Our History
In 1993, Jon Saphier, author of “The Skillful Teacher," founded Teachers21. Drawing on a commitment to the knowledge base on teaching that it shares with its partner organization, Research for Better Teaching (RBT), Teachers21 has established itself as the premiere education reform non-profit organization in Massachusetts and regionally.
Both Jon Saphier and Teachers21 President John D'Auria have over 35 years of experience as teachers, administrators, and staff developers. Teachers21 has established credibility and close working relationships with educational leaders throughout the country and particularly with all of the professional education associations in Massachusetts.
Teachers21 is a 501(c)(3) organization.
What We Believe
Research conclusively demonstrates that teacher and leader expertise are the most significant variables in student achievement. In order for teachers and leaders to acquire the complex knowledge and skills necessary to meet the needs of every student, they need to have continuous access to a common core of professional knowledge, beginning with their preparation experiences, continuing with comprehensive induction, and extending through ongoing professional development throughout their careers. We believe that, as is true of all professions, teachers should have differentiated opportunities to exert leadership that reflect increased expertise over time.
What must every teacher and leader know and be able to do?
We believe that, like all true professions, both
have a distinct knowledge base of professional practice and that all teachers and leaders should be supported to demonstrate proficiency in each specific domain.
How can teachers and leaders be systematically supported to develop the requisite skills and expertise? By ensuring that each of the 10 levers that impact educator quality provide consistent, coherent opportunities for teachers to access the knowledge base and accountability for their demonstration of mastery.
Knowledge Base on Teaching
We believe there are six domains of knowledge-based professional practice that teachers must continually strengthen to optimize teacher practice and student learning:
Academic Disciplines
The teacher has knowledge of content matter and the ability to apply the knowledge to deepen student understanding of how the relationships within a discipline form a unified body of knowledge
Content-Specific Pedagogy
The teacher has knowledge of instructional examples, materials, and methods – along with wisdom acquired through practice – and the ability to apply the knowledge to address the needs of learners as they interact with particular concepts and skills at various stages of development
Children and their Differences
The teacher has knowledge of developmental psychology and the ability to apply the knowledge to support differences in learning style and cultural background while minimizing the impact of racial bias on the self concept of learners
Generic Pedagogical Knowledge and Skills
The teacher has knowledge of cognitive science, student motivation, curriculum design, and classroom management, and the ability to apply the knowledge to one’s teaching regardless of subject matter or grade level
Professional Community
The teacher has knowledge of the conditions that strengthen professional learning community and the ability to apply the knowledge to ensure continuous improvements in instructional practice and student achievement
Parent and Community Involvement
The teacher has knowledge of the multiple ways to engage the family and community as partners in school improvement and the ability to apply the knowledge to strengthen commitment to culturally-sensitive, differentiated instruction in every classroom
Knowledge Base on Leadership
We believe there are four domains of knowledge-based professional practice that leaders must continually strengthen to optimize teacher practice and student learning:
Learning Leadership
The Learning Leader creates a culture of growth-oriented professional learning for educators rooted in the commonly understood knowledge-base of teaching, thinking and learning, while using multiple sources of data and technology to shape and reshape instruction.
Community Leadership
The Community Leader creates a school culture of inclusion, equity and respect for differences in beliefs and perspectives among educators, families and students, involving all stakeholders in school improvement planning and implementation.
Strategic Leadership
The Strategic Leader applies systemic approaches to planning, implementation and problem-solving for school and district improvement.
Organizational Leadership
The Organizational Leader creates distributed leadership infrastructures, managing daily operations to support teaching excellence and developing a repertoire of effective communication and decision-making approaches.
