"The impact of an educator is not based on our ability to teach, but rather our ability to learn and be curious.”
I open with this statement at almost every staff meeting at my school and at talks I give around the country on leadership and supporting teachers. I open with this thought because several years ago I found myself wondering why teachers and leaders choose to stay during the most challenging times. Yes, we are committed and dedicated to our purpose, but the school systems we know today have not been good to teachers. It can be courageous to make the choice to stay when many are understandably leaving the profession.
So why do we stay? Passion, commitment, and connections to our work and relationships matter, certainly, but in the end, what I believe most keeps teachers in their jobs is when they feel like they have a voice. Agency is a must if we want to improve teacher support and retention. And there is only one type of school culture where teachers feel like they have agency, influence, voice, choice, and the freedom to be creative—a learning culture.
Schools and districts must begin to empower teachers to make key decisions about their success and the success of their students.
But what is authentic teacher agency, and how do we create true learning cultures in schools? We know now, by most definitions, that teacher agency is the capacity of teachers to own and direct their learning and professional growth. But for most teachers to have real agency and feel connected to their purpose and work, schools and districts must begin to empower teachers to make key decisions about their success and the success of their students. We need to give them meaningful influence and input. These strategies are especially important for every school to implement right now during the national teacher shortage. Building learning cultures in schools where teachers and other staff feel heard, seen, and valued will be the key to vastly improving our school systems. But it won’t be easy.
Providing Autonomy and Choice
Leaders must find multiple ways to improve teacher agency so that teachers can connect to the real work of impacting student achievement and their own learning. We must begin to treat teachers like the experts and professionals they are and support them so that they can continue to develop their creativity and innovation. In my 24 years as a school leader, I have found that teachers value the learning opportunities in PLCs and more personalized professional development because they can turn around and use what they learn immediately in their classrooms. This year at my school, we decided to offer a menu or choice of options for personalized PD for teachers. They can choose what they want to attend and in what areas they want to increase their learning. As administrators, we must show teachers that we respect their time as learners and the important work they do.
Leaders also need to become comfortable with letting go of some control and allowing teachers and coaches to operate with more autonomy. Involve teachers in decision making at the school level to help develop their leadership abilities and give them opportunities to support their colleagues as peer coaches. Most importantly, when implementing new initiatives, don’t blame teachers if they aren’t successful. School-based decisions are made as a team, and blaming teachers could impact the staff’s growth and trust.
Teacher agency begins with skillful leaders who bring teachers to the table, engage them in authentic conversations about teaching and learning, and support their growth and leadership.
Finally, schools must take care to build leader capacity. Teacher agency begins with skillful leaders who bring teachers to the table, engage them in authentic conversations about teaching and learning, and support their growth and leadership. We must encourage our leaders to listen to teachers’ ideas and act upon them whenever possible—but also to make sure to follow up and have honest conversations with teachers when they can’t use those ideas. Leaders need to think of the journey of school improvement as a team effort, and they need some of the same supports that teachers need around innovation and creativity. Let’s find a way to inspire leaders to move away from the fear and pressure of state-mandated tests, choosing impact over compliance. Teachers can’t be creative in classrooms if they are married to state tests or strict test-prep curricula. Effective leaders understand this and work to create space for teacher agency in all aspects of their work.
A Culture That Inspires
Teacher agency won’t fix all the problems in education or eliminate the many barriers to the retention of thousands of teachers who are leaving. But it will inspire educators to choose to stay in these challenging times and continue to learn and develop their craft. Teacher agency and learning cultures are developed when we ensure professional development is driven by teacher input and aligned to school and district goals. When we believe in and listen to teachers and support their development, they will choose to stay and impact other teachers and their students. Let’s make teaching a desirable career for aspiring teachers and one that veteran teachers enjoy. It is our only hope for a brighter future for the next generation.
