On a slow December Friday, at Education Week’s invitation, Principal Jesus Sandoval got together with two of his teachers for a down-to-brass-tacks talk about morale.
Two years into his gig at the high school in Burnsville, Minn., Sandoval ventured that it’s been up and down, but there is no consistent dipstick he uses.
Even being asked: “What do you think about the levels of teacher morale in your school right now?” was new. Such a conversation, Sandoval ventured, was an unusual opportunity to set time aside to listen to his teachers.
Matt Deutsch, a culinary and hospitality teacher, opened up about his mixed feelings about his job.
“I absolutely love what I’m doing and what I’m teaching, and I love the people that I work with, but I have been feeling recently like the parameters of what I’m doing are incredibly difficult,” he said, noting that having multiple classes in the same space—and the pace at which they occur—is affecting him.
In the past fall and winter, Education Week convened three principals—each joined by one or two teachers—for open-ended, focus-group-like conversation about teacher morale. We wanted to follow up on data from 2024 showing that principals tend to feel their teachers’ morale is much higher than teachers themselves report.
The groups interviewed feature a mix of veteran and new principals, math and English teachers, restorative practitioners, and teacher leaders.
Each group of principal and teachers spent over an hour talking to a reporter, and to one another. While each group had unique challenges around their school’s morale, common themes cropped up.
There were breakthroughs, too: Teachers acknowledged the complex hierarchy that shapes principals’ ability to make changes on their own that could improve morale, and principals talked about how their jobs aren’t neutral: they are mid-level managers, responsible to the top brass.
Listen to highlights from their conversation below.
Group 1: Emily Palmer and Tracy Byrd, principal and English teacher at Washburn High School in Minneapolis.
Group 2: Jesus Sandoval, principal, culinary and hospitality teacher Matt Deutsch, and English-language-learner teacher Suzanna Sieren, at Burnsville High School, Burnsville, Minn.
Group 3: James Allrich, principal, math teacher Paul Rubino, and restorative justice coach Ana Lopez, Argyle Middle School, Layhill, Md.
“These aren’t the jobs we used to have”
Principals contend with what the teacher job has become, and how they struggle to support their staff now. Teachers talk about whether they understand the full scope of their principal’s job, and if they believe they’re protected from the mandates handed down by the district.
Morale increases or decreases by factors of communication and trust
Morale is connected to how much teachers felt supported in conforming to new procedures and instructional shifts. It also hinges on clear communication, and whether teachers have the space to be vulnerable with their principals about challenges they face in and outside the classroom.
A go-between can ease tensions. But they need to build trust on both ends
Principals are putting out fires everywhere. Which means, inevitably, that some decisions or mandates teachers are expected to follow aren’t fully explained to them in time. A deputy, coach, or other “go between” who understands both parties’ role can be helpful here.
