Teacher retention tips part 2

Teacher retention tips part 2. Today’s post will look at 2 more tips that will help schools to retain teachers. Click here for part 1.

Give teachers a daily planning period

Every teacher needs a block of time each day that is free from school demands. This time must be sacred.

I know that teachers are hired to teach, but every lesson requires thoughtful planning. And, many subjects have stacks of student assignments that must be graded. There shouldn’t be an expectation that teachers will go home and do their planning and grading.

Covering classes

The biggest impediment to the daily planning period is the specter of having to cover a class.

I can’t count the number of days that I’ve approached my planning period with anxiety. “Will they call on me to cover a class today?” And, I feel terrible every time I need to miss a day or leave early. “Who is going to have to give up. their planning period in order to cover my class?”

Covering classes is a challenge for the administration. Substitute teachers are frequently in short supply. I’m not an administrator and don’t have a solution for this problem. All I can say is, teachers need a daily planning period.

Extra money for extra classes

Some schools offer a bonus for teachers who take on an extra class. This means that they never have a planning period. Don’t allow this to happen!

Are the teachers doing this because they need the extra money? If so, you need to look at their salary.

Are teachers abandoning their planning period because it’s more practical? I know of some who’ve taken on teaching every period because they were frequently asked to cover other classes. They’d rather stick to their own classrooms and manage the added workload than constantly shift around to fill in for other teachers.

If teachers are asking to teach during their planning period, figure out why. If you want your good teachers to last, they need daily time to get work done. Otherwise, you’re going to burn through your people.

Don’t require weekly lesson plans

It is fairly common that administrators expect teachers to turn in weekly lesson plans. I agree with the underlying motive. Teachers need to know what they’re doing. There must be a plan to the lesson. But…

Is the administrative team reading the plans? If no one is reading the lesson plans, it’s a meaningless exercise.

Teachers are expected to read and grade student work. Administration should show the same respect to the teacher’s work. Lesson plans must be read with substantive responses.

If this isn’t something the administration is able or willing to do, don’t expect plans to be submitted.

Lesson plans

Lesson plans change. I plan from class to class. I know where I’m going but I don’t expect to be able to divine what the students will be able to accomplish for an entire week.

And, teachers are teaching a broad variety of content. No administrative team can understand all of these areas. If they’re not going to understand the plans, how can they possibly give meaningful feedback?

There may be times when a teacher doesn’t seem to be performing well and you need to look at their plans. I believe that lesson plans are valuable in this situation. But, you’re looking BACK at what they DID and not forward to what they “say” they’re going to do.

Wrap-up

We want our great teachers to stick around. Make them want to stay. Give them a daily planning period and don’t require lesson plans to be submitted.

Check back next week for more content!