---
title: "The Sink-or-swim Mentality: How Schools Are Helping New Teachers Thrive With a Little Tech Boost"
description: Explore how technology-driven coaching transforms teacher development—boosting educator retention, job satisfaction and student success in modern schools
author: Dr Marina Nani (Editor-in-Chief)
date: 2025-09-11T13:59:33.000Z
updated: 2026-02-26T22:05:36.066Z
canonical: https://richwoman.co/article/the-sink-or-swim-mentality-how-schools-are-helping-new-teachers-thrive-with-a-little-tech-boo
image: https://cdn.nanimediahouse.com/txxifuqlbkq.jpg
categories: Wellbeing
content_type: Analysis
region: Global
publication: Rich Woman Magazine
---

Sarah Jenkins still remembers closing her classroom door for the first time as a qualified teacher, feeling the weight of 28 expecting faces looking back at her. She had notebooks full of lesson plans, a head full of education theory and a heart full of hope. What she didn’t have was anyone to turn to when reality hit – and it hit hard.

The traditional approach to new teacher support has long been a form of educational Darwinism: throw them into the deep end and see who survives. Those who struggle are often left to figure it out alone, while those who thrive are assumed to be natural-born educators. This sink-or-swim mentality has created a revolving door that’s devastating for both teachers and the children they’re meant to serve.

## The True Cost of Losing Good Teachers

The statistics paint a stark picture. [Nearly half of new teachers leave the profession within five years](https://www.erstrategies.org/tap/teacher-turnover-trends-analysis/), with annual turnover rates hovering around 16% over the past decade. The situation is particularly dire in high-poverty schools, where only 34% of teachers remain for five years.

When teachers leave, it’s not just an administrative headache – it’s a direct hit to children’s learning. [Research from the Learning Policy Institute](https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/blog/why-addressing-teacher-turnover-matters) shows that high teacher turnover negatively impacts student achievement across the entire school, not just in classrooms of departing teachers. The constant churn disrupts instructional continuity, damages school culture and particularly affects marginalised and low-income students who benefit most from stable, experienced teachers.

The financial toll is equally sobering. According to the Learning Policy Institute, losing just one teacher can cost a district up to $20,000 when factoring in recruitment, onboarding, training and lost instructional momentum. Meanwhile, districts are spending an average of $18,000 per teacher annually on professional development – yet only 29% of educators say the training they receive meaningfully improves their practice.

## What Actually Makes a Difference

The answer isn’t more generic workshops or one-off training sessions. [Research consistently shows](https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/effective-teacher-professional-development-report) that coaching offers sustained, job-embedded support that helps teachers effectively implement new strategies in their actual classrooms. Unlike traditional workshops, [coaching provides direct feedback, modelling and collaboration](https://richwoman.co/article/professional-coaching-the-key-driver-of-business-success-in-every-industry) that bridges the gap between theory and practice.

Schools are increasingly turning to technology solutions that can deliver coaching at scale. Courtney Williams, CEO and founder of TORSH, an education technology company that recently won the 2025 EdTech Breakthrough Award for Professional Development Solution of the Year, explains the thinking behind this approach: ‘We built TORSH to make coaching and learning actually drive change. It’s structured, flexible, measurable – and most importantly, it works.’

The platform represents a new category of professional development tools that embed coaching into the day-to-day work of teaching rather than treating it as an add-on. Teachers receive structured, role-based coaching from day one, with ongoing video-based feedback, goal-setting tools and competency-based assessments that track their growth over time.

The difference between effective coaching and ineffective training often comes down to consistency and personalisation. [New teachers face self-doubt, classroom management challenges and lesson planning difficulties](https://get.goreact.com/resources/5-ways-mentoring-helps-new-teachers-thrive-in-the-classroom/) that vary dramatically from person to person. What works for one teacher may not work for another, which is why generic solutions so often fall short.

Platforms like TORSH address this by providing what one district instructional lead described as vital flexibility: ‘TORSH allows us to provide new teachers with the consistent support they need without burning out our coaches or breaking the budget. It’s flexible, scalable and works.’

The technology enables coaches to provide feedback asynchronously, observe practice through uploaded videos and collaborate with educators in real time or on their own schedules. A digital ‘Coaching Corner’ centralises progress and interactions, while the platform supports in-person, hybrid and fully virtual coaching models depending on what works best for each district.

This approach is particularly valuable given the practical challenges that often undermine traditional coaching. [Research has shown](https://www.edweek.org/leadership/what-works-and-what-doesnt-in-teacher-pd/2022/10) that coaching effectiveness in schools is often limited when coaches are pulled into substitute teaching or administrative duties. Technology-enabled coaching helps ensure that support remains consistent and focused on instructional improvement.

## Results That Matter

The early results from districts using technology-enhanced coaching are promising. Schools report up to three times more coaching touchpoints per educator through hybrid and asynchronous tools, while reducing travel and personnel costs associated with in-person observations. More importantly, they’re seeing fewer teachers leave the profession and stronger instructional quality across classrooms.

These outcomes align with broader research on what makes professional development effective. [Studies show](https://www.edweek.org/leadership/teacher-professional-development-explained/2023/07) that professional development focused on instructional practice and delivered through coaching and peer observation is more successful in improving student outcomes than one-off workshops or general content knowledge acquisition.

The timing couldn’t be more critical. [Teacher shortages largely result from high turnover](https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/teacher-turnover-report), with 90% of vacancies due to teachers leaving rather than retirement. This creates a cascade effect where less qualified teachers fill roles, negatively affecting student learning and perpetuating the cycle of instability.

## A Different Kind of First Year

What would Sarah Jenkins’ first year have looked like with proper support? Instead of closing her door and hoping for the best, she might have had a coach who observed her lessons, provided specific feedback and helped her reflect on what was working and what wasn’t. She might have had access to a library of strategies tailored to her specific challenges, along with the ongoing support to implement them effectively.

This isn’t just wishful thinking – it’s becoming reality in districts that have embraced coaching-focused professional development. [Research shows](https://hechingerreport.org/end-sink-swim-four-ways-district-leaders-can-help-first-year-teachers-overcome-common-struggles/) that meaningful feedback, collaboration with experienced teachers and help with practical classroom management accelerate new teachers’ adjustment and effectiveness.

As Williams puts it: ‘The real ROI isn’t just financial – it’s in the growth of teachers and the outcomes for students.’ When teachers feel supported and see their practice improving, they’re more likely to stay. When they stay, children benefit from the stability and expertise that comes with experience.

The sink-or-swim mentality that has defined teaching for generations is slowly giving way to something more humane and effective. [Technology alone isn’t the answer, but when it’s used to enhance human connection and provide personalised support](https://richwoman.co/article/big-changes-start-small-the-ripple-effect-of-listening-leaders-igniting-a-spark), it can help ensure that great teachers don’t just survive their first few years – they thrive.