Teachers are professionals
What Makes a Teacher Stay
I was welcomed to write a small portion for a book and will be looking at the retention of teachers. In my latest position, I met with my new head of school to touch base as I start the new year and was thrilled to hear him say that he is somewhat hands-off because he views his teachers as professionals and trusts us in our positions. This as well as thinking about what I wanted to write has led to a great deal of reflection.
I’ve had the opportunity to work under amazing leadership and (in my opinion) TERRIBLE leadership. The good had me staying an extra year earning less pay than I was offered elsewhere, and the bad had me leave a position during my probation period even though I was well paid. When comparing the two experiences I can sum up what makes teachers stay in two words, feeling valued.
When I have a leader who makes me feel that they see me and the work I do, and appreciates my time, I am more likely to want to stay and feel like I am an essential part of a team. I am not expecting to have a constant cheerleader, my leader will also have times they nudge me for improvement or point out areas for growth. I feel this advice is best received when my leader is guiding me towards best practice and considers my own development in the profession and meeting my own career goals. Therefore, I know they see me as a professional and want to help me grow while in line with our school’s mission and values.
When I was working in Dubai, the schools were very competitive and an experienced international teacher holding a Master degree was a sought-after commodity for a school. My school at the time had not offered contracts for the following year, so I took interviews with other schools. I was offered $1,300 more a month for a different opportunity. My school at the time offered me to stay but at my current pay. I knew that my school could not afford the higher salary and so I asked if they could at least give me a slight raise to show they wanted me. The owner of the school was reluctant, but my head of school fought for me and was transparent through the entire process. She was only able to get me a slight raise, but I wanted to stay to work under this woman who made me feel I was appreciated and that I was an asset worth having at the school. She also allowed me and the other members of staff to have opportunities that allowed us to grow in the professional paths that interested us. I felt it was always safe share ideas in staff meetings, that my opinions mattered, and that my growth as an individual were also important to my leadership.
On the flip side I quickly left a middle-leader position as a PYP Coordinator, when I realized I was surrounded by leaders who had little respect for the teachers they were leading. We were a business and we needed to keep the customers happy, and the customers according to the leaders of the school were the parents. Teachers could be called into the office and asked to make right anything a parent may call and complain about, and expectations for teachers were never clear and were fluid. This left many teachers feeling unsure of their positions and unable to openly ask for help. I left before my probation as I did not want to break contract, three other teachers left after me that year before the school year had ended.
While parents are indeed an important piece of school, investing in quality teaching professionals will aid in keeping “customers” happy. This was evident in that the Dubai school has tripled in size, while the second school has lost a class in each grade level. A happy staff usually equals a happy and welcoming school and creates an atmosphere where teachers want to stay.
