We’ve discussed how to spot toxic teachers at your school. These educators aren’t “bad” people—they may even be popular with particular groups of students and parents. They can appear effective in the classroom but they have lost their desire to exceed baseline expectations or take on new challenges. They could simply be tired or burned out from teaching.
The biggest problem is that their presence can be toxic to other faculty members and to your culture as a whole, preventing you from fulfilling your school’s mission.
Teachers Don’t Start Off Toxic
Spotting a toxic teacher is one thing—but there are steps you can take to help prevent teachers from becoming toxic in the first place. After all, no one enters the teaching profession with bad intentions. Turning toxic is often a gradual process, one that progresses over many years.
Teaching is a stressful profession. It requires every ounce of intellectual, physical, emotional, and spiritual energy that a person has—they are sometimes up against incredible odds.
What tools should you, as a school leader, provide to prevent teachers from becoming toxic?
Resources
- Time. Give your teachers the necessary time (and coverage, if needed) to engage with their students outside of their traditional classroom time. This might include ensuring they can lead or sit in on club meetings, schedule one-on-one conversations, attend sporting events, and so on. This helps them connect and stay grounded in their work.
- Peer relationships. Provide teachers with ongoing, consistent opportunities to engage with their fellow teachers—others who spend their days in the classroom supporting children. Designate time and space for teachers to talk to one another, visit other classrooms, plan together, share their expertise, and recount their triumphs.
- Professional development. Create opportunities for ongoing, intentional professional growth and renewal activities that they request, are excited about, and can't wait to share with their colleagues.
You must also make sure that your teacher evaluation process is meaningful and productive. Consider separating the processes of growth and evaluation to provide opportunities for teacher innovation, while providing predictability within a faculty evaluation system that has clear expectations for performance and professionalism.
Your teachers should develop measurable, manageable goals. You can use classroom observation as an extension of professional development to support their ongoing growth.
Teachers are some of the most valuable assets in your school community. They are on the front lines, working with students and parents every day. Ensure you provide the resources for them to work effectively, preventing toxicity and ensuring continued growth.
Additional ISM Resources:
The Source for Academic Leadership Vol. 15 No. 4 The Six Signs of a Toxic Teacher
The Source for Academic Leadership Vol. 16 No. 10 Support Your Teachers With a Better System for Growth and Evaluation
Additional ISM resources for members:
I&P Vol. 42 No. 7 The Toxic Teacher: Identification
I&P Vol. 42 No. 8 The Toxic Teacher: An Unfortunate Journey
