Ariel Sacks, a middle school English teacher in Brooklyn, got a chance to tell a group of foundation heads, economists, and policymakers what it takes to keep top-notch educators in high-needs schools, and she clearly did not disappoint. Among her points:
Teachers in hard-to-staff schools need help shifting our focus from survival to quality teaching. We need support and motivation to invest in our own practices rather than simply responding in the moment to all the challenges that come to our way until we are too tired to think of anything else.