Increasing teacher staff will go a long way in helping to promote more innovative and creative ideas for closing the achievement gap and preventing teacher burnout. Adding new teachers to a staff can be a godsend. New ideas and positive energy are two of the benefits. However, to keep them from leaving, staff and administration must do their part to make them feel highly valued.
Therefore, first impressions by all staff members must be optimal. Whenever I find myself being the new teacher on the block, I look at the attitude of my team members. This is extremely important to me because the ability to work together means high levels of success.
Moreover, if I am a new teacher, I am going to present myself in a way that my new comrades can feel comfortable approaching me. I am going to introduce myself with a smile, shake hands, and carry myself in a humble atmosphere.
Never enter a new team thinking that you know it all and that know one can teach you anything. Others will see you as arrogant and unteachable. Furthermore, what I have discovered, is that, if you give the impression that you are unteachable, you will take this same energy into a classroom, and it will be reflected to you via students.
If you are a principle who has just hired a new teacher, you must make it a priority that the new teacher on the block feel highly accepted.
Begin by promising your full support as the leader of the teaching staff. Make sure you inform the staff to create a welcoming environment full of welcoming attitudes and a sense of genuine support and guidance.
Creating Great first impressions should take priority if the new teacher on the block is going to perform with the confidence that he or she is having full support. Some of the ways that staff can make new teachers fill comfortable in your school environment are as follows:
- She should know that the principle is her biggest supporter
- She should know that administration got their back
- He should know that every member of the teaching staff is open for supportive questions and guidance.
- The school atmosphere should be welcoming
- The new teacher should have all the materials, supplies and resources necessary to lead and manage a successful classroom.
Adding new teachers and keeping them should be a priority for all principles, administrations, teacher staff. The education system already suffers from a teacher shortage. Thousand of teachers leave the profession, either due to burnout or insufficient pay.
The best schools are driving by teachers who have a sense of purpose, passion, and unity in providing quality education and pushing students toward excellence. The new teacher on the block may just be the person who bring in fresh ideas that can help transform your school and bring closure to the achievement gap.
