In the modern-day education landscape, teachers face mounting pressures from all directions – overwhelming workloads, ever-shifting curriculum demands, increasingly difficult student behaviors, and physical and emotional burnout. Yet, studies show that one of the most powerful ways to support teachers through these struggles isn’t more resources or training, it’s relationships. Building strong connections can transform a school’s culture, reduce stress, and reignite passion for teaching. But how can administrators foster these relationships in meaningful, impactful ways?
Here are simple things you can do as a campus administrator to strengthen relationships with your staff by supporting them through the challenges of teaching.
1. Go Slow to Go Fast
We have all heard the Jeff Olson quote, “Sometimes you need to slow down to go fast.” In my first year as an administrator, I learned this valuable lesson the hard way. I came into a new school eager to make meaningful changes and improve student outcomes. I had a strong background in instruction and high standards and expectations for what I believed instruction should look like. I thought I could swoop in and share my expertise to raise the level of instruction on our campus and that teachers would listen and care about what I had to say. Oh, how wrong I was! In reality, my team was a little scared and intimidated by me. My blunt, black-and-white approach to school improvement yielded little results and I was left feeling frustrated, deflated, and even worse, I was adding to the stress of teachers on campus. After a lot of personal reflection and coaching conversations with my mentor (shoutout to Summer Gault), I realized I had missed one crucial step in school improvement. I missed building relationships and earning the trust of those I lead. I shifted my focus from student outcomes to building relationships. I spent time having meaningful conversations with my colleagues, many of which had nothing to do with school. I listened to their frustrations and did my best to help relieve them of what I could. I noticed a shift in my relationships, teachers were now coming to me for advice, seeking my opinions on lesson design, and dropping by my office just to chat and catch up. My expectations and standards didn’t change but the way I communicated them changed drastically, and by doing so I became the instructional leader I always wanted to be.
2. Fostering Potential Over Policing Performance
Nobody likes a micro-manager. Teaching is hard enough at the best of times, and one guaranteed way to push a teacher over the edge is to nitpick about how their content and language objectives are written on the board, how they have structured their lesson plans, or if they have logged all their intervention minutes before the weekend. I could go on, but I think you get the idea. Rather than investing time in policing performance and compliance, invest in the growth of your people. Take time to listen to their goals, encourage them to try new things, and create a safe place for them to fail forward. By doing so, the tasks and performance will get taken care of, but more importantly, you have maintained the relationship and supported personal growth and passion.
3. Empowering Through Trust
Trust is the foundation for any successful relationship. Treat those you lead like the educated professionals they are. Trust them to make informed decisions about their students and support them in those decisions. That’s it!
4. Be Visible
Being visible doesn’t mean just being seen around campus. Sure, that will help some with discipline issues, however, it is not maximizing your time and visibility to its full potential. There is an expectation in the district I work for that administrators do a certain amount of classroom walkthroughs every week. The feedback form we fill out can be completed on your cell phone and is particularly lengthy. After a while, I found myself in lessons spending more time looking down at my phone laboring my way through the walkthrough form than watching the lessons or engaging with the students and teacher. Spend time meaningfully engaging with those around you in lessons, try to be of assistance to the teacher, offer encouragement, join in with the learning, and have some fun. This will help to further that trusting relationship with the teacher, which will make them more likely to be receptive to the feedback you give them. It also allows you to have those authentic coaching conversations in person rather than leaving feedback comments on the bottom of a form.
5. Celebrate the Wins
As a former early-years teacher and parent to a toddler, some of my favorite books are kids’ books. There is a lot of wisdom within the colorful and magical pages of children’s literature. Winnie the Pooh once said, “Sometimes, the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.” Celebrate the wins, no matter how small they are. Recognize teachers’ efforts and accomplishments in meaningful ways. This can be as small as a shout-out in the staff newsletter or faculty meeting, a handwritten note of thanks or acknowledgment, or sharing some genuine and heartfelt words of appreciation and encouragement. Recognizing the wins, no matter how small, boosts morale, builds a sense of belonging, and can help to keep a teacher’s head above water during those difficult times.
In a profession as demanding as teaching, small gestures of support can make a world of difference. As administrators, it’s not about having all the answers or fixing every problem, but about showing up for our teachers, building relationships rooted in trust, and creating an environment where they feel empowered to grow. When we go slow, foster potential, trust our teachers, remain visible, and celebrate every win, we not only support our teachers through the tough times, but we create valuable connections that lead to greater collaboration and student success. Trusting relationships are at the heart of every successful school. Happy teachers teach happy kids, and happy kids learn.
Michael Joannou, a dedicated educator since 2008, began his career in London, England, supporting students with behavioral and emotional challenges. After relocating to Boerne, Texas, he served in various roles, earned his principal certification, and now proudly serves as Assistant Principal at Van Raub Elementary. Michael was honored as the 2024 TEPSA Region 20 Assistant Principal of the Year and the NAESP National Outstanding Assistant Principal for Texas.
