Are You Empowering Your Educators? 4 Ways to Make a Difference
Educators always remember those leaders who made a difference — those who encouraged, motivated and appreciated them. Before I joined Pearson as an assessment consultant, I spent 17 years in public education, and I know I remember those stellar leaders.
One of my favorite principals knew we would all perform better when we recognized we had a voice, so he made sure we did. He assembled a leadership team to provide input, but he didn’t stop there: He also asked each of us to seek input from our departments to gain more robust insight. It was a concrete way for him to demonstrate that everyone’s opinion was sought-after and valid. He also had an open-door policy, literally, where he would welcome any of us into his office for a conversation.
As we all know, administrators deal with some rough stuff, but he never let that infiltrate his demeanor with staff — or students and families. He was always positive and always welcoming. To me, he was the epitome of the type of leader I think most educators strive to be.
How do you get there?
How to turn the tide in 2024
As we begin the new year, I hope it’s with a sense of excitement. At the same time, the challenges we have faced are not going to magically disappear. After all, the current staffing crisis is hard on everyone, not just students and families. Fellow educators are being asked to pick up the slack when their plate is already overflowing.
To me, one number encapsulates the issue: 86% of U.S. K-12 public schools reported challenges hiring teachers for the 2023–24 school year and 83% struggled to fill non-teacher roles, such as classroom aides, transportation staff and mental health professionals.
Let’s make 2024 the year we help all school staff recognize their value and embrace their journey. Here are four ideas.
1. Give educators autonomy.
2. Support their mental health.
We know our youth are struggling, but let’s not overlook our educators. There has to be more recognition that school staff also need mental health support. One concrete step we can take is supporting professional growth through what I like to call “Adult SEL.” Teaching can be isolating, so it’s up to leaders to nurture a collegial spirit among the staff.
Some schools encourage mental wellbeing by incorporating mindfulness rituals, such as taking a moment of silence or a brief meditation in the morning or helping educators focus on “microgratitudes” by acknowledging positivity throughout the day.
But for many people, that just won’t be enough. Schools and districts need to create policies to report and address educator burnout while making sure educators know what resources are available to them.
3. Show your gratitude.
Sometimes your teachers and school staff need to hear a simple thank you, to know you recognize what they do and the challenges they face every day. That same Gallup poll found that the percentage of K-12 educators who strongly agree that their supervisor or someone at work seems to care about them as a person decreased by 22% from before the pandemic. It’s vital to make them feel valued and celebrate their successes, or else they may feel inclined to disengage from their work.
4. Let them know you’re looking out for them.
Accolades are important. A positive culture is important. Robust support systems are important. But, let’s face it: All the thank yous in the world don’t make up for the fact that schools and districts nationwide are underfunded. The issues and concerns facing schools today are completely different from the ones we faced even 10 years ago — staff shortages, a lack of resources to combat the myriad of issues children are facing, school safety concerns, learning loss … the list goes on.
When school leaders champion increased funding for schools, educators know they are looking out for them, the students they serve, and the overall community.
Be the leader your team needs
Back to my dream principal. The reason I could identify these great qualities in this principal was because I had also worked with someone who was the opposite — and believe me, it didn’t bode well.
You can’t lead effectively without buy-in from your teams and that comes from serving as an example by your actions, not just words. Rather than division and strife, you need unity. Without unity, it’s very hard to get people to root for you. If you have a cohesive team that’s working together, the community is going to see that and it will spread positivity throughout.
Here’s to an incredible 2024, where all of you vow to bring out the best in your staff, who in turn will give their best to the students and families they serve. For more tools and ideas for supporting your students and staff, visit Pearson’s Mental Health Resource Center today.