A group of Hamilton County educators has been working this school year to find innovative ways to elevate their profession and the voices of teachers through the district's Teacher Think Tank.
On Tuesday, about 20 teachers presented information on four projects they're developing to education stakeholders and asked for help improving the ideas. The event was held at the Edney Building downtown in partnership with Hamilton County Schools and the U.S. Department of Education's Teach to Lead program, which works to promote teachers as leading experts in education and to use their voices to inform policy.
Keri Randolph, director of innovation for Hamilton County Schools, worked with teachers to launch the Teacher Think Tank last year, providing teachers the opportunity to shape the district's approach to professional development.
Teachers often voice frustration about the district's one-size-fits-all approach to professional development, saying it's not helpful and top teachers aren't given enough opportunities to train fellow teachers.
"The challenge for the Teacher Think Tank was to blow up professional development," Randolph said, and provide teachers with voice and choice in the process.
Hoang Murphy, a policy fellow with the education department, said teachers with leadership opportunities are more likely to stay in the profession and are the most important in-school factor influencing a student's academic success.
"Effective teacher leadership means better outcomes for students," Murphy said.
Hamilton County Schools, like many other districts across the nation, struggles to recruit and retain top talent. Just 37 percent of Hamilton County teachers are considered highly effective by state measures.
But educators with the Teacher Think Tank believe that can change, and their ideas will draw top talent to the district and provide the leadership and growth opportunities that will make them want to stay in the classroom.
Ashley Cox, a teacher at The Howard School, presented her group's idea to create a website Hamilton County teachers can visit to receive more individualized professional development. The website would allow teachers to chose the type of coaching they want from a variety of pathways and offer a variety of online learning tools, including a video library of teachers modeling how they teach a specific lessons, Cox added.
A benefit of the online approach is that teachers could do it on their own time and not have to travel for extra training.
Jennifer Ellis, a teacher at Hixson Middle School, presented her group's idea to make professional development more collaborative and provide teachers a "buffet" of professional development options. The group wants to give teachers more opportunities to train each other, expanding opportunities for teacher leadership and boosting variety and creativity of options.
Another group said it's important to recognize the training teachers receive, and it's developing a way to offer teachers "micro-credentials" - recognition for certain training. Angie Hodges, a teacher at Battle Academy, said micro-credentials will help motivate and incentivize teachers to attend professional development.
"It also provides teachers with the opportunity to gain recognition for the skills they develop through their careers," she said.
Similarly, another group talked about ways the school district and community could elevate the teaching profession by better recognizing teachers and their accomplishments.
Sarah Candler, a teacher at Ooltewah Middle School, said if teachers are treated like skilled professionals and better recognized for their work, then more would stay in the classroom.
Looking ahead, Randolph hopes the group will be able to finalize these projects and that some of them can be piloted within the district.
Contact staff writer Kendi A. Rainwater at krainwater@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6592. Follow her on Twitter @kendi_and.