As a high school English teacher for more than three decades, I always wanted students to be engaged. I didn’t want them to check out.
Now, as an instructional coach, I feel the same sense of purpose. This time, it is directed at my colleagues. I want our newest teachers to connect with our school and add positively to our culture. I do not want them to check out.
In this era of teacher shortages across the country, school leaders can commit to a plan to create a positive culture where teachers are more likely to stay.
In this biweekly column, principals and other authorities on school leadership—including researchers, education professors, district administrators, and assistant principals—offer timely and timeless advice for their peers.
My school recently experienced a challenging period of teacher turnover. At its worst, our English department, where I taught at the time, lost 27 teachers in just six years. In response, our team of leaders has committed to a set of specific practices to boosting teacher retention. Over the past six years of this focus on connecting and supporting new teachers, the English department lost only seven teachers.
This year, we also did not need to hire a single teacher in a core academic subject. That had never before happened in my 41-year career working in high schools. Here’s what we’ve learned works:
Connect deeply.
Every time a new teacher arrives on our campus, I sit with them for a lengthy conversation. I want the experience to go beyond mere “onboarding.” Yes, they need to know the nuts and bolts, like how to take attendance, but I want our conversation to be more substantive. I ask each new teacher to recount their journey, to explain how and why they became a teacher. These stories are revealing, diverse, and often fascinating.
I also ask them to identify their three core values, a reflective process I learned from teacher coach Elena Aguilar. When they explain why they have chosen those specific values, I learn a great deal about what drives them. Conversations often go unexpectedly deep.
Show up authentically.
The needs of a new teacher are greatest early in the school year, when they may appreciate a remote for their projector or batteries for that remote. For example, it took little effort for me to print out class lists for a new teacher who did not yet have access to the system, but he looked so relieved when I handed those papers to him. In this often dizzying time, the smallest gestures can make the biggest impact.
We know that teachers want to be heard and appreciated. Sadly, this often gets translated into a generic thank you card and boxes of bagels in the lounge during Teacher Appreciation Week. Teachers certainly love free food, but they recognize such gestures as predictable, performative, and not the least bit individualized.
Be responsive and follow through.
It is easy to say “My door is always open!” or “Email me!” But responding quickly and thoughtfully, even on a busy day, requires commitment. New teachers realize that their colleagues and administrators are busy, but they often feel lost. When we respond right away, that helps them feel a sense of belonging and stability.
Sometimes, there are moments when the timing is perfect, like when a teacher emailed to ask whether we still had any mobile whiteboards available. I was in my office at the time, staring at the last one. Within minutes, I was wheeling one into his classroom.
Even if I can’t address the issue for several hours, I can still give them an immediate response to acknowledge I’m on it. Then, several hours later, I need to deliver on whatever I have promised. Whether an issue is addressed in five minutes or five hours, we can’t let new teachers feel alone or forgotten.
Make early and frequent low-stakes class visits.
Few things instill panic in the heart of a new teacher like an adult walking in to observe the class.
I remind new teachers that I am a coach. As such, I am a colleague, not a supervisor. I come to support, not to evaluate. But even a supervisor who is tasked with conducting evaluations can relay to a teacher the value of a low-stakes visit.
I tell teachers that I want to visit their classroom frequently, usually unannounced. “I might see you have a bad day,” I explain. “But if I’m in your room enough, I will see a bit of everything.” I want to learn what kind of teacher they are. Equally important, I want them to feel comfortable having outsiders in the room. More visits will make those visits feel more natural, especially when the notebook or tablet is put away.
Don’t overdo it.
The basic tasks of teaching—planning lessons, designing materials, and grading—are especially difficult and time-consuming for someone new to the profession or adjusting to a different role. How can we support them during this early stage? If we look to add, we need to do so carefully.
We could pull them out for on-campus training but only if we are confident that the training will improve their practice. We could find a nearby conference for them to attend but only if we are confident they are ready to process that content.
We also need to ensure that new teachers are protected from taking on too much. Are they being asked to coach a team or advise a club? My school has established policies as to what a first-year teacher can and cannot do.
When teachers feel connected and respected, they are unlikely to check out. They become part of the school’s culture, strengthening the foundation.
