When teachers face physical and verbal aggression in their classrooms, it shakes their trust in the profession. They don’t feel safe, don’t trust their administration, and often, don’t know how to continue teaching students who were their aggressors.
Violence against educators grew after the pandemic, surveys show. Students struggled to readapt to a classroom environment again, and parents increasingly began to blame teachers when their children performed poorly or got in trouble.
But when teachers feel like their administrators have their backs, they are less likely to feel victimized by students and parents and more likely to stay in their jobs, new research suggests.
Principal support can be “massively effective in promoting teacher well-being,” said Andrew Perry, the lead author of the research study and a senior lecturer at Ohio State University. “Principals who simply communicate with their teachers and show them that they’re there, that they have their backs, can have [a] positive impact on school climate.”
Setting up clear policies to tackle student discipline—like restorative practices—can also help teachers feel safe and supported, according to the research.
Teachers’ views vary, though, on how much this support helps. In comments on an Education Week Facebook post featuring a story on Perry’s research, teachers sounded off about school leaders’ role in protecting teachers from aggressive behavior.
The following responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Teachers want principals to discipline students
Teachers said they want principals to tackle student aggression and misbehavior with a firm hand. When teachers are told to just deal with the aggression or blamed for not managing their classrooms well, it dents their morale and affects job satisfaction.
Principal support can better improve working conditions for teachers
Teachers shared that when principals support them against angry parents and follow set procedures to tackle student behavior, they feel more satisfied at work. When principals help teachers navigate their relationships with students and parents, it can help reduce any potential aggression.
