Disrupting the Teacher Opportunity Gap: Aligning 12 Processes for High-Expertise Teaching

"For over 70 years, our nation's public schools have engaged in a multitude of reform efforts at all levels of the educational enterprise. Without question, we have encountered "bright spot" examples of educators who have elevated the quality of their teaching and learning and even helping to narrow achievement gaps. And, without question, our approach has been, for the most part, scattershot. The painful truth is that there is no single silver bullet solution. Excellent teaching is a highly-complex endeavor and no single program, course of study, or "survival guide" will adequately prepare our educators to meet the challenge. With that said, as Ron Edmonds proclaimed more than 40 years ago, We can, whenever and wherever we choose successfully teach all children whose schooling is of interest to us. We already know more than we need to do that." So, if the knowledge base for high impact teaching is there, why has it been so difficult to implement it at scale?"--
The teachers aren’t the problem—it’s the system that needs fixing.The missing element in 70 years of school reform is a surround-sound focus on High-Expertise Teaching. We could have it in any district, regardless of zip code, if we reengineered the twelve processes that impact teachers’ knowledge and skill. A handbook for action and a persuasive case for making every school a reliable engine of constant learning, this book outlines the actions necessary to ensure High-Expertise Teaching reaches more children, more of the time.Informed by a substantial research base and decades of implementation, scholar-practitioner Jon Saphier presents the foundational elements of High-Expertise Teaching in this capstone work, along with A comprehensive plan for effective implementation to scale An assets-based approach to high expectations, culturally responsive teaching, and rigor Templates for re-engineering school- and district-based processes Guidance for leaders on honing their own skills to implement changeExcellent teaching is complex and demanding, with challenges beyond what any teacher-preparation program can cover. That’s why we must create a workplace environment that enables and prioritizes continuous professional learning about High-Expertise Teaching.