Building a strong school: the key role of master teachers

When it comes to running a school, one of the most important things a principal needs to pay attention to is their teachers. Teachers can make or break a school and are ultimately the ones who are responsible for teaching the schools curriculum to their students. They are the ones on the front lines working with students everyday, helping them succeed, and preparing them to enter the world as strong members of society. For a principal, it is absolutely essential they hire strong, passionate teachers that will provide the best experience possible for their students.

But what makes a teacher strong? And what makes a teacher passionate? Is it their commitment to the subject they are teaching? Or is it their commitment to their students? Or maybe a little bit of both? We Interviewed Kim Ellsworth, Director of Education for Heritage Academy, and Shalisa Arnold, Principal of Heritage Elementary, and discussed what it means to be a master teacher and the importance of hiring teachers that have the potential to become master teachers.

What does it mean to be a master teacher?
Being a teacher is hard. It requires a lot of effort, emotional energy, and most importantly passion. For a teacher to be successful, they need that passion to push them through the difficult times and issues that continually crop up year to year. And with nationwide teacher shortages happening, finding passionate teachers is more important than ever before.

Becoming a master teacher doesn’t necessarily require an additional degree or certification. While those things can definitely help, becoming a master teacher is more of a mindset and work ethic. In our interview with Kim and Shalisa, we discussed the following characteristics to be that of a master teacher.

1. Effective communication: A master teacher can convey complex concepts and engage their students in meaningful discussions while encouraging active participation.
2. Deep care for their students: Master teachers genuinely care about their students’ well-being and growth. They see beyond academic performance and work hard to holistically nurture the development of each individual student.
3. Holding their students accountable: A master teacher can strike a balance between being understanding mentors and holding their students accountable for their performance and actions. They set high standards and encourage their students to strive for excellence.

While these aren’t necessarily every characteristic that a master teacher will have, we felt these are some of the most important. A master teacher is somebody that is a good communicator that cares. ILove them, teach them, and hold them accountable. 

This principle is best explained with an exercise we often do with our staff: we ask them to write down the person or the scholar who they think is going to be the most successful. We then ask them why they think that scholar is going to be the most successful? And the responses we get are interesting because they are often things like: they're responsible, they're dependable, they communicate well, etc. It’s never because they got an “A” in math or an “A” in English. It’s not the grades that they got in school, It's who they are as a person. 

And the same thing goes for a teacher. Who they are, how they act in the classroom, how they connect with the kids, how they communicate, etc. They do have to be the most knowledgeable in their subject or in the area that they're teaching. Yes we also want teachers to know what they are teaching, but a great teacher is someone who is a great communicator and they care about their students. We can teach classroom management and lesson preparation, but we can’t teach someone how to care about another person. That is something that is instilled in a person’s character.

The importance of supporting teachers
Once a teacher is hired, it is up to the principal and other leadership staff to support the teacher throughout their career. When talking to Shalisa Arnold she shared with us some findings from her doctoral thesis she is currently working on. In her findings she learned that the first three years of teaching are crucial for the teacher. Because of the rigorous nature of being a teacher, the first three years can be a mental, emotional, and physical grind. And without proper support from their principal and school leadership, teachers can very easily become overwhelmed and leave.

This is where administrators come in. Part of the administrator's job is to make an impossible job possible. They need to get things out of their teachers’ way so they really can do what they've been hired to do. They should do all of the dirty work so that the teachers can really hone their skills and really focus on teaching and reaching children. Because ultimately the most important thing is to make sure students are not only having a good time in school, but that they are also learning as much as possible.

Master teachers are important to the success of a school and the success of its students. Without strong teachers, students won’t be able to receive the highest education they need to be prepared for adulthood. We encourage you to think about the teachers that have impacted you and your life. We all have at least a couple of teachers we can remember having a big impact on our lives. Without them, a lot of us wouldn’t be where we are today.
 

Listen to the correlating episode here. 

Watch the correlating episode here.