5 Ways to Keep Your Best Teachers from Jumping Ship

It’s not always easy to keep your best teachers around, especially if you’re already struggling to keep up with student enrollment. However, retaining the best teachers will help you build better rapport with students and improve the overall performance of your school, so it’s worth whatever effort you can put into it. Here are five strategies you can use to keep your best teachers from jumping ship.

1) Build Relationships

Excellent teachers want to feel like they’re part of a community. They want to feel supported by their colleagues and respected by their students’ families. So one of the best things you can do is create a positive school culture where everyone feels like they belong. The first step in this process is to start talking about what you love about your job. When was the last time you had an adult conversation with your colleague? And how often do your students’ parents come in for lunch or chat? There are so many ways that we can cultivate relationships with our colleagues, but if we never make time for them, then we’re not going to build strong relationships.

In terms of strengthening parent-teacher relationships, it’s important to invite parents into the classroom as much as possible – even if it’s just for a few minutes at the end of each day or when there’s an open house event going on.

2) Be Flexible

Excellent teachers are often those who are willing to go above and beyond for their students. As such, they may need a little extra flexibility when it comes to things like lesson planning and class time. If you can be accommodating, they’ll be more likely to stick around. You should also offer bonuses or incentives for high-performing teachers.

3) Give Promotions and Recognition

Promote from within whenever possible. This sends the message that you value your employees and are willing to invest in their growth. Be sure to give public recognition for a job well done. This can be in the form of an announcement at a staff meeting, a shout-out on social media, or even a simple thank-you note.

4) Help Them Grow

Excellent teachers are often looking for ways to grow and improve in their field. As a school administrator, you can help them by providing opportunities for professional development, such as attending conferences or taking on new roles within the school. By investing in your teachers’ growth, you’ll show them that you value their work and that they have a future at your school.

5) Train Them Well

It’s important to set your teachers up for success by providing adequate training. When teachers feel confident in their abilities, they’re more likely to stay put. Make sure you’re covering all the bases and giving your staff the tools they need to succeed. If a teacher leaves, use that opportunity to reassess the gaps in your training program and make any necessary changes so that other great educators don’t get discouraged and leave as well.

Final Thought

Excellent teachers are hard to come by. When you have a great teacher on your team, it’s important to do what you can to keep them around. Here are five ways to keep your best teachers from leaving 1) Reward them – Even if they’re not seeking a promotion, they still deserve recognition for their excellence.

2) Share the love – Don’t be afraid to delegate responsibilities outside of the classroom so that they don’t feel stuck doing everything themselves.

3) Promote teamwork – Make sure that the excellent teachers know how appreciated they are and that there is an open door policy for help with challenges or questions.

4) Give them some control – Allow excellent teachers to make decisions about aspects of their classroom environment and instruction, as long as these choices align with the school’s curriculum and policies.

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