.6%)

32. EXTERNAL FACTORS # Factor Mean 1 Family support 3.58 2
Student demographics
3.54 3
Physical setting of community
3.32 4
Salary & benefits
3.13 5
Community’s respect of teachers 6
Retirement benefits of corporation
2.95 7
State pension plan
2.94 8
Length of teacher day
2.77
LJ surprised that money $$ was #4 and family support with living in same area was #1.

33. EMPLOYMENT FACTORS # FACTOR MEAN 1 Supportive school administrator
3.72 2
Teacher assignment
3.55 3
Access to additional resources
3.19 4
Teachers could provide input
3.17 5
Sufficient time to teach and plan
3.16 6
Curricular & instructional support
3.10 7
Facility’s quality
3.03 8
Time to collaborate
3.01 9
Relevant professional development opportunities
2.93 10
Meaningful feedback on observations
2.74

34. EMPLOYMENT FACTORS # FACTOR MEAN 11 Recognized publicly 2.54 12
Mentor provided
2.45 13
Time with mentor regularly
2.43 14
Leadership opportunities
2.36 15
Teacher Induction Program
2.25
Watch the QUALITY of the mentor and the QUALITY of the Induction Program.

35. South Ripley Elementary
“What can I do to support new & beginning teachers, better than I am now?
IPLI Inquiry Project
Amy linkel
South Ripley Elementary
14 new or beginning teachers in her group

36. JOURNALING Exercise Amy’s Actions New Teacher Orientation in June
Bi-monthly Meetings
Mentors & observations of others
Lots of walk-throughs
Positive s & notes
JOURNALING Exercise
Had to keep data for IPLI : meeting agendas, pictures, mentor notes & forms, walk-through documentation, copies of notes & s And JOURNALING!!!

37. CLOSING THOUGHT
Be present. Be here. This moment. These teachers. This school. This work.
So hard with the busyness of principals. “How can I be of service to this person. . . This situation?”

38. REFERENCES
Bowman, J.C. (2017, July 20). Why educators leave the profession. Education News.
Breaux, A. (2015). 101 Answers for new teacher and their mentors, New York, NY: Routledge.
Deruy, E. (2016, August 11). Just paying teachers more won’t stop them from quitting: Just paying teachers more won’t stop them from quitting. The Atlantic.
Gardner, W. (2016, August 17). Why teachers quit: Walt Gardner’s reality check. Education Week Blog.
Jensen, L. What influences teachers to stay in the profession?, doctoral dissertation, Indian State University, 2014.
Lencioni, P. (2012). The advantage: Why organizational health trumps everything else in business, San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Lencioni, P. (2016). The ideal team player: How to recognize and cultivate the three essential virtues, Hoboken, NJ: Jossey-Bass.

39. MORE REFERENCES
Linkel, A. (2017). Supporting new and beginning teachers. IPLI Inquiry Project Presentation.
Maminna, A. (2017, August 7). A retreat for new teachers offers support, mentorship, Education Week.
Podolsky, A., Kini, T., Bishop, J., & Darling-Hammond, L. (2016). Solving the teacher shortage: How to attract and retain excellent educators. Pala Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute.
Schwartz, K., (2017, July 7). 7 Questions principals should ask when hiring future-ready teachers, MindShift, KQED News.
Schwartz, K. (2017, February 6). How playing with math helps teachers better empathize with students, MindShift, KQED News.
TNTP (2012). The irreplaceables: Understanding the real retention crisis in america’s urban schools. New York, NY: TNTP.
Will, M. (2017, June 23) Mentors for new teachers found to boost student achievement – by a lot, Education Week.

40. Rhonda Roos Consulting
@DrRhondaRoos