A recent Gallup Survey about teacher engagement reported that 57 percent of teachers say they are not emotionally connected to their jobs, and another 13 percent are outright unhappy and actively disengaged. This is unsettling. School leaders need to start asking themselves why such a large percentage of teachers are not energized by their work—and what they can do to fix the problem.
We know that the best teachers are the also the most eager learners. In my work with teachers, I've seen that the disengaged ones are less likely to embrace new teaching techniques and technology tools that will make them better at their jobs and help their students succeed. To ensure their faculty continue to develop and grow in their teaching, school leaders must provide reasons for their teachers to be creative, passionate, and curious.
Articulate Your
In his book Start with Why, Simon Sinek (Portfolio, 2011) explains that it is important for an organization to articulate why the people connected to it do the work they do—instead of focusing exclusively on what they do. The why, he says, is what gives people within the organization a sense of purpose and belonging; people want to feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves. Unfortunately, many schools fail to clearly articulate why they do what they do, and, as a result, teachers do not feel invested in a shared vision. The lack of a clear purpose is likely responsible, in part, for the high number of unengaged teachers.
I see this lack of buy-in regularly in my work as a professional development facilitator. Teachers are required to attend trainings that may not speak to their specific needs, concerns, or interests. So I start all of my trainings by explaining my why. I tell them that I teach because I want to excite curiosity, engagement, and passion in every learner. But I know that each student has unique interests and is at a different place in his or her learning. So to fulfill my why, I use technology tools to personalize learning, provide students with autonomy, and redesign my classroom so I have more time to work with individual students. I also point out the myriad ways that technology makes my job easier and alleviates many of the pain points associated with this profession, from massive stacks of grading to the wide range of learners in a single class.
When teachers see how technology can help them to achieve their goals in the classroom and make their lives easier, then I have their attention. Similarly, school leaders must start with why if they are going to inspire their teachers to act.
Give Teachers Choice
When teachers enjoy higher levels of autonomy, they tend to be more energized and engaged. This is particularly true for schools that provide teachers with choice and voice in regard to professional learning. One school I worked with designed a professional development choice board with activities that the teacher could complete to receive professional development hours. One square said, "Start a Twitter account and participate in one #edchat." Another said, "Write and publish a blog post about something new you tried this week." There were also more traditional learning options, like attending a conference, taking an online course, or signing up for an after-school workshop.
Support Your Teachers
Just like students, teachers must feel supported if they are going to take risks and engage with new ideas. Leadership must create a professional learning infrastructure that encourages teachers to experiment with new teaching techniques and technology tools.
Creating and fostering personal learning communities is one way for school leaders to provide consistent, long-term support to their faculty. The most dynamic learning communities build their entire school schedules around their professional learning community model. These schools give teachers who are at the same grade level or who teach the same subject a shared preparation period each day to plan lessons, discuss strategies, and work collaboratively. This creates a community of learning where teachers can challenge and inspire one another.
Embracing Change
The proliferation of technology is ushering in a new wave of initiatives in schools. These changes have the potential to either inspire or alienate teachers. Leaders who clearly explain why technology is valuable, beyond boosting standardized state test scores, are more likely to engage their teachers and create a culture that embraces change. Teachers must believe in the value of adding technology, have choice when it comes to their own learning, and feel supported by leadership if they are going to be energized and excited.
