As the School Head, you play an important role in many areas of school operation. But perhaps one of the most integral duties you have is to support and guide your teaching staff.
Teachers rely on your leadership to ensure they’re able to deliver the best education possible to their students. They rely on the resources, time, and space you provide to help children reach their full potential.
So while you might not talk to every teacher each day, your leadership influences their overall perception of the school. Researchers from Loyola Marymount University explored this correlation in their study, “How Much Do School Principals Matter When It Comes to Teacher Working Conditions?”
The study looked at U.S. public schools, but learnings gleaned can certainly be applied to teachers in a private-school setting. Researchers analyzed how closely teachers’ perceptions of working conditions relates to their perceptions of their school leader. They did this in four key categories:
- use of teacher time;
- school environment;
- school leadership; and
- teacher training.
In each area, how teachers rated their experiences matched how they rated their principals. In essence, the evidence “suggests that the individual principal matters when it comes to a teacher’s perception of his or her work environment.”
This further reinforces ISM’s research that predictability and support are essential components of a high-functioning school—one associated with better student performance, satisfaction, and enthusiasm. Further, a high-quality school leader supports and sustains a healthy faculty culture. We published this research in Ideas & Perspectives, our flagship advisory periodical that’s available to ISM Members. Learn more about ISM’s Membership program here.
How can you, as a School Head, support your teachers to help prevent faculty turnover? EdWeek recently published an article with examples of school leaders who are going above and beyond to “walk the walk” in making their faculty culture exceptional.
One principal ran a half marathon to raise money for her teachers, and invited faculty members to join her each week for a workout. Another taught a lesson for each teacher once a week to give that person a break or the opportunity to do some observation of their own.
How do you use your leadership skills to help build your faculty culture? What results have you seen? Let us know in a comment below.
Additional ISM Resources:
The Source for Private School News Vol. 16 No. 4 The Importance of Faculty Collaborative Time
The Source for Academic Leadership Vol. 15 No. 1 Set the Tone for a Successful School Year With Faculty Appreciation
Additional Resources for ISM Members:
I&P Vol. 42 No. 14 Executive Leadership: The Relationships Between Predictability and Support, the School Head's Well-Being, and Faculty Culture
I&P Vol. 43 No. 13 How to Create a Toxic Faculty Culture
