Even pre-pandemic, teachers were creative when choosing instructional materials to use with students. When presented with a recommended or even required curriculum, RAND research has found, teachers exercised great autonomy in modifying teaching materials and finding additional resources to supplement them.

So, what do teachers want when it comes to instructional materials, particularly now?

Knowing the answer to this question can help district and school leaders select online materials that teachers are more likely to use and guide curriculum developers to create resources with these features in mind. As many districts face the likelihood of continuing online schooling, part- or full-time, for many more months, the answer is more important than ever.

So how can principals and district leaders best support their dedicated, knowledgeable, and independent-minded teaching workforce in materials selection?

The findings in our study suggest there are five things to try:

  • Prioritize the three characteristics. Consider engagement, appropriateness of challenge, and usability when helping to select materials.
  • Elicit teacher input. Teachers usually know what they want and need for their students, so include them in materials previews or piloting.
  • Remember that diversity can support student engagement. How well do the materials address diverse students’ interests and experiences?
  • Support teachers by providing guidance on how they can supplement and modify required and recommended materials so they are accessible to all students. This can be done through professional development. Schools and districts can develop guidelines to help teachers find or modify high-quality supplemental materials while ensuring academic rigor. Teaching coaches can provide guidance on differentiation.
  • Find materials that invite modification. Finding easily editable materials for your teaching staff can lessen the time they need to spend on this task. Of course, online accessibility right now is especially important: While teachers prefer easily accessible digital materials in the time of school shutdowns, they may also need to know whether all their students have secure, reliable technological devices and network access.

Read the full article about supporting a teacher workforce by Elaine L. Wang at The 74.