Shannon Buerk, CEO of Engage2Learn, joined ‘To The Point: A Pinkston Podcast’ to share how her organization is transforming education and empowering educators. With a wealth of experience as a former teacher and administrator, Buerk offers valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing public education today.
The Importance of Neighborhood Public Schools
Buerk passionately advocates for the crucial role of neighborhood public schools in building strong communities. She argues that these schools serve as the "hub" and "heartbeat" of neighborhoods, fostering connections between families and community members. While online learning and school choice have gained popularity, Buerk emphasizes the irreplaceable value of face-to-face interactions and collaborative problem-solving that occur in physical school settings.
Data-Driven Approach to Education
One of Engage2Learn's key innovations is its focus on measuring and analyzing educational inputs, not just outcomes. Buerk explains that while there's an abundance of student data, there's also a lack of data on teacher and administrator performance. By tracking the impact of professional development and upskilling on student achievement, Engage2Learn has created a data-driven model for improving education.
Rethinking Teacher Development and Retention
Buerk challenges the traditional focus on recruitment and pay as the primary solutions to teacher shortages. Instead, she advocates for ‘treating teachers like talent’ and the following solutions:
Job-embedded coaching: Providing ongoing support and upskilling for teachers throughout their careers.
Career pathways: Treating teaching as a profession with multiple growth opportunities.
Teacher recognition: Utilizing digital badges, schools can positively acknowledge teachers' professional growth and make them feel valued.
“We have teachers that are getting a digital badge from us and saying, ‘This is the first time in 30 years that I felt valued for my professional growth,’” recalled Beurk. “Others say, ‘I was about to leave or retire’ and now just because they're getting a chance to work on their professional growth and upskilling, they're like, ‘I'm rejuvenated. I want to keep doing this.’”
These approaches have shown promising results, with Engage2Learn reporting a 14% increase in teacher retention among program participants.
The Future of Education
While acknowledging the uncertainty surrounding education's future, Buerk envisions a more personalized, competency-based approach to learning. This model would allow for differentiated pathways tailored to each student's unique needs and learning styles, leveraging technology and upskilled teachers to guide students toward their goals.
Effective Communication in Education
Buerk emphasizes the importance of empathy and relevance in communication, both for leaders and teachers. By truly listening to and understanding their audience, educators can cut through the noise and deliver messages that resonate and engage.
“Relevance is the key to being able to increase achievement and rigor,” explained Beurk. “Because that's when people engage is when it's relevant to them…we only really want to invest ourselves in something that's going to make a difference for us.”
Buerk's insights offer a compelling vision for the future of education – one that values neighborhood schools, embraces data-driven decision-making, invests in teacher development, and prioritizes personalized learning.
You can learn more about Shannon and Engage2Learn at https://engage2learn.org/