contributed by Vivian Iveyprincipal, Aloma High School, Orlando, Florida
It’s no surprise that teachers are facing increasing pressure.
They engage with diverse students, each bringing their own unique backgrounds, life experiences, and personalities. In these potentially challenging circumstances, teachers often need support to prevent burnout, especially when facing personal difficulties outside the classroom or dealing with classroom conflicts.
With 26 years of experience in education, I’ve seen firsthand how educational leaders can best support teachers and reduce burnout, allowing them to focus on what really matters: making a lasting impact on students.
I’ve learned a lot about leadership over the years by embracing the mistakes I’ve made and watching different roles work together in a school environment. One notable lesson is that each student, teacher, and staff member brings their own perspectives. Recognizing this helps move away from a one-size-fits-all approach and creates an environment that supports teachers of all backgrounds, helping to prevent burnout.
Here are a few strategies I’ve learned over the years to best support our teachers:
We all deal with challenges outside of work
Teachers, like everyone else, have lives outside of school. While I believe that all educators arrive each day with the best intentions to teach and support their students, personal struggles can intervene and lead to burnout more quickly.
When teachers begin to feel burnout approaching, they often need to feel understood and supported. This is where administrators should meet them to offer a helping hand. Support can look like providing a quiet space to regroup, offering to listen, or showing empathy.
For example, a few years ago I noticed that a new teacher often arrived late, so I simply asked her if there was anything I could do to support her. From this question I found out that she has a child with a disability who needs extra help in the morning. I then offered to stay for the first 15 minutes so the teacher could focus on what was important before teaching for the day.
Classroom dynamics
Discipline is key to preventing burnout. Teachers who face persistent behavior problems are more likely to burn out. It is important that they do not feel isolated. Quick intervention, such as removing a disruptive student or offering support, helps teachers regain control.
Given the diverse backgrounds of students and teachers, matching them based on personalities and teaching styles is important. Some teachers do great in a structured environment, while others do better with behavioral issues. School leaders need to understand this dynamic and ensure the best fit.
Recognition of teachers for their hard work
Having a recognition program not only highlights outstanding teachers, but also gives positive incentives to staff. At our school, we award special trophies for achievements such as best credits or highest attendance. While not everyone can win a trophy, we make an effort to provide personal shoutouts and recognition, such as writing thank you notes or using other ideas I’ve found on social media. Small gestures, like thanking a teacher for staying late to help a student understand a difficult concept, can have a big impact.
Leading by example
Teachers appreciate a leader who isn’t afraid to roll up his sleeves and step in when needed. As a principal, I have had to go into classrooms to cover for teachers when they are absent or overwhelmed, and I believe this mutual respect helps build a positive culture. Teachers who see their leaders actively involved in the day-to-day operations of the school, whether dealing with a difficult student or covering a class, are more likely to feel supported and valued.
Encourage problem solving and ownership
When challenges arise, I encourage teachers to offer me solutions, not just problems. Empowering teachers to think critically about how to deal with problems, whether it’s classroom management, time constraints or student behaviour, helps them take ownership of their role and builds confidence. This strategy also helps teachers meet leaders halfway by expressing their needs, allowing leaders to develop a solution more quickly.
The pressure on teachers is real, especially at the end of the school year, but there are steps we can take as leaders and colleagues to provide the support they need to finish strong. At the end of the day, when teachers are supported, students thrive and schools succeed.
