Top stories from March

Understanding the systemic causes of teacher burnout

Teacher teams can drive instructional transformation

Residency programs reshape teacher training

The importance of listening to teachers during conferences

Strategies for school leaders to handle tough talks

Top trend

March was a rough month for schools as budget realities hit hard. With declining enrollment and the end of ESSER dollars, several school districts were forced to issue layoff notices and cut programs.  

So it’s no surprise that educator support was a common thread among the most-engaged stories of the month. Topics high on the list include tactics for combating burnout, improving instructional practice and handling difficult conversations.

These are the issues education providers need to know. They must have more than surface-level knowledge of educators’ circumstances if they are to offer real value, not just products. What’s causing burnout? What type of PD do teachers want? How are some districts changing the game in pre-service training? What conversations are keeping principals up at night?

Know the nuances. Read about what’s happening in schools everywhere. This will build knowledge of the big picture issues, plus those at regional levels. This practice will make your conversations more productive and build tighter relationships with your school customers.

Opportunities include: 

• Professional development
• Pre-service programs
• Data analytics for workforce vendors

Additional trends

• AI literacy is not just about technology skills. It’s about richer human connections too.
• Educators are doubling down on their efforts to improve reading and literacy, employing alternative methods such as classroom games and handwriting assignments to drive outcomes.
• With layoffs decimating the Institute of Education Research, the Department of Education's research arm, educators will likely begin looking for other sources of objective, reliable data for their practice and purchase decisions.