When we reflect on the paths our lives have taken, many of us can point directly to specific TEACHERS who helped us chart those paths.
When we reflect on the paths our lives have taken, many of us can point directly to specific TEACHERS who helped us chart those paths.
Students of color make up
%
38
of our student population, but only
We believe that regardless of individual experience with teaching or learning, teaching as a profession is worth elevating to the reverence it deserves for Minnesota and our children, especially for communities of color.
We believe that regardless of individual experience with teaching or learning, teaching as a profession is worth elevating to the reverence it deserves for Minnesota and our children, especially for communities of color.
Despite the critical role that teachers play in shaping our future, the teaching profession in the U.S. has been losing respect and admiration. The negative messages about teaching perpetuate an unflattering and incomplete image of a viable and impactful profession.
Despite the critical role that teachers play in shaping our future, the teaching profession in the U.S. has been losing respect and admiration. The negative messages about teaching perpetuate an unflattering and incomplete image of a viable and impactful profession.
Increasing teacher diversity is a critical component in the effort to elevate the teaching profession. The lack of teacher diversity is a significant contributing factor to the state's sizable racial gaps in educational outcomes.
Increasing teacher diversity is a critical component in the effort to elevate the teaching profession. The lack of teacher diversity is a significant contributing factor to the state's sizable racial gaps in educational outcomes.
Achieving greater teacher diversity requires us to first address what it means to be a teacher and how we can effectively recruit and retain teachers of color in the profession.
Achieving greater teacher diversity requires us to first address what it means to be a teacher and how we can effectively recruit and retain teachers of color in the profession.
%
7
PELSB contracted Plum Blossom Strategy led by Dr. Rose Chu, a national expert on educational professional services to lead the development of the campaign.
- Changing the narrative about teaching
- Activating a community of champions.
- Supporting future teachers who are ready to take the next step.
We will accomplish this by:
We will accomplish this by:
Community Organizations
Peers
Current Teachers
Career Transitioners
Post-Secondary Staff and Faculty
College students without a declared major
Teacher Preparations Program Staff and Faculty
Strategic Partners and Business Leaders
Former/ Retired Teachers
High School Students
Business Leaders
Parents, Family members, and Caregivers
coLLECTIVITY
To expand capacity for campaign implementation, Plum Blossom Strategy partnered with Collectivity, an organization dedicated to increasing collective action for organizations.
of our state’s teachers are teachers of color.
- Elevate the teaching profession
- Recruit teachers (especially from communities of color and American Indian communities)
High Level Campaign Goals
Everyone has a role to play in elevating the teaching profession.
Everyone has a role to play in elevating the teaching profession.
The campaign's primary target audience is high school and college students, as well as adults who are seeking a career change. We reach this important audience by focusing on empowering our secondary target audience with the tools and resources of the campaign.
The campaign's primary target audience is high school and college students, as well as adults who are seeking a career change. We reach this important audience by focusing on empowering our secondary target audience with the tools and resources of the campaign.
Beyond the campaign our ultimate goal is to build a broader social movement by engaging the entire ecosystem in shifting perceptions and narratives about the profession.
Beyond the campaign our ultimate goal is to build a broader social movement by engaging the entire ecosystem in shifting perceptions and narratives about the profession.
Developing the Project Approach
Developing the Project Approach
At Elevate Teaching, we recognize the need to address the systemic issues leading to high teacher turnover in our education system. We also believe that shifting the perception of teaching and elevating its importance in society is a necessary step toward lasting change.
At Elevate Teaching, we recognize the need to address the systemic issues leading to high teacher turnover in our education system. We also believe that shifting the perception of teaching and elevating its importance in society is a necessary step toward lasting change.
Our initiative is primarily focused on inspiring more people to become teachers and supporting them through their transition to the profession. We believe that by creating a shared vision of what's possible and deeply engaging with communities, we can build a movement that will elevate the teaching profession in Minnesota. Our approach emphasizes the importance of the "why" behind teaching and its impact on advancing our communities and society as a whole.
Our initiative is primarily focused on inspiring more people to become teachers and supporting them through their transition to the profession. We believe that by creating a shared vision of what's possible and deeply engaging with communities, we can build a movement that will elevate the teaching profession in Minnesota. Our approach emphasizes the importance of the "why" behind teaching and its impact on advancing our communities and society as a whole.
Small ANET Circle Conversations
Large Action Network to Elevate Teaching (ANET) Convenings
Hold space for a learning community to share and explore solutions and to serve as a feedback loop to the communications strategies, messages, and tools developed.
