Teacher wellbeing means student wellbeing.
Anyone who works in schools knows that teachers do far more than teach. Lunch lady, social worker, therapist, mad scientist, and hall monitor are just a few of the many “hats” teachers don throughout the school day. The last thing teachers need is another job. Still, given the extent to which technology has become integrated with daily instruction, teachers often assume yet another role, that of an IT support technician.
Whether it’s a copy machine that’s broken down, a projector bulb that’s gone out, or a lost password the teacher desperately needs to access an online instructional platform, common technology issues can consume excessive amounts of a teacher’s time during the school day. When teachers spend time focusing on these and other common technology issues, they take time away from other instructional priorities and, ultimately, their students.
By outsourcing a school’s IT services to a managed IT provider, school leaders can get teachers back into the business of educating students while also supporting teacher wellbeing. Simply put, by resolving common technology issues for teachers, managed IT providers allow teachers to focus on teaching kids.
Managed IT services support teacher wellbeing by allowing teachers to focus on their students.
When it comes to instruction, every single minute counts; a teacher who spends even five minutes each day resolving common technology issues risks losing hours of instructional time over the course of a single school year. When a SMARTboard stops working, a computer malfunctions, or worse, the wireless internet stops working, a teacher’s lesson plan often suffers as a result. Moreover, while the teacher attempts to solve their classroom’s technology issue, students become disengaged, which can, in turn, result in misbehavior.
Managed IT providers offer quick solutions to teachers’ common technology issues, allowing them to get their lessons back on track and preserve the valuable instructional time that would otherwise go to waste. Whether it’s a help desk, phone number, or online ticketing system, teachers can rest easy knowing there’s a process in place to help them resolve their most common technology-related issues. Relieved of the need to become an IT technician in addition to their other duties, teachers can shift their focus back to where it belongs: on educating students.
By quickly solving common technology issues, managed IT services support teacher wellbeing.
Of course, while managed IT providers can allow teachers to train their sights on instruction, they also support more general teacher wellbeing. Let’s face it, being a teacher is one of the most difficult jobs out there. Indeed, it often seems like everyone from principals, family members, and even local officials are looking to teachers to solve whatever issues arise in a given community. With all of this pressure, it’s easy to see how teachers can burn out, opting to leave the profession altogether rather than put up with the demands of the job.
While managed IT providers alone can’t resolve all of the issues that making teaching difficult, they can relieve at least some of the burden. For instance, a teacher who’s having a bad day is undoubtedly worse off if, after dealing with a particularly difficult student, the school’s wireless network goes out or she can’t figure out how to run a particular report in her school’s data and assessment system. These and other technology issues, while perhaps minor in isolation, can present yet another obstacle for teachers who want to take care of their students. Removing these barriers gives teachers the time and space they need to recharge and, ultimately, provide effective instruction.
Managed IT services give teachers the information they need to feel confident in their instructional decision-making.
Finally, managed IT providers who support schools’ educational data collection and analysis efforts give teachers the information they need to make sound instructional decisions. For instance, by ensuring the school’s student information system “talks” to its data and assessment system, managed IT providers give teachers insights into their students’ performance they would otherwise lack. Putting behavioral, attendance, and assessment data together, for example, can reveal student-specific trends that might otherwise go unnoticed. These insights, in turn, provide teachers and school leaders with the tools they need to conduct effective interventions and get students’ family members “on board” with their efforts.
At CTS, we take care of the technology so that you and your teachers can focus on instruction.
Our team has worked with more than 60 schools across the United States to enhance their technology programming. We’re deeply invested in the work of our partner schools and realize that effectively managed IT can support teacher wellbeing while also giving teachers and school leaders the tools they need to improve student achievement. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help your school accomplish its unique mission.
