Out Of Field Teaching And Educational Equality

This report investigated the extent to which students in public secondary schools are taught by teachers without basic qualifications in their assigned teaching fields--i.e., at least a college minor in the fields they teach--focusing on core academic subjects (mathematics, English, social studies, science). Analysis of the study data revealed that many students are taught by out-of-field teachers: 20 percent in English classes, 25 percent in mathematics, 39 percent in life science or biology, 56 percent in physical sciences classes, and over 50 percent in history or world civilization. Low-income schools had higher levels of out-of-field teaching than did more affluent schools; schools serving predominantly minority student populations did not have higher levels of out-of-field teaching than did schools serving predominantly white students. In several fields, students in both low-track and low-achievement-level classes were more often taught by out-of-field teachers than were students in high-track and high-achievement-level classes; however, predominantly minority classes did not have higher levels of out-of-field teaching than did predominantly white classes. Students in seventh and eighth grade classes were more often taught by out-of-field teachers than were senior high students. Data tables are included. Appendix A contains standard errors; Appendix B lists additional resources on the 1990-91 Schools and Staffing Survey, which served as the basis for the study. (Contains 31 references.) (ND)

This edited book is a compilation of research by the members of the Out-of-Field Teaching Across Specialisations (OOF-TAS) Collective, and is the second book by the Collective. It extends from the work begun in the 2019 book, Examining the Phenomenon of “Teaching Out-of-Field” by showcasing the broad range of research agendas and findings relating to this phenomenon internationally. This book provides research and commentary relating to the out-of-field teaching phenomenon in primary, secondary and tertiary education, and across different subjects. It provides snapshots of the effects, causes, measurement, and other characteristics of out-of-field teaching in and across contexts, including states and countries, school types and school levels, subjects and specializations. The different chapters provide commentary at different units of analysis, and focus on: the effects of out-of-field teaching for teachers and their students; the school contexts/cultures that do or do not support them; the leadership practices that assign the teachers to out-of-field subjects; and the systems that create/perpetuate the need for out-of-field teaching assignments. Chapter 15 is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

This book identifies and surveys the major themes around ‘out-of-field teaching’, that is, teaching subjects or year levels without a specialization. This has been an issue in many countries for some time, yet until recently there has been little formal research and poor policy responses to related problems. This book arises out of collaborations between members of an international group of researchers and practitioners from Australia, Germany, Ireland, England, South Africa, Indonesia and the United States. Cross-national comparisons of ideas through case studies, descriptions of practice and research data interrogates the experiences, practices, and contexts relating to out-of-field teaching. In particular, the book considers the phenomenon of out-of-field teaching in relation to national policy contexts, local school leadership practices, professional development. The book represents an essential contribution on a highly topical issue that has implications for quality and equitable education around the globe.

Society perceives the role of school leaders as ‘fixers’. Yet the author poses some confronting questions: can they fix or manage the out-of-field phenomenon without having in-depth knowledge and understanding? Can educators teach the next generation of teachers and school leaders without appreciating the realities of the workplace? Can policymakers develop effective policies without a deeper understanding of the workforce issues that influence quality education beyond the obvious issues? Many dilemmas face today’s teaching workforce and workplaces. The book takes the reader on a journey as experienced in real life by teachers and school leaders. It aims an extreme global focus on the quality of education and on governments’ achievements in providing opportunities to prepare the next generation of students for their future. The author’s assessment exposes more concerns than assurances. Anna du Plessis’ academic career includes more than 25 years of classroom experience across three countries. Her journey in leadership positions started during her fourth year of teaching. Her compassion for teachers, school leaders and students stimulated a search for a deeper understanding of the lifeworld and challenges facing educational practitioners. The objective in this book is to share information that will improve education systems, strategies, decisions, policies and actions. Readers of this book might be parents, student teachers, prospective school leaders, educational directors, policymakers or teacher educators. Only knowing and understanding can inform well-directed decisions.