100Kin10’s “Teachers at Work” Report Illustrates how to Address Work Environment for Teachers in Schools

Our new report “Teachers at Work: Designing Schools Where Teachers and Students Thrive”, lays the groundwork for diverse, coordinated, and mutually reinforcing efforts to improve school work environments. It includes an analysis of the research surrounding teacher work environment in schools, as well as an overview of the most effective practices to create positive work environments and brief spotlights on innovative models. Moreover, it points to the most promising collaborative opportunities for addressing these issues.

Following on two years of stakeholder-driven research to develop the Grand Challenges, an unprecedented roadmap of the underlying challenges facing the STEM education landscape, 100Kin10 is mobilizing our network to take action on three of the “catalysts.” The catalysts are the challenges with the most potential to have a domino-like effect across the system.

The three catalysts we are prioritizing are related to teacher work environments:
- Relevant professional growth during the school day
- Opportunities for teacher collaboration during the school day
- School leader responsibility for creating positive work environments

In the summer of 2018, we set out to gain a deeper understanding of the teacher work environment catalysts, with the ultimate objective of answering one question: “What action does the field most need to address the work environment catalysts, and where is the 100Kin10 network uniquely positioned to answer those needs?” We engaged in deep research, guided by a Brain Trust of partners and teachers, resulting in the “Teachers at Work” report. Learn more here.

Now, we are mobilizing our network and beyond to take up collaborative opportunities to address the work environment issues. We invite you to join us. 100Kin10 is actively catalyzing activity around these issues and opportunities in the fall of 2018 and into the winter and spring of 2019. If you want to get involved, reach out to Pomai Verzon at [email protected].

Featured

  • How a Portable Sink Helped an Art Classroom Run More Smoothly

    Classroom design decisions can have outsized effects on instructional time and safety at schools juggling mismatched infrastructure, strict budgets, and crowded schedules — particularly in the arts. Between spilled paint and dirty brushes, art classes run smoother with a sink in the studio. But many schools don’t have a sink in every art classroom.

  • Zurn Elkay Releases 2025 Sustainability Report

    Zurn Elkay Water Solutions recently announced the release of its annual sustainability report, according to a news release. The 2025 report discusses the organization’s efforts to maintain good environmental stewardship and the solutions provided in helping customers meet sustainability goals.

  • UNT Dallas Holds Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for $100M STEM Building

    The University of North Texas at Dallas in Dallas, Texas, recently celebrated the opening of its new, $100-million STEM Building, according to local news. The ceremony on Dec. 2 preceded the first day of classes in the facility on Jan. 12, 2026.

  • Geometric abstract school illustration

    How Design Shapes Learning and Success

    Can the color of a wall, the curve of a chair, or the hum of fluorescent lights really affect how a student learns? More schools are beginning to think so.