Creating a Community of Champions for the Teaching Profession
Creating a Community of Champions for the Teaching Profession
Communicating Impactful Narratives About Teaching
Communicating Impactful Narratives About Teaching
Infuse impactful and inspiring stories and messages to affirm the immeasurable role of teaching to advance a society
Social Media
Supporting Future Teachers
Supporting Future Teachers
Support future teachers who are ready to take the next step
eNewsletter
Tools & Resources
Identify Barriers
Develop Solutions
Create Resources
The Elevate Teaching Movement was designed with three interrelated components to realize our vision.
The Elevate Teaching Movement was designed with three interrelated components to realize our vision.
Creating a Community of Champions for the Teaching Profession
Creating a Community of Champions for the Teaching Profession
PURPOSE
PURPOSE
Hold space for a learning community to share and explore solutions and to service as a feedback loop to the communications strategies, messages, and tools developed.
ACTION NETWORK TO
ELEVATE TEACHING
ACTION NETWORK TO
ELEVATE TEACHING
What is an ANET Convening?
What is an ANET Circle?
17
Circles
Learn from Each Other
2
1
1
2
Healing and Connecting Space
Provide feedback and insights on messaging and marketing
Sharing Concerns
Convenings
3
3
3
Receive Project Updates
Solutioning
As of today there have been...
Participants
230
As of today there have been...
Participants
362
An ANET Convening occurs quarterly, can include 100+ people from various positions within the education space, and is focused more on our secondary audiences.
An ANET Circle usually consists of 10-12 people and is held with members of specific targeted affinity groups, and is also focused more on our primary audiences.
Audience Roles
Highschool Students, Youth
Post-Secondary Institution Staff and Faculty
Parents, Family Members, Caregivers
Current Teachers
Strategic Partners and Systems Leaders
Community-Based Organizations
College Students
0
20
40
60
80
Audience Roles
Other
District Leader
Current Teacher
Educator Preparation Faculty or Staff
Community / Workforce Development
Strategic Partners
Parent / Family Member
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
We acknowledge our network's limited reach and the gap in the collected stories. As the network expands, we plan to activate additional methods to gather a diverse collection of inspiring teaching stories.
Harvesting from Community Conversations
Harvesting from Community Conversations
After collecting stories and feedback from ANET convenings and circles, we worked with qualitative researcher Dr. Jon Peterson to analyze the data through a data interaction and coding process. This resulted in the emergence of three key themes.
3. Data Coding
4. Themes Discovery
Qualitative Analysis
Teacher Agency
What Matters?
Main Themes from the Action Network to Elevate Teaching
Environment of the Profession
Sense of
Belonging
Community
Innovation in the Profession
and
Trusting Relationships
Working Conditions
External Perception
Themes and Subthemes from the Action Network Conversations
1. Collect Stories
2. Read and analyze collected stories
“My daughter is in 11th grade and she said to me, ‘Mom, I have never had a teacher of color in my entire life’ - my children tell me, ‘Mom, your students are lucky because they have a Somali teacher that understands them, their language, religion, and culture.”
Motivation and Sense of Purpose
Collaboration and Partnerships
Teacher's Impact
Teacher Appreciation: “We see you”
Teacher Leadership
“[we need to] instill resilience in teachers and the belief that teaching is STILL a powerful way to change the world…”
Teachers as Learners and Innovators
Representation
Teacher Support "We got you"
PURPOSE
PURPOSE
Infuse impactful and inspiring stories and messages to affirm the immeasurable role of teaching to advance a society
Communicating Impactful Narratives About Teaching
Communicating Impactful Narratives About Teaching
Elevate Teaching Marketing Campaign
Elevate Teaching Marketing Campaign
Start
Explore Ecosystem
ANET
Identify Main Themes
Craft Message Content
feedback loop
Determine Marketing Channels
ANET Convenings
ANET Circles
Run Campaign
End
Messaging as a part of Teacher Recruitment
Messaging as a part of Teacher Recruitment
These themes and key messages will be used to transform how we talk about and relate to the teaching profession. Our goal is to encourage people to invest as “champions” of the teaching profession and understand that advocating for the profession requires everyone's participation to achieve transformation.
These themes and key messages will be used to transform how we talk about and relate to the teaching profession. Our goal is to encourage people to invest as “champions” of the teaching profession and understand that advocating for the profession requires everyone's participation to achieve transformation.
