Why Your Back to School Strategy Needs an Asynchronous Edge

As a school leader, the weeks leading up to “Back to School” often feel like a race against a clock that is ticking just a little too fast. Between finalizing schedules, managing facilities, and preparing for the arrival of students, the weight of professional development (PD) can feel like one more logistical hurdle.

We’ve all been there: the sweltering August morning in the auditorium, the preparation that has taken hours to welcome staff back with excitement, and the glazed look in the eyes of teachers who are mentally rearranging their classroom furniture or drafting their first lessons.

There is a better way; a way that can give school leaders back time and give teachers a sense of autonomy that they have been craving during the back to school grind. Asynchronous, OnDemand learning can provide schools and leadership with just that. Utilizing these courses for teacher onboarding, staff development, and to upscale staff fidelity is essential to pursuing this autonomous teacher euphoria.

“Welcome to our School, please stay.”

Nothing says, “Welcome to our school,” better than a gift of support and time. Using asynchronous courses to give your teachers an extra edge of support is a low cost and low energy, but high value and high return way for you, as an administrator, to start building the morale and rapport that has been lacking in schools worldwide.

Traditional PD often suffers from a phenomenon we like to call “Information Overload,” resulting in a firehose effect of teacher burnout, low energy, and missing key pieces of information before the first student ever enters their classroom. Inevitably, this stress contributes to higher turnover and, more unfortunately, teacher attrition.

Picture a new teacher’s first week at their brand new school. They are given an agenda for the first week. They are inundated the first day with New Teacher training done at a large scale by HR: insurance, payscale, expectations, and more. They leave this meeting and head into an auditorium filled with their new colleagues. They hear about “back to school” alongside some tales for changes in technology, platforms, and new school rules for the year. They cannot relate because they don’t have the background knowledge to compare these “changes” to. Then, they are caught by a colleague of theirs as they walk to meeting number three for the day: “Hey, we need to touch base on the course you are picking up for me this year.” The teacher nods, then remembers that course was nowhere listed on any of the information they have received yet. Panic sets it. They want to go check the agenda, but are quickly reminded that they don’t even know how to log into their computer yet or the LMS the district uses to house that information. Nervous system on overdrive. Tears, fear, and wonder are all setting in before lunch on Day 1. Now stop and think. If school leaders change this pattern, they change the narrative completely..

Now, picture this. You have an asynchronous training session available for some of the new platforms you have at your school. Instead of back to back meetings before questions from meeting number 1 can be addressed, let teachers breathe. Each breath is another day that the teacher can survive the information overload apocalypse. They can have 2 hours of time for those breaths, to organize their thoughts, and hop on to an asynchronous course to start, stop, and connect with the material at their own pace, from the comfort of their own classrooms.

“The stakes are high; don’t roll the dice with dollars that don’t exist.”

The stakes are high. According to The Learning Policy Institute, the average cost of replacing a single teacher is roughly $25,000 in large districts (and at least $12,000 in smaller ones). Can your school afford that price tag, along with the months of lost time spent rehiring and retraining?

We are currently facing a global teacher retention crisis. A recent report from the Economic Policy Institute indicates that the teacher shortage is “real, large, and growing,” driven in part by high stress and a lack of professional autonomy.

Retention is rooted in support. When you provide asynchronous learning options, you are sending a powerful message to your staff: “I value your professional judgment, and I respect your time.”

According to Gallup, workplace satisfaction for teachers is most closely linked to having the “opportunity to do what they do best” and having a manageable workload. By shifting foundational concepts to an OnDemand format, you reduce the “paperwork and administrative” burden that often drives teachers away. You aren’t just giving them a login or a definition; you’re giving them the gift of time. In today’s educational landscape, time is the ultimate currency of respect. Do not roll the dice with dollars your district doesn’t have.

Asynchronous, OnDemand Quick Wins for Schools:

1. Scalable New Teacher Orientation: No more repeating the same “How to Log In” speech six times for late hires. New staff can jump into a course the moment they feel ready, arriving on Day 1 feeling empowered, not overwhelmed.
2. The “Refresher” Without the Boredom: Your veteran teachers don’t need a 2-hour session on things they already know. OnDemand modules allow them to “test out” of what they master and dive deep into new areas. Differentiation at its finest.
3. Evidence of Growth: With built-in certificates and digital badges, you have immediate, tangible evidence of your team’s professional growth for accreditation and board reports. Plus, those insights lead your teachers to feel supported and empowered, while also giving the community an insight into their credentialing and learning.
4. Consistency Across Departments: Whether your team is in the UK, Kuwait, or the U.S, they are receiving the same high-quality, global-standard training. In a world where we have access to global minds, our educational practices should benefit from these connections.
5. Global Collaboration: Teachers globally will be able to connect on discussion boards while they are learning through their ondemand courses with Faria.

Andragogy is the Secret to Teacher Learning and Effectiveness

Asynchronous learning isn’t about checking a box; it’s about building a culture of Active Interest. When learning is available 24/7, it becomes a resource teachers want to use to solve their immediate problems. We talk about pedagogy for our students, now, it is time to tap into Knowles’ andragogy for our teachers.  Rather than a lecture style meeting for an entire staff, they can choose their own adventure asynchronously from a topic that you want to cover. Your new teacher can get the information they need, at their level, and your veteran teacher can continue to learn and thrive at theirs.

When teachers are interested in a topic, when they are passionate about learning, but they are forced to wait until April 3rd for the meeting on that topic, the spark that ignites the learning is lost. Instead, when the interest comes, let them fuel that spark by hopping onto an asynchronous course and continuing that learning in an organic way. Implementation into the classroom and best practices happens immediately; rather than waiting for April 3rd when a new problem is their focus. Teacher learning can drive student success in your schools. Why stop that from happening?

Yuri Ho, principal at Pasadena Christian School in Pasadena, California comments on the notion of activating interest and fostering that growth in her teachers. She says the reason that On-Demand courses through FariaLearn are utilized in their school is to continue to let their [teachers’] curiosity continue to grow and get their questions answered immediately.”

Preparing for Back to School

As you prepare for this upcoming school year, I challenge you to look at your PD calendar. Where can an asynchronous course replace a faculty meeting, a one size-fits-all workshop, or an email that will get deleted? Where can you offer a “menu” of options rather than a one-size-fits all meeting?

By giving your teachers the gift of time and the autonomy of asynchronous learning, you aren’t just preparing them for the first day of school; rather, you’re ensuring they are still inspired and energized by the last day of school.

By: Heather McMurray, FariaLearn

Ready to streamline your Back-to-School season? Explore our latest OnDemand Course Collections and see how we can help you support your team better, together. Send a quick note to farialearn@faria.org to let us know you want On-Demand courses available to your staff this year!