Are teachers in your school frustrated because they feel they are not respected or have been taken for granted by students, parents, staff or administration?

Have the teachers in your school felt helpless because of the changing demands of teaching and engaging students today?

Have hostilities increased because of an overwhelming workload and perceived lack of support?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, teacher morale is negatively impacting your school. The teaching profession is demanding, often underappreciated and vitally critical to the success of students and our collective future. Professor Richard Ingersoll at University of Pennsylvania estimates that 40-50% of teachers leave within the first 5 years of teaching.

Positive culture and climate is imperative…and not just for students! Morale issues impact children, staff, parents and outcomes. Teachers are most successful when they are connected, feel a sense of belonging and fulfillment and are valued.

The top 5 ways a school can increase morale and create an environment in which teachers thrive are:

1. Create opportunities for teachers and staff to get to know each other. Getting to know each other involves more than knowing each other’s name and grade level. When teachers learn more about the person behind the title, they become more connected, engaged and impactful.

2. Clarify the big picture. It is critical to clarify what we do, their role in the big picture and the values that drive how we get there.

3. Develop and empower school climate teams. It is important to provide the tools and resources for school climate teams to meet consistently and collaboratively innovate and problem solve.

4. Leverage personality. When teachers better understand their personality and the strengths and development areas of the personalities with whom they work, they gain insight into how to effectively support each other.

5. Recognition and acknowledgment. It doesn’t erase the challenges, however, understanding the impact of your role and being reminded that what you do actually does make a difference is powerful.

If you would like some assistance in improving the overall morale of your faculty, please click the contact link and complete our form.