Helpful Tips for Supporting New Teachers and Staff

By Dr. Zach Bruner, Superintendent

Currently, teacher and principal turnover rates are high nationwide, which, in turn, produces the need for new teachers and principals in buildings. With an influx of new staff members, it is the job of school leaders at multiple levels to provide support so that the new staff has every opportunity imaginable to be successful.

Mentorship

One of the best ways to support new teachers and staff is to provide them with a strong mentor. Providing a new teacher with a mentor is nothing new, but much thought needs to go into the matching process. Pair new teachers with mentors they can relate to and learn from beyond the subject area. Sometimes, pairing a strong mentor teacher with a new teacher outside their specific age group or subject area can be beneficial. A robust and trustworthy mentor can help a new teacher feel supported throughout that daunting first year.

Provide Professional Development Opportunities

Mentorship is an excellent start in professional development, but allowing new teachers and staff to go outside the district for professional development opportunities is essential to their success. This allows them to learn from others and network. They can learn many techniques and strategies, but speaking with others who can relate to what they go through daily is essential. Knowing they are not alone in their challenges is crucial.

Be a Good Listener

Listening well is essential in every aspect of life, especially when leading new teachers and staff. Let them express what they are dealing with and allow them uninterrupted time to talk while you actively listen. That opportunity to speak in a safe and trustworthy environment will help them work through their issues. There will be a time to speak up and actively support them, but listening is equally important.

Provide Regular Feedback

Be sure to observe your new teachers and staff in their roles regularly so that ample feedback can be provided to them. It is essential to explain to them that you are not doing this as punishment but as a way to give them the feedback needed to be their best.

It’s common for new teachers and staff to rarely be observed/evaluated, which is a mistake, as there is no way to truly help them if you do not know what types of help they need. Within this process, encourage them to ask questions, seek feedback, and be positive and encouraging.

Communicate Well

Communicating well is vital to leading a successful school. You will need to express your expectations effectively from the beginning. If you do not communicate well, it is arbitrary to expect high standards from your teachers and staff, especially the new ones. Be thorough and consistent with your communication.

Show Patience and Understanding

Everyone has been new to a career once, and patience and understanding are necessary for the new teachers and staff to be successful. You cannot expect your new people to immediately be excellent at this calling. Know that there will likely be some tough times, and show patience and understanding of their situation. This does not mean that you should not hold them to high standards, but be aware of the struggles they may be going through and show them some grace.

Dr. Zach Bruner is in his fourteenth year as an educator and his fifth year as a superintendent.

Follow the conversation #WhyITeach

To be reminded why your work is so very important and for more stories and advice, visit our collection of teacher perspectives at The Art of Teaching.

You can view the McGraw Hill Privacy Policy here: http://www.mheducation.com/privacy.html. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author, and do not reflect the values or positioning of McGraw Hill or its sales.