Disrupting the Teacher Opportunity Gap : Aligning 12 Processes for High-Expertise Teaching

The teachers aren’t the problem—it’s the system that needs fixing. The missing element in 70 years of school reform is a surround-sound focus on High-Expertise Teaching.

We could have it in any district, regardless of zip code, if we reengineered the twelve processes that impact teachers’ knowledge and skill.

A handbook for action and a persuasive case for making every school a reliable engine of constant learning, this book outlines the actions necessary to ensure High-Expertise Teaching reaches more children, more of the time. Informed by a substantial research base and decades of implementation, scholar-practitioner Jon Saphier presents the foundational elements of High-Expertise Teaching in this capstone work, along withA comprehensive plan for effective implementation to scaleAn assets-based approach to high expectations, culturally responsive teaching, and rigorTemplates for re-engineering school- and district-based processesGuidance for leaders on honing their own skills to implement changeExcellent teaching is complex and demanding, with challenges beyond what any teacher-preparation program can cover.

That’s why we must create a workplace environment that enables and prioritizes continuous professional learning about High-Expertise Teaching.