Theme #2: Community and Sense of Belonging
Theme #3: Environment of the Profession
Theme #1: Teacher Agency
Teaching is Creative.
Teachers can innovate in the ways they engage with students, build relationships with families, and design activities around the learning curriculum. Teaching is a career that invites deep individual expression in any learning environment — everyone knows a teacher that “did things differently” and embodied creativity. Teachers have been a source of brilliance and innovation in adapting to challenges of the times. They will continue to chart new paths forward.
Teaching is Legacy.
Teaching builds power to impact. Being a teacher means leaving a legacy, playing a central role in the wellbeing of students and communities, and making an imprint on a future beyond one’s own. Teaching is a rewarding career that opens doors to personal and professional growth. Teaching is a profession that involves a great deal of trust, confidence, and respect from families and communities.
Teaching is Community Building.
Teachers don’t work alone. Teachers are part of a network of peers working together for student success. Teachers collaborate, learn from, and grow with a system of educators, students, and co-workers in their schools, their districts, and beyond daily. Teachers create a culture of belonging where students’ experiences and values are integrated into their learning content. Teachers are part of a community of learners, working together with families and communities and sharing the responsibility to bring out the brilliance in the next generation.
Teachers are an integral part of any community. Teaching is about building community, and a community cannot be complete without teachers. This generative relationship is what prepares students for their, and our, futures. Teachers build community wealth. More than half of public school students in this country are children of color, and that majority is growing. Teachers are building professional ranks with an increasingly diverse student body. Research illustrates that a diverse workforce benefits all students; students-of-color are more likely to finish high school and attend college if they have even one teacher from their background during their first years of education.
Teaching is Teamwork.
While other careers can see demand fluctuate with economic conditions, schools will always need teachers. Teachers are essential and always in demand. The teacher shortage in Minnesota makes that especially true here. Teaching provides stability and various opportunities to grow as a professional. Teaching is a versatile career whose skills can be transferred to many environments.
Teaching is continually growing and learning. The learning experience of today has grown beyond what we may remember of the role or identity of a teacher. Teachers build strong academics and prepare students with socioemotional skills while deepening their understanding of issues of equity and strengthening their ability to be engaged participants in our democracy. Teachers drive the future; teachers inspire students to create solutions for making our world a better place. Teachers are at the forefront of meeting the challenges of the future and growing themselves as they do.
Teaching is Opportunity.
Teaching is Evolving.
The Elevate Teaching movement aims to reinforce the positive rewards of teaching through storytelling as a key part of its messaging strategy. The insights gained from ANET convenings and circles were used to create effective messaging that appeals to multiple audiences within our target demographic.
The Elevate Teaching movement aims to reinforce the positive rewards of teaching through storytelling as a key part of its messaging strategy. The insights gained from ANET convenings and circles were used to create effective messaging that appeals to multiple audiences within our target demographic.
From Messaging to Content
From Messaging to Content
After identifying clear themes and messages, the Elevate Teaching team and several marketing partners worked to develop branded content and digital media to deliver the campaign messages. This includes social media, newsletter, and website campaigns and a communications toolkit with the help of Pollen Midwest to distribute to champions.
After identifying clear themes and messages, the Elevate Teaching team and several marketing partners worked to develop branded content and digital media to deliver the campaign messages. This includes social media, newsletter, and website campaigns and a communications toolkit with the help of Pollen Midwest to distribute to champions.
PURPOSE
PURPOSE
Support future teachers who are ready to take the next step in their journey.
Supporting
Future Teachers
Supporting
Future Teachers
Bridging SOLUTIONS
Bridging SOLUTIONS
As the movement to elevate teaching grows and as more of our primary audiences consider teaching as a profession, it is important to ensure that the challenges in their pathway to becoming teachers are addressed.
As the movement to elevate teaching grows and as more of our primary audiences consider teaching as a profession, it is important to ensure that the challenges in their pathway to becoming teachers are addressed.
Who are our primary audiences?
Who are our primary audiences?
High School Students
College Students
Career Transitioners
Bridging Approach & Design
Bridging Approach & Design
Through individual conversations and group meetings, we engaged a subgroup of champions from our network (ANET and advisory council) to explore the challenges in supporting different future teachers to become licensed. Together we prioritized the most pressing needs and potential solutions to address them at a state-level.
