Teacher Needs Downtime
Last updated: 11/09/2006 - 11:50
British teachers need time out - not burn out – if they want to avoid dropping out, says survey.
Time away from the chalk face can improve teacher commitment, motivation and retention says a study by the Institute of Education (IoE).
Allowing teachers to leave the UK classroom may be a key solution in tackling the teacher retention crisis, according to research. The survey - released to coincide with the launch of a campaign calling for extended sabbatical leave by Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) - the Valuing Teachers Time In report calls for a review of sabbatical guidelines and entitlement for teachers.
The report contains strong indications that sabbaticals can dramatically improve teacher commitment, motivation and - most importantly - retention. At a time when more than half of UK teachers are abandoning their careers within the first three years - according to Smithers and Robinson, 2001, Teachers Leaving, London, NUT.-52% of newly trained teachers either did not go into teaching or left teaching within the first three years.
Campaign
VSO's campaign will lobby for a new, enlightened approach to teachers' continuing professional development.
The research, conducted by a team at the IoE led by Dr. Elaine Unterhalter reveals strong evidence that teachers who have worked overseas with VSO are more likely, in some cases - twice as likely, to return - and stay - in UK education as those who stay at the British 'chalk face'.
The strongest retention findings are in beginning and mid-career teachers who return to UK education and are committed to stay in the sector long term. Over the last ten years only 13 % of VSO teachers have left the education profession.
Glenda Smith, VSO Education Advisor says, "We're advocating time out not burn out for teachers. Paradoxically, letting teachers leave the classroom for two years may be the thing that keeps them in the long term."
The 'Valuing Teachers' campaign already has three of the largest LEAs on board, - Glasgow, Tower Hamlets and Birmingham. All have agreed to join a pilot scheme for seconding teachers overseas and monitoring their professional development on their return, in a bid to prove that sabbaticals really work - both for developing countries and for the UK classroom.
Qualities
Dr Elaine Unterhalter says: "Teachers bring back qualities that enhance their work as teachers - breadth of understanding, team working, commitment to children's learning -- and give them new enthusiasm for the profession."
Adrian Ingham, head teacher of West Drayton Primary School says, "No one wants to lose a teacher but retention is a long term problem. I would support a teacher who wished to take up a professional sabbatical if I knew they would return to the school in the long term."
London secondary teacher Alison Murphy says, "Teachers do get burnt out. I had been teaching in London for almost four years before I applied to do VSO. If I hadn't taken that break, I wouldn't be teaching in a UK classroom now. I rediscovered what I love about teaching."
The government widely supports domestic volunteering but the tangible benefits of international volunteering particularly as a solution to teacher recruitment and retention are largely ignored.
VSO is an international development charity that works through volunteers. The Institute of Education is a college of the University of London, specialising in teaching and research in education and related areas.
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