Elevating the Teaching Profession

Matthew Weber, PhD, has served as a teacher, principal, department director, district program evaluator, and deputy superintendent. After 41 years as a public-school educator, he retired as an idealist, believing in incorporating the most current knowledge from research and practice.

Preface Acknowledgments Why Start with Teachers? Teachers as Professionals Authenticating Teacher Agency Embracing Research Meaningful Teacher Evaluations Teacher Pathways Master Teachers in Distinctive Roles Recasting Teacher Unions Reimagining Professional Learning Critical-Need Educators - Substitute Teachers and Paraprofessionals Critical-Need Teachers - Early Childhood, Special Education, and Bilingual Critical-Needs Secondary - Math, Science, and Computer Science Executing the Teacher Plan Financing for Stability Postlude: One Viewpoint in an Idea World Appendix A: Acronyms Bibliography Index About the Author

Elevating the Teaching Profession is timely and provides much insight into the reality that superintendents are grappling with as instructional leaders. Especially important is understanding why classroom teachers are leaving in massive numbers and why young adults are not willing to join the profession. Dr. Weber's book provides unique strategies and systems that, if implemented, will elevate the teaching profession to better recruit, onboard, and retain novice teachers. -- Carol G. Perez, Superintendent of Schools, Mission Consolidated Independent School District, Texas Elevating the Teaching Profession: Cultivating Progressive Agency is a well-written asssessment of our educational landscape as it pertains to the high quality expectations for supporting a teacher pipeline. Additionally, this body of work speaks to potential solutions for addressing the challenges faced regarding high quality teacher recruitment and retention. I especially appreciate that this work has been created by a practitioner who has experienced the education system firsthand. Weber has presented this work from a practitioner's perspective while applying a theoretical lens to propose positive change. This is a truly informative body of work. -- Marisa B. Perez-Diaz, Board Member, Texas State Board of Education