Through individual conversations and group meetings, we engaged a subgroup of champions from our network (ANET and advisory council) to explore the challenges in supporting different future teachers to become licensed. Together we prioritized the most pressing needs and potential solutions to address them at a state-level.
What are some of the essential needs of a future teacher?
What are some of the essential needs of a future teacher?
Finding Community
Career Exploration
Access Specific Resources
What are some of the biggest barriers for future teachers?
What are some of the biggest barriers for future teachers?
Program Locations
Access to Mentorship
Financial Support Available
Program Fit and Cost
Navigating Licensing Requirements
How can we support future teachers to overcome these barriers and address their needs?
How can we support future teachers to overcome these barriers and address their needs?
10 possible solutions
10 possible solutions
Develop Roadmaps to Teacher licensure
Promote and encourage access to immersive experiences that are accessible to future educators
Currently, there isn't one central place that provides support to future teachers in a systematic and structured way to help them decide on what they need to do next based on their own unique situation. A solution is needed to bridge that gap between "interested in teaching" and "enrolled in a pathway."
Currently, there isn't one central place that provides support to future teachers in a systematic and structured way to help them decide on what they need to do next based on their own unique situation. A solution is needed to bridge that gap between "interested in teaching" and "enrolled in a pathway."
Facilitate College Campus Visits
Promote High Schooler Interest
Connect Programs & Orgs working to increase Teacher Diversity
Develop a cohort of trained navigators
Give Credit to honor prior learning in Teacher Prep
Bridging Solutions would then be incorporated into the design of a web-based platform
Assess User's...
Where is Support Needed?
Direct to Resources
Ex. Financial Needs, Education Status, Geography, etc.
Ex. Licensing, Career Exploration, Mentorship, TPP, etc.
Narrowed list of Bridging Solutions
Construct Current Profile as a starting point for new teachers
Develop resources to simplify Teacher Prep Program Navigation
Ensure access to resources for nontraditional Educators
A special thank you to everyone who has been a part of the Elevate Teaching Movement
A special thank you to everyone who has been a part of the Elevate Teaching Movement
Many more possibilities will continue to surface as we advance our mutual efforts and implement our shared approaches and activities. An iterative improvement process is in place to inform our work going forward.
Many more possibilities will continue to surface as we advance our mutual efforts and implement our shared approaches and activities. An iterative improvement process is in place to inform our work going forward.
ANET
ANET
Convenings
Convenings
Thank you to the 360+ attendees of ANET Convenings
Roseville Area Schools
F.O.C.U.S Educators of Color Affinity Group
LATINEX en MN
Latine parents
Circles
Circles
Project Team
Dr. Rose Chu
Shehla Mushtaq, Scott Cole, Zara Zanussi, Anna Sibley, Katie Marty
as well as additional support from Chris Hoehn, Gustavo Ochoa, Sannah Arvidson-Hicks, Shelby Rutzick, Jessica Chacich, Emily Tran.
Jennifer Davis (Outside the Scope)
Partners
Partners
Advisory Council
Advisory Council
A special thank you to our 40+ member guiding advisory council who provided feedback at every stage of this project
in Minnesota!
in Minnesota!
It's time to rise up and
It's time to rise up and
*Not a final product. Stay tuned for the final mockups to be released
*Not a final product. Stay tuned for the final mockups to be released
Stay tuned and sign up to receive a key message kit after the program!
Sign up to receive the Elevate Teaching Key Message Kit and Rally Cry to use at your organization!
CALLING ALL SUPPORTERS OF THE TEACHING PROFESSION
You will have the opportunity to receive in the mail an Elevate Teaching Key Message Kit created in partnership with Pollen Midwest. The Key Message kit will include illustrated cards as well as a digital booklet, individual art asset files, and several ready-to-post social media assets so your organization can show their support of the Elevate Teaching Movement.
You will have the opportunity to receive in the mail an Elevate Teaching Key Message Kit created in partnership with Pollen Midwest. The Key Message kit will include illustrated cards as well as a digital booklet, individual art asset files, and several ready-to-post social media assets so your organization can show their support of the Elevate Teaching Movement.
Join the Movement
Join the Movement
Collaborate
Convey
Connect
- Host an Action Network (ANET) Circle
- Join the Elevate Teaching Advisory Council
- Work with us on a part of the movement that interests YOU
- Forward newsletters and emails regarding Elevate Teaching
- Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn and share resources with your network
- Share an uplifting story about your experience with the teaching profession
- Invite others to tell their “teacher” stories and share ideas that support the movement