Through a first-of-its-kind exploratory survey, over 300 National and State Teachers of the Year reveal the professional experiences and supports that they believe most contributed to their growth and eventual excellence as a teacher. Reflecting back on their careers, from preparation through mastery and even into retirement, the teacher leaders surveyed in this study provide education leaders and policymakers with needed insight into the professional experiences that help teachers move from good to great.
The Partnership
This report is the result of a yearlong collaboration among seven leading organizations working to advance teaching and elevate the profession. Proposed by the National Network of State Teachers of the Year (NNSTOY) and led by the Center on Great Teachers and Leaders (GTL Center) at American Institutes for Research, the study involves the following partner organizations, which collaborated extensively on this study, contributing to the development of the survey questions, data analysis, and drafting of the report:
- American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education
- Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation
- Council of Chief State School Officers
- GTL Center
- National Council on Teacher Quality
- National Education Association
- NNSTOY
The survey was a true collaboration of these partner organizations, which participated in all aspects of the study from design to dissemination.
The survey and report provide conclusions about what master educators see as the most important factors in their success. Following are the most cited factors:
- Preservice teaching with highly effective cooperating teachers
- Preservice coursework in their content area
- Access to mentors and supportive principals
- Placements that match their training
- Opportunities for collaboration and reflection
- Opportunities for experienced teachers to help those with less experience
And most importantly, the survey results showed the mutual benefits of less experienced teachers learning on the job from experienced teachers and experienced teachers gaining continued motivation and professional growth from just that process of mentoring newer teachers.
Download the report and the accompanying Discussion Starter Tool: http://www.gtlcenter.org/sites/default/files/Good_to_Great_Report.pdf
