Changing Expectations for the K-12 Teacher Workforce: Policies, Preservice Education, Professional Development, and the Workplace

Teachers play a critical role in the success of their students and all teachers need to be prepared to recognize and leverage the various assets students are bringing into the classroom. Shifts over the last two decades in terms of policies, student and teacher demographics, and explicit demands on teachers have changed what it means to be a teacher today. The broader policy context and expectations for teaching that are shaped by the localized nature of the teacher labor market raises important questions about how preservice and inservice teacher education and the workplace may need to change to effectively equip teachers in providing students with classroom experiences that set them on the path to future success. Changing Expectations for the K-12 Teacher Workforce: Policies, Preservice Education, Professional Development, and the Workplace examines the research on the complex interplay of a number of key issues that have affected and defined the landscape of the teacher workforce over the past 20 years. The report elevates the tensions inherent in contemporary expectations for teachers, highlights promising practices and pedagogies for supporting teachers across their professional lifespan, and identifies high-priority issues that require immediate action if the U.S. teacher workforce is to meet these changing expectations. Book jacket.