RESEARCH MAKES IT CLEAR that teachers are the key to student learning and success. As important as it is to prepare students academically, it is even more important for teachers to be prepared to meet the redemptive goals of Adventist education. As an Adventist education system, then, priority must be given to educating, equipping, encouraging, and empowering teachers so that they can engage and prepare their students for “something better,” a journey to excellence that is only possible through a connection with Jesus. The focus of capacity building is the improvement of student learning within the context of a uniquely Adventist worldview. Educators and students will strive for excellence while engaging in an ongoing relationship with Jesus.
Among the ancillary benefits of building the capacity of educators are:
Increased student achievement and success
Additional opportunities for teacher leadership
Reinforcement of a culture of continuous improvement across the system
Improved school climate
Greater collaboration within the system
Heightened sense of shared ownership and empowerment among educators
Internal accountability among educators for student learning
Increased retention rates of educators in the system
