Educators are experts at planning ahead, almost always doing so while also navigating unexpected changes and obstacles. So, we wanted to know: What do teachers plan to see in 2023?
We know you are likely just settling into the new year, so we asked teachers like you to share their vision for 2023 and beyond. Topics ranged from what eSpark can do to make teachers’ jobs easier to the role of technology in the classroom.
Let’s take a look!
The #1 area in which teachers hope to see eSpark impact their classroom:
The #1 area in which teachers hope to see eSpark impact their classroom:“Help students grow in their learning.”
“Close the educational gaps from the last two years.”
“Support each of my students where they need [help] in learning.”
We can’t say we’re surprised! The importance of addressing learning gaps is a common theme we hear from our teachers. Research completed in July by NWEA of over 8 million students showed that while learning gaps were partially closed last year, the work is far from done. That’s why we’ve prioritized adding more high-quality, original learning content to our curriculum in the last year. Combined with an improved student experience, we are striving to make eSpark the program teachers utilize to provide a rich learning environment to their students and produce meaningful outcomes.
Read more: eSpark Year in Review: 2022 Edition
What will eSpark have done to make your job easier in 2023:
“Help students reach their academic goals.”
“Have whole group lessons planned to help take one thing off my very full plate.”
“Gave me great ideas to engage my students.”
One of our New Year’s Resolutions is to incorporate teacher feedback early and often, so we were especially eager to see what teachers shared in response to this question. Our excitement only grew seeing that many of the things teachers are looking for are already on our radar and in the works! Key themes from teachers included eSpark effectively differentiating for students, helping address learning gaps (and providing corresponding data), saving teachers time, and keeping students engaged.
Read more: eSpark’s New Year’s Resolutions for 2023
The top problem teachers wish they could solve by the end of 2023:
“I want to feel valued by the public and supported monetarily in wages and in supplies and equipment for my classroom.”
“Better pay and less stress on teachers.”
“Teacher burnout.”
We offered teachers a hypothetical magic wand that could solve one problem facing education by the end of 2023. While we don’t yet have the technology for said magic wand nailed down, there’s a clear problem to address once we do: lack of support for teachers.
As all teachers can likely attest to, burnout and attrition are having a serious impact on education. A national survey conducted last year found that 90% of teachers reported burnout and 55% were planning to leave education earlier than planned. Teachers in our survey mentioned better pay, more supplies, smaller class sizes, and increased parent involvement as ways they’d feel better supported in their work.
Closing learning gaps, eliminating the demands of standardized testing, and raising student engagement also received votes from teachers.
Read more: What We Know About Teacher Shortages
What role teachers see technology playing in their classroom in 2023:
“I feel it’s important for students to have a balance of paperwork, hands-on activities, and technology in their school day.”
“It will play a larger role. Students will be learning and doing more on the computer.”
“As a first grade teacher, I really don’t want technology in the children’s hands more.”
The quotes above capture the mixed sentiment we heard from teachers in response to this question. Of those surveyed, the results were split between those who want technology to play a bigger role and those who want it to play a smaller role this year, with plenty simply looking to find more efficient and effective ways to implement the technology they already use now. Easy-to-use programs like eSpark that cover multiple subjects and encompass a wide variety of learning activities within one platform can help to streamline technology use for teachers.
Read more: Why Teachers Continue to Use Online Learning in the In-Person Classroom
Curious to hear how administrators answered these questions? Check out our recap of their responses to a similar survey here. We’d also love to hear from you! Share your insight in the comments section below. Plus, make sure you are subscribed to our brand-new newsletter, the Sparkler! Just ask us by clicking the chat icon at the bottom of your screen.
eSpark partners with schools in all 50 states to help students achieve more in reading and math.
Check out our district stories to see the impact for yourself.