Among Colleagues
How Can We Support the Whole Teacher?
In our school, we
have devoted much
attention to teaching
the whole child. Now
we also are looking at
how we can support
the whole teacher.
What strategies has
your school implemented to make sure that
teachers are healthy, safe, engaged, supported,
and challenged?
Q:
—Amy Lockhart, Teacher
Malcolm Price Laboratory School
Cedar Falls, Iowa
Acknowledge Causes
of Teachers’ Stress
During a half-day of
inservice training, we
asked teachers to write
down on sticky notes
things that cause them
daily stress, and then we
sorted the notes into school stressors and per-
sonal stressors and displayed them on opposite
walls of the room. Outside issues clearly out-
weighed school issues. This was a powerful visual
reminder that educators are often asked to be
strong for students while they may not feel very
strong themselves. We resolved as a staff to take
more time each day building one another up and
supporting one another as we create a healthy
school for our students.
—Lori Mora, Assistant Principal
Deer Valley Middle School
Phoenix, Arizona
A:
Embrace Differing Opinions
As we face what seems to be growing criticism of
schools and educators, it is crucial that we avoid
the temptation to circle the wagons and discount
the opinions of our critics. We need to listen,
engage, and become part of the dialogue.
In our school, we try to foster a climate that
encourages diverse opinions. We try to separate
practices from personalities and to disagree
without being disagreeable. We include the
naysayers on committees and engage teachers in
meaningful discussions and decisions on school
policies, practices, and procedures. We do not
confuse collegiality with congeniality, but we
work on improving both.
—Scott Herrmann, Principal
Gemini Junior High School
Niles, Illinois
Bring Online Teachers Together
Supporting the whole teacher is central to
our virtual public school. We’ve encouraged
healthy lifestyles by distributing pedometers and
creating walking teams, rewarding those with
the most miles. We frequently survey teachers
to determine their needs and interests, creating
trainings on the basis of their responses. We
work to identify teachers’ strengths, challenging
them to serve as leaders in their groups. Most of
all, our teachers are engaged because they know
their students personally through frequent,
individualized contact and lessons.
— Tracy Broccolino
Manager, Connections Virtual Academy
Baltimore, Maryland
Set a Reflective Tone
Dr. Darryl Howard, my instructor at the McNeil
Educational Leadership Foundation, shared with
us that effective administrators are reflective
stewards—and good stewards function like
thermostats, not thermometers. At my school,
we strive to help our new teachers set the tone
in their classrooms by helping them be reflective
and intentional. In addition, we help them learn
how to be good stewards of their instructional
time through professional learning communities.
—Michelle Neely, Teacher
Henry B. Gonzales Elementary School
Dallas, Texas
Join the
Conversation
Each month in “Among
Colleagues,” practicing
educators share
their advice about
professional challenges.
To read additional
responses to this
month’s question and
to add your own advice,
go to Inservice, the
ASCD blog, at http://
ascd.typepad.com/blog/
educational_leadership
