Instructional Isolation and Teacher Collaboration

• In Event: Structural Issues Effecting the Teacher Workforce

Abstract

This study seeks to define, identify, and examine the prevalence and experiences of these teachers, whom we refer to as “instructionally isolated teachers.” In this analysis, we define these teachers as those who are the only teacher in their school (for school isolation) or in their district (for district isolation) in a specific teaching assignment (e.g., 4th grade English Language Arts, 7th grade science, Algebra II, or visual arts), and who are thus solely responsible for delivering a unique curriculum within their school or district. We posit that this isolation may have implications for how frequently and for what purposes teachers engage with their colleagues, rates of professional growth and improvement, and for career decisions such as transfer or exit.

Author

• J. Edward Guthrie, Tennessee Education Research Alliance