How to Motivate Teachers and Keep Them Happy
by We lose too many teachers to burnout, other careers, and higher paying professions. Here are some ways that we can keep them around for the good of our kids.
A place where teachers are happy is a place where kids learn. Studies prove it, and as a teacher for over 20 years myself, it doesn’t take either of my two masters degrees to figure this out. Unfortunately many schools are places where teachers are not only unhappy, but see no way of changing this sad set of circumstances. If we are going to bring eternal value to the profession of teaching, we must create an environment in which teachers long to reside. Here are some symptoms of just such an environment:
Input That is Asked for is Actually Used and Considered
How many times are teachers going to be asked for their input and opinion, after the decision has already been secretly made? The only reason it is asked for is so that leadership can say they involved the teachers in the process. Well, we are not 10, and we CAN see through such nonsense. Many teachers would respect a leader more if they said, “The decision has already been made” without wasting everyone’s time. Teachers would be HAPPY if input was solicited and influenced policy.
Leadership Demonstrates Humility
Nothing goes further in the respect department than someone who places others first. Teachers’ expectations are humble to begin with because they don’t expect a lot of money, nor public praise, just respect for their years of preparation and experience. When an administrator, who these days often has VERY minimal experience in the classroom, tries to impose constraints or criticisms on an instructor’s methods, it is taken as disrespect. The first part of this problem can be solved if districts would stop hiring “leaders” with minimal experience, simply because they are not capable or willing to argue against district policy, following it blindly.
The second part of this problem can be remedied by having leaders take the approach of acquainting themselves with the strengths of the teacher, pointing out where he/she has actually learned from watching them instruct. This then gives them some license in the future to “suggest” or even come in and ( perish the thought) TEACH to the class in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of something they would like the teacher to try. Humility is one of the hardest things to learn in life, but it is something that life will teach us anyway, regardless. For all administrators reading this, it is NOT a sign of weakness or lack of knowledge.
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