How Efficacious Educator Came to Be
This summer, we visited family in Sweden, and I asked our cousins, “Does it matter which neighborhood or town you live in? Are schools better in some places than others?” The immediate and emphatic answer was, "Absolutely not." In Sweden, schools are regarded as equally good, regardless of where a child is born or the family’s socioeconomic background. There was a palpable belief in the room that, “Our schools and teachers are beyond reproach.”
After 25 years in education in the U.S., I couldn’t make the same claim. While a student’s place of birth isn't an absolute predictor of their academic success, it certainly impacts the resources available to them—whether it’s access to materials, technology, or highly qualified teachers. According to the OECD’s Education at a Glance 2021 report, the U.S. has the highest variation in annual expenditures per student compared to the other 38 OECD member countries. The highest per-pupil spending (USD 28,000 in D.C.) is almost three times more than the lowest (USD 9,000 in Idaho).(1)
These disparities aren’t just between states. In my work in urban districts in Connecticut, I’ve seen how a single block can separate a student from a district that spends $21,444 per pupil annually from one that spends $18,650. An additional $2,794 per student can make a significant difference. It can mean better access to resources, more highly qualified teachers with competitive salaries, and additional support staff for students needing academic or mental health assistance.
During my conversation about Swedish education, it wasn’t just the belief that every student had a fair shot at a good education—it was also the deep respect for the teaching profession. This respect was conveyed even by our 15- and 17-year-old cousins, who spoke in near-perfect English. When I ask my own children, they, too, love their teachers and feel positive about school. However, the response is far less positive when U.S. teachers are asked how they think the public views their profession.
In the recent 2024 EducationWeek State of Teaching survey, 68% of teachers reported feeling that the public views them and their profession negatively.(2) A 2003 survey by the Pew Research Center found that 47% of teachers felt most Americans do not trust them. However, in that same survey, 57% of Americans said they trust teachers “a great deal” or “a fair amount.” In fact, most Americans (67%) believe teaching is harder than most jobs, and 74% agree that teachers should be paid more.(3)
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Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.
US teacher perceptions of how the public views them vs. actual US adult perceptions of teachers.
So, where is the disconnect between how teachers feel the public perceives them and how the public actually views them?
There’s plenty of good news about education in the U.S.:
The high school graduation rate is the highest it’s been since 1960.(4)
U.S. literacy rates have been at or above 99% since 1969.(5)
Teachers and public education play a key role in these achievements. This doesn’t mean there isn’t significant room for improvement, especially in closing achievement gaps based on race and socioeconomic status. But is the problem really with teachers and school leaders? Or is it with the broader U.S. educational system? As you might have guessed, I have a hunch.
Why I’m Starting The Efficacious Educator
After a quarter century in education, I’m taking a year-long sabbatical to pursue four big goals. First, I’m prioritizing self-care to hold at bay the mental and physical decline of multiple sclerosis. Second, I’m spending more time at home to be present for my two daughters, who are just on the precipice of adolescence. Third, I’m rekindling my love of reading and the comfort of great books. Last but not least, I’m launching a podcast and newsletter to explore how to effectively scale positive change in classrooms and schools.
Given this immense privilege to slow down, I’ve been reflecting on my career as a teacher, administrator, and consultant. A quote from graduate school continues to resonate with me:
“Changing where it counts the most—in the daily interactions of teachers and students—is the hardest to achieve and the most important.”(6)
As an educational consultant for the past eleven years, I’ve seen firsthand the dedication of educators who work tirelessly to support students, despite external pressures, lack of respect for the profession, and low relative compensation (7). While current trends in education worry me about the future of public education, the resilience and dedication of those who stay to support the next generation give me hope.
The disparities I’ve witnessed in the U.S. education system have troubled me throughout my career. Where a child lives shouldn’t determine the quality of their education, but in America, it too often does. Whether it’s the gap in per-pupil spending across districts or the lack of respect teachers feel for their profession, our system leaves much to be desired. My experiences—both as a teacher and a consultant—have shown me the challenges of improving schools, but they’ve also revealed the incredible commitment of educators who strive to make a difference in students' lives.
The Efficacious Educator was born from these reflections. My aim is to use this platform to foster conversations about what works in education, highlight the stories of dedicated teachers and leaders, and explore how we can create positive, scalable change in classrooms. By sharing research, best practices, and personal experiences, I hope to support educators in their most important work: daily interactions with students.
The Efficacious Educator Podcast
I’m passionate about telling the stories of practitioners doing the challenging, daily work in schools to improve student outcomes. This is the focus of The Efficacious Educator Podcast, a platform for teachers and school leaders to share their success stories.
In the first episode, we’ll hear from Sean Mulvey, principal of Summit School in Grand Junction, CO, who will share the story of partnering with a co-located school to develop and implement a student mentoring program. It promises to be an insightful conversation.
For those open to sharing their experiences for the benefit of others, I’m offering three free, 60-minute coaching sessions. In these sessions, teachers or school leaders will discuss a challenge they’re facing, first by identifying the problem, then exploring solutions, and finally reflecting on the outcomes. These conversations will be recorded and compiled into a podcast episode to support others facing similar issues. If you’re interested, please sign up here!
The Efficacious Educator “Research in Drawings” Series
I love diving into educational research, and my current focus is on Collective Teacher Efficacy. In a revision of Visible Learning (2016), John Hattie’s meta-study found that the factor with the highest impact on student achievement was Collective Teacher Efficacy (8).
“Collective Teacher Efficacy is the collective belief of the school faculty in their ability to positively affect students. CTE has been found to be significantly and positively correlated with student achievement. A school staff that believes it can collectively accomplish great things is vital for the health of a school and if they believe they can make a positive difference then they very likely will.”(4)
As a visual learner, I’ve found that illustrating research concepts helps me understand them better. I’ll be sharing these visual interpretations with readers in the Research in Drawings series. The first episode will illustrate the concept of Collective Teacher Efficacy.
The Efficacious Educator Newsletter
In the busy lives of schools, finding time to read educational research and translate it into effective practices is often challenging. In The Efficacious Educator newsletter, I’ll draw connections between research, stories from the podcast, and my own experience to highlight strategies that can make a difference in student outcomes. I’ll also share observations and stories from the field as I continue consulting with schools.
Over time, I aim to build these resources into a searchable, listenable clearinghouse of effective practices developed by dedicated educators. Thank you for joining me on this journey by subscribing to the newsletter! And thank you in advance for sharing this with other educators who might find it valuable.
