Alex Harwin

Washington, D.C.

Research Analyst at Education Week

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Articles

There’s a Racial Divide in What Teachers Think of Their PD. Why?

2 weeks ago | flipboard.com | Alex Harwin

2 hours agoRetirement is no longer an end, it’s a beginning. That’s the philosophy behind Third Chapter, a new series about changing hearts and minds around planning for and living a prosperous retirement. It’s about inspiring Canadians to dream big, no matter their age. When Ginny Barton retired last summer, …
There’s a Racial Divide in What Teachers Think of Their PD. Why?

2 weeks ago | edweek.org | Alex Harwin

In general teachers often complain that PD is too divorced from classroom realities, taught by people too far removed from the classroom, with too little follow-up. But below the surface, there are stark differences of opinion. America’s teachers are divided along racial lines in their views of the professional development they receive in their jobs, exclusive Education Week data find.
Political Divides Shape Educators’ Views on English Learners’ Rights

2 months ago | edweek.org | Ileana Najarro |Alex Harwin |Gina Tomko

Partisan split among educators on federal language policiesEnglish learners account for about 10 percent of U.S. public school students and represent one of the fastest-growing groups driving public school enrollment. Most are born in the United States, though some are immigrants of varying legal status. A 1974 U.S. Supreme Court decision in, Lau v. Nichols requires schools to provide English instruction to students who cannot access learning due to language barriers.
Teachers and Administrators at Odds Over Extra Job Duties

Jan 13, 2025 | edweek.org | Alex Harwin

From paperwork to chaperoning to highly specific technical tasks—like changing HVAC filters to operating a security gate—America’s teachers say they take on a host of non-teaching duties.
Why Teachers Likely Take So Few Days Off

Nov 19, 2024 | edweek.org | Alex Harwin

Teachers typically took only four days off during the school year, according to Education Week’s State of Teaching survey, part of our annual project. Teachers can take off for various reasons--including illness, maternity leave, family care, mental health needs, bereavement, jury duty, military service, and personal vacations. But they take off significantly less than employees in other professions.
Teachers Say the Public Views Them Negatively

Oct 10, 2024 | edweek.org | Alex Harwin

Education Week’s State of Teaching survey, part of our annual project, reveals that most teachers believe they are viewed negatively by the American public. Feeling undervalued has the potential to affect teachers’ performance, job satisfaction, and ultimately, the quality of education children receive. As one middle school teacher from North Dakota put it: “Teachers are overworked, underpaid, and disrespected. We deal with our most valuable part of our society, which is children.
Educators Say Social Media Hurts Their Colleagues' Social Skills. Their Own? Not As Much

Mar 28, 2024 | edweek.org | Alex Harwin |Arianna Prothero

Educators have a pretty bleak outlook on how social media is affecting their students’ social-emotional skills and overall well-being. And that bleak outlook carries over to their adult colleagues as well, at least in part. But are their perceptions of social media’s harmful effects off-base? A recent survey by the EdWeek Research Center asked educators how they thought social media affected their students, their colleagues, and themselves.
5 Key Insights Into America's Teachers

Mar 6, 2024 | edweek.org | Alex Harwin |Laura Baker

America’s K-12 teachers feel more negative than positive about their profession, according to the EdWeek Research Center’s Teacher Morale Index, a new gauge of teachers’ levels of confidence in—and enthusiasm about—their work. But what does morale look like for an elementary teacher compared to a high school teacher? How do principals judge the morale of teachers right now? Are teachers and principals in sync on some key issues that impact how teachers feel about their jobs?
School Dress Codes Often Target Girls. What Happens When Male Teachers Have to Enforce Them?

Feb 15, 2024 | edweek.org | Alex Harwin

As a male special education teacher and IEP coordinator in a rural Missouri high school, Mike Ryan said he has to walk a “very fine line” discussing attire with female students. Enforcing the dress code is a standard part of his job as a teacher, Ryan said, and he only occasionally has to deal with violations—usually girls who need to “cover up.” But the infractions often require uncomfortable conversations with students.