3 Simple Ways Administration Can Inspire Teacher Motivation

I frequently speak with educators regarding their experiences at their schools.  I pay attention to the correlation between their moral and other factors outside of their control.


Outside factors considered (thanks to School Digger):

• School performance (statewide performance, test scores)
• Student body (diversity, free/reduced lunch %)
• Classroom set-up (student/teacher ratio, staff size)

I can usually tell what stance their school administration takes in the teacher/administration relationship department based on a 5-minute conversation.

Unfortunately, as schools perform poorly, the pressure from above crashes down on teachers and slowly depletes their drive, passion, and purpose.  

Here are 3 simple ways school administration can keep the ship moving forward towards progress.

1. Autonomy

Give teachers the freedom to exercise creativity in the classroom.  

The negative effects of micromanaging can be detrimental to the structure of a classroom/school.  Don't micromanage a teacher's classroom.  Instead, offer constructive feedback on the things that'll have the greatest impact on the overall classroom environment.

Let teachers shine through their personal strengths and interests.

2.  Mastery

Enable teachers to do work that matters and that will help better their mastery.

Don't be too rigid.  Allow your staff to experiment with a new model or system they've recently discovered.  By doing things the same way they've always been done, how much are you expecting to change/improve?  

If your staff is taking the time outside of school to improve their craft, then you should be open to allowing them to experiment in the classroom.

Who knows, it might be just the thing your school is searching for.  

3.  Purpose

Purpose is often lost when stress and pressure blind us from a school's vision.

Frequently remind staff of the reason you're together and the challenges that you'll overcome together.  This may seem obvious, but it seems as if many educators feel as if their school leadership doesn't do a great job at communicating the purpose.

4 Unique (and Free) Online Tools for Teachers

Teachers are always searching for new resources and tools to make their super busy day, a little less, well, cluttered.  I've compiled a list of 4 resources that may not be so common in the education field, but can save a lot of time.

I would like to note that most of these resources primarily work with Google e-mail/calendar accounts.

1.  Google Alerts


I'm still surprised at the number of teachers I meet who have never heard of Google Alerts.  This resource can save a tremendous amount of time and effort.

All you have to do is input relevant terms and Google will e-mail a list of links that match your search criteria.  This is especially helpful if you're scholars are learning about a specific person or topic.

This is also a great way to stay up-to-date with current national or local news that may be of interest to your scholars.  You can schedule the frequency of the updates so you're not flooding your inbox daily.

2.  You Can Book Me


Fact: We live in a busy world.  Parent/teacher meetings or conferences are often a time consuming and challenging to schedule.  What if there was a much easier way to schedule these meetings?  Well, you're in luck!

Automated booking services (there are a lot) like You Can Book Me are popular in the sales world but are rarely mentioned in the world of education.

Think of this as having "office hours" for your parents.  You choose the times you're available to meet and once the parent/guardian signs up for a time, you'll both receive an update and it'll be ready on your calendar.

* I realize not every family has access to technology, so this isn't 100% effective, but more than not, this works.

3.  Sidekick


You've sent home several notes with a scholar you're concerned about with no response.  You've called but can't seem to get someone on the phone.  Now what?

Well, you could send an e-mail, but how do you even know if the parent or guardian checks their e-mail?

Well, now you can.

Sidekick (also popular in the world of sales) is a tool that will allow you know if a parent/guardian opens your e-mail.  In addition, you'll know how many times they've opened the e-mail with the times documented.

This isn't a tool I would openly mention to any parent.  Yes, it is slightly creepy, but knowing the message was received to the intended recipient is extremely valuable.  There's also a Google Chrome extension that's very helpful.

You get 200 free message updates per month, which should be plenty for most teachers.

4.  Unroll Me


If you're like me, your e-mail is jam packed by the end of the school day.  There's a mixture of parent messages, newsletters, and advertisements.

Unroll me is a great way to bundle all of your less urgent e-mails into one daily e-mail digest.  It's very user-friendly and is a great way to make sure the most important e-mails are waiting for you in your inbox each day.

I bundle Teachers Pay Teachers updates, education blogs, and company advertisements into one simple daily e-mail.

* Tip:  Make sure you go in once every week or so to update your new subscriptions.  

Bonus:  You can unsubscribe from all of the items you'd rather not receive.



Did I leave out any resources that you love?  Feel free to share your favorite resources below.

Parent Brush-Offs: How to Handle “I Don’t Have Time For This”

If you're an educator, then I'm sure you've encountered your fair share of parent brush-offs.

Dealing with parent's who are avoiding communication is a challenging obstacle to overcome.  The reason for the brush-off may vary from confronting a scholar's inappropriate behavior to discussing a plan of action for academic improvement.

It is at this moment persistence must prevail.  This triangle of communication (scholar/parent/school) is the make or break for scholar achievement.

Here are 2 common parent brush-off's and how to handle them while emphasizing urgency and accountability.  

"I don't have time to talk right now."

As teachers, we get it.  Parents are very busy professionals and there's a good chance our call is interrupting something "important."

Once the parent/guardian realizes that the call may be of serious concern, you'll hear "I don't have time to talk right now."  Boom!

In my first few years in the classroom, I would respond with "Sorry for interrupting!  I'll call later."  This response frequently failed because there wasn't a clear "next step."  What does "call later" even mean?

Instead, try this:

Parent:  "I don't have time to talk right now."

Teacher:  (silence - don't say a word!)

Parent:  "Hello?  Are you there?"

Teacher:  "Of course.  I thought you were checking your calendar for a better time for us to discuss [scholars name] [issue].

Once parents hear that response, you'll walk away with a date and time to discuss concerns.

"Can you just send me some practice/information."

As educators, we strive to provide students with the tools they need to be successful.  We don't just send worksheet after worksheet so the parent can keep their child busy at home.

Send home strategies the parent can utilize and follow up to hold them accountable.

Parent:  "I can't talk right now.  Can you send home more [concept/skill] practice?"

Teacher:  "Sure!  I will call you tomorrow evening to get your feedback on what I've sent home with [student name] tonight."

If the parent agrees to the follow-up, then they are on board!  In the follow-up, ask the parent what they noticed and how they helped.  You may realize that the parent is also having trouble with the concept, which should lead to an in-person meeting.

Some parents equate tons of homework with success and that's usually not the case.  Without truly taking the time to discuss the student struggles, the parent is avoiding the issue at hand.