Arizona Teacher Survey, From an AMS Perspective

Our Teachers’ Perspective of the Arizona Teacher Survey

This spring, education leaders conducted a statewide Arizona teacher survey to evaluate the school environment based on core factors such as leadership and support, resources, and requirements. The survey was administered by the Arizona K12 Center, Arizona Education Association, Arizona Educational Foundation, Arizona Association of School Business Officials, and the Arizona School Boards Association, and was taken by over 15,000 teachers.

We asked AMS teachers for their take on the Arizona teacher survey results and how the AMS experience compares.

Reasonable Class Sizes for Advanced Learning

By Gavin Roddy, Middle School ELA Teacher, AMS Prince campus

“The one major statistic that jumps out at me is that only 39% of teachers in Arizona feel that the class sizes are reasonable. As a language arts teacher, class sizes are a major concern to me for several reasons. In addition to cultivating an atmosphere where every student’s voice is heard and to providing differentiated instruction to struggling learners, I also feel that reasonable class sizes are integral for me to be able to effectively teach writing. This is why I am very pleased to work at the Academy of Math and Science where our class sizes are capped at 25 students.

During my time as a writing instructor in Arizona, I have found that many students who transfer to our school from larger districts struggle with even basic writing concepts such as sentence structure and topic sentences. I believe that this is largely because teachers with enormous classes simply do not have the time to teach writing. Developing writing skills requires constant practice and feedback. Teachers with large class sizes are at a disadvantage, however, because they simply have too many students. After all, how can a teacher with over a hundred students find time to conference individually with each of his or her students on a regular basis? How can a teacher meaningfully grade over a hundred essays every week?

Because our school’s class sizes are capped, teachers at the Academy of Math and Science are able to take the time to work individually with students. I believe that it is for this reason that our middle school ELA scores are typically 30 – 40 percentage points higher than the state average.“

Small Class Sizes Made My Class Family

By Kate Hillman, 4th Grade Teacher, MASSA campus

“The small class sizes at the Math and Science Success Academy have allowed my fourth graders to transform from a group of individual learners to a family unit. With strong core values of compassion for one another and intense curiosity, these twenty learners grew tremendously from the time when they walked in the door in July to their tearful goodbyes in May. I was able to individualize work for specific learning needs by staying with the same small group of students for a whole school day. By February I had a knack for picking silent reading books so well suited for my students that they didn’t want to set their books down at the end of the fifteen minutes. In our classroom, we knew everyone’s favorite vocabulary word, color, and read aloud book. I was able to tweak curriculum, pull small groups for tutoring, give students advanced math work, and learn more than I ever have, all due to the understanding I had of my students and their needs. 

The sense of community we maintained this year would not have been possible without the continuous support of the parents and guardians of my students. They clearly wanted nothing more than the success of their students. Their questions were kind and genuine. This group of parents was the most thankful group I have ever had the opportunity to work with. Despite how much I challenged their children, they remained grateful. As a teacher, the community makes a world of difference to a classroom atmosphere, and I couldn’t ask for a better community than the one that surrounds MASSA.”

Student Conduct and Teacher Influence

By Enlin Xu, Technology Teacher, AMS Prince campus

From Arizona teacher survey: Students at this school follow rules of conduct – 63.5% of respondents agree

“It surprised me to see that this statistic is so low; rarely do I see students blatantly breaking the rules of conduct at AMS. Our expectations and rules of conduct are clearly communicated to the students. The teachers nurture these expected behaviors and create a safe and caring environment where students are rewarded for holding themselves to these standards.”

From Arizona teacher survey: School administrators consistently enforce rules for student conduct – 65.8% of respondents agree

“Another shocking statistic. AMS’s Dean of Students is a superstar when it comes to understanding the root cause of unwanted student behavior. She has developed a powerful bond, with students and teachers alike, in creating our beautiful and flourishing school community. Both students and staff are well aware that our school administrators are always there to listen to concerns and enforce rules, ensuring a safe learning environment.”

From Arizona teacher survey: Teachers have an appropriate level of influence on decision making – 58.7% of respondents agree

“At AMS, our small but talented staff ensures that everyone is heard. Our staff meets almost every other Friday to discuss matters with our academic teams. One thing I just can not stress enough about AMS is that the staff and team are super supportive and give me so many amazing opportunities to grow.”

Instructional & Non-Instructional Time Crucial to Student Success

By Blanca Payne, former AMS Prince 2nd Grade Teacher & current Academic Program Coordinator

“Arizona educators across the state know that providing teachers with sufficient instructional and non-instructional time is crucial to student success.  However, according to the 2017 Teaching, Empowering, Leading and Learning Arizona (TELLAZ) Survey, only 51.1% of the educators who responded to the survey feel that sufficient non-instructional time was provided to them.  Only 53% of the survey respondents reported they have sufficient instructional time to meet the needs of the students.  These statistics are disheartening to hear, but there is a solution to improving these conditions, and the solution involves practices already in place at AMS. 

At AMS, providing teachers with daily non-instructional time during the school day is a priority.  Each teacher has one or more hours per day to plan, meet with colleagues, and prepare lessons.  Increased instructional time is another priority at AMS.  Our school day begins at 7:55 a.m. and continues until 4:00 p.m., with core instruction ending at 3:00 p.m.  After 3:00 p.m., teachers have a full hour to teach and support students most in need of extra help. These practices provide teachers with sufficient instructional and non-instructional time to best meet the needs of students.  I feel fortunate to work for a school network that recognizes me as a professional and provides me the time I need as a teacher to plan for success and teach to success!”

Parents and educators, what caught your eye in the Arizona teacher survey? We’d love to hear your point of view about Arizona education and your AMS experience.