TL;DR:
- Getting back into things after a tough first semester can be challenging. Look for ways to help teachers win in the second half of the year.
- Look for ways to celebrate the good work teachers have done all year.
- Regardless of your role, there are many opportunities to uplift your teachers and help them finish the rest of the year strong.
The new year and semester starts with a new intention, a word of the year and goals that we set for ourselves, both personally and professionally for 2025. One of the professional goals that you may consider setting is uplifting others in your school or organization.
Uplifting from a teacher lens
There are many ways to start this, no matter your role. As a teacher to teacher, you could uplift a fellow colleague by highlighting a win they had in their classroom, an engaging activity or an act of kindness they did for you or others in your department or grade level.
Uplifting from a coach lens
In a teacher leader/TOSA or instructional coach role, you are often in classrooms observing lessons and working with teachers to support their instruction. If a teacher had particular challenges at the beginning of the school year and has worked hard to build relationships with their students, thus ending last semester with student success and improved engagement, that is definitely something to be celebrated!
Whether you choose to uplift their accomplishments before the whole staff or during a PLC meeting with a smaller group, show them you noticed their win and it will keep their motivation up for second semester.
[scroll down to keep reading]
Uplifting from an administrator lens
From an administrative lens, you can uplift your teachers in many ways. Praising their accomplishments would be the first way to lift them up. In a year that may have been challenging so far, look for ways to celebrate things that went well. Securing grant money for things that enhance teacher well-being, such as a bringing in massage therapists, investing in massage chairs for the staff lounge, or having speakers come in to work with small groups of staff in guided mediation or yoga nidra are things that many staff will appreciate.
Working with your leadership team as well to ensure work-life balance goes a long way in uplifting teachers and supporting them. Looking at the master schedule, time for planning with teams, and adjusting how many staff meetings you have are all ways you can support teachers’ work-life balance.
No matter what your role at a school or district, you can uplift your teachers in many ways. Don’t forget to take the time as we start a new semester to show your appreciation and give them a shout-out for a job well done. These suggestions will be positive investments in your time, and can lead to greater teacher retention in your workplace.
About Dana Goodier
Dr. Dana Goodier has 23 years of experience in education. She has taught World Languages and English and worked as a middle school administrator. She completed her doctorate degree (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership early 2020. For her dissertation, she researched reasons parents were opting their students out of high-stakes testing at middle schools and how that affected the district accreditation rating.
She often speaks at conferences, providing educators with techniques to minimize off-task behavior and to increase time on task. Goodier is the host of the “Out of the Trenches” podcast, which features educators who share their stories of resiliency. She is also the author of the book, “Out of the Trenches: Stories of Resilient Educators.”
Follow her on Twitter @danagoodier and visit her website at: www.danagoodier.com
