The use of subject teachers, working together in front of the group, a clever interpretation of the fifth working day and the use of thematic education are four measures that improve the quality of primary and secondary education in Rotterdam. In addition, these measures contribute to the reduction of teachers' work pressure. This has become evident through research conducted by the Kenniswerkplaats Rotterdams Talent, coordinated by education and research institute Risbo, part of Erasmus University Rotterdam. The measures are part of the Smart Organizing Initiative, in which Rotterdam elementary school have taken steps since 2020 to organize education more intelligently and efficiently.
Optimization and job satisfaction
The Smart Organizing program includes 11 measures aimed at retaining teachers, increasing the intake of new teachers and optimizing the organization of education. The results of the study indicate that these measures not only contribute to a slight improvement in the quality of education in the city, but also have other positive effects. For example, the teachers in the study experience less work pressure and more support, safety, flexibility and a higher job satisfaction and motivation.
Workload relief
A number of measures, such as being in front of the group together and the use of subject teachers, help to reduce workload and enable teachers to focus on their core tasks. Thematic teaching contributes to student engagement and motivation. By linking subjects to larger themes, students can make connections between different disciplines and better understand and remember lesson material. The clever implementation of the fifth working day is particularly appreciated because it frees up time for teachers to devote to other tasks or in-service training, for example. The whole set of measures contributes to more stability in the classroom and more attention to students, which improves the quality of education.
Recommendations
The researchers see room for further improvement in a number of areas. Among other things, they cite increasing financial support for schools, investing in specialized subjects and teacher professionalization, and strengthening parent involvement as important next steps.
About Risbo
Risbo is an independent research, training and consultancy institute affiliated with Erasmus University. Our researchers, consultants and trainers work intensively on three themes: educational advice, research and training programs, metropolitan (social) issues and innovations in the public domain.
Contact
Tom Tudjman
Researcher
- Email address
- tudjman@risbo.eur.nl
- More information
Kenniswerkplaats Rotterdams Talent
Have a look at another part of our website to learn more about Risbo's involvement with the Kenniswerkplaats Rotterdams Talent.
