Teaching is a profession that requires just as much inspiration as it does perspiration. For many educators, however, feeling inspired can be difficult. The demands of the job pull at their energy, their personal time, and their confidence. The enthusiasm they had at the beginning of the school year can wane as the year progresses. That’s when they must dig deep, and as an administrator, you can help to inspire teachers with encouragement and support.
Ways to Inspire Teachers
One of the primary duties of an administrator is to uplift and support staff. After all, they are the ones in classrooms day after day, creating lesson plans that include academics as well as social and emotional learning. How can you help them recover their inspiration?
Support Them
If ever actions speak louder than words, it’s when you support your staff. Defiant students and difficult parents are two areas where your teachers need your support. Just knowing that you have their back when the going gets tough can give them the confidence they need to meet these challenges head-on. Teachers who feel supported by their administrators often respond to problems with creative solutions.
Revive Their Passion
Educators are typically some of the most passionate people on the planet when it comes to their job. They love teaching, they love young people, and they love feeling as if they’re making a difference. Unfortunately, all of that can get lost in the day-to-day of classroom management, grading, and high-stakes testing. They look to your leadership to put all of this in perspective. Remind them that their role is important in changing the lives of their students. Help them to focus on the value of their chosen profession.
Show, Don’t Tell
Lots of administrators say they have an open-door policy, only to be unavailable when their staff needs them most. While you can’t always control the course of your day, placing your staff’s concerns and well-being above administrative tasks should be your primary goal. Be available to them to listen to their ideas, consider their concerns, and encourage them.
Share Inspiration
There’s a reason TED talks are popular with people of all ages, races, and backgrounds. The topics presented are varied and vast, presented by individuals who are leaders, philanthropists, scientists, musicians, and others at the top of their fields. There are numerous presentations by and for educators that can generate inspiration among your staff. Share them with your staff and invite them to share their favorites with you. You never know what might trigger a great idea for your school.
Inspired Teachers, Inspired Students
When it comes to creating a school environment that challenges and supports students, inspiring teachers is a good place to start. When you provide a supportive, nurturing work environment for your staff, everyone benefits. Awesome school culture can create an atmosphere in which teachers feel inspired to try new things and teach in new ways.
The excitement and energy generated by inspired teachers can benefit students. In inspired classrooms, students are more engaged with the subject matter and encouraged to think outside of the box. This can boost their grades and their confidence and improve graduation rates.
Make it easier to inspire teachers by implementing a PBIS initiative in your school. PBIS focuses attention on positive student behaviors, which in turn reduces negative behavior. Schoolwide expectations, a behavior matrix, and recognition of positive behaviors in a variety of settings can change school climate and culture.
PBIS Rewards enables you to manage your PBIS initiative digitally, tracking points, collecting data, and providing useful reports. We’d love to show you how a digital token economy can give you the confidence and freedom to inspire your staff and encourage your students. Contact us to get a demo!
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