We say this time and time again as we speak to educators in Texas and across the country: education is the best profession in the world! The impact you make on thousands of lives in your career is something you should take tremendous pride in. Each school year is a gift that comes with great triumphs, opportunities, and growth. But as you head into this second half of the school year, you tend to see more trials, setbacks, and frustrations. This can lead to burnout, increased stress, and your overall health being negatively impacted.
While we both acknowledge these next few months are tough in your role as the school leader, we both want to be here to help you through them! We have sat in your seat, and we see the incredible need for strong leaders in schools. We want that to be you! We want your school thriving and we want to give your community something to be proud of. So, let’s talk about one of the biggest ways you can prevent those negative effects and provide everyone you serve those positive ones…. Don’t do this job alone! Let us give you some strategies and benefits on this theory that can transform your career.
You’ve already done this one. You joined TEPSA! In addition to the legal protections that come with being a TEPSA member, there is also some fantastic PD. This year TEPSA has several virtual learning opportunities for you to do on YOUR time at YOUR pace!! Check them out here.
Find your people: locally and nationally. This one was truly a game changer for both of us and it made us such better leaders! If you are like us and leading in a rural district, you know you are probably the only principal and may not have a huge admin team in your district to lean on. So in our first few years as a principal, we tried to do everything on our own without a lot of guidance, mentoring or support. Those years were ROUGH. We made mistakes, constantly stayed in fire-fighter mode and were always feeling defeated. So, one day we said enough is enough and we took charge. We picked up the phone and called a few other principals in the region, or started getting active on social media, and made the commitment that we weren’t going to do this job alone. This was the beginning of finding our people and once we did, WOW! What a shift we were able to see. Not only did we make better decisions, but we were much more confident and happier in our role.
Attend a conference, PD, workshop. This can be a great place to find your people! For us, conferences are where we go to get the bucket filled because you don’t just attend to stay up to date with the latest trends, receive high-level professional development and learn from the best in the business; you also go for the connection and relationships! And TEPSA has some of the best! You can’t beat the TEPSA Summer Conference!
Have an outlet. Part of not doing this job alone is having someone you can talk to! This is so important to your mental health, job satisfaction and success. This outlet can be so many different people. People who have been so helpful in our lives have been our spouses, best friends, each other, and a therapist. We really recommend someone outside of your building or campus. Someone who can give you a fresh perspective, honest advice and is a good listener!
Build your team and trust your team. While we’ve talked a lot about strategies that involve people outside of your campus, it is also extremely important to have a strong team! It truly takes a village to have a successful and high impact school. Don’t try to take on every role in the village. Build a team of professionals who believe in your mission, thrive in areas you struggle in, and always want to do what is best for kids! Schools that have strong teams have strong cultures and big results.
You have one of the most influential careers in America! The daily impact you make on students, adults and entire communities is truly incredible. You are doing amazing things and should be proud, but don’t go through it alone. We have provided you with five strategies to take your school and career to the next level. They will also improve your mental health and make sure those who mean the most to you are getting the best you!
Todd Nesloney is TEPSA’s Director of Culture and Strategic Leadership. He is an award-winning educator, author and international speaker.
Ross Braun is a former elementary principal who is passionate about supporting schools and leaders to ensure every child has a safe, loving, and engaging learning environment. Ross is now the VP of Positive Education at Spring, Texas-based, School Life.
