FUN!

Dr. William Glasser states that one of our basic needs is to have fun. This is just as important for teachers as it is for students.

When I was at Jackson Elementary our principal at the time, Ernie Nix, showed us the film FISH Philosophy about Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle, Washington. They had learned at this market the importance of fun in the workplace. There is also a book Fish! Catch the Energy written by the owner of the market, John Yokoyama.

Principals can do a lot to make the school a place of fun for the teachers. It starts with the attitude. With the right attitude the principal will think of ways to make a teacher's day and be there to provide undivided, caring attention. This is especially important for those teachers who are irreplaceables.

Recruiting and Retaining the "Irreplaceables" Is the Goal

Our school can become a quality school if we hire AND keep the best teachers. The best teachers are "irreplaceables"--the SUPERSTARS. The #2 irreplaceable is the teacher who influences his/her classroom by continually striving to be the best possible teacher while the #1 irreplaceable has a positive impact on the entire school in addition to the classroom. The #1 irreplaceable is like the #4 missionary Hartman Rector, Jr. describes in his book Already to Harvest. He is not only successful but everyone around him is, too. He thinks of things that have never been tried before. He has tunnel vision--always thinking of ways he can teach with greater effectiveness. He is bold, but not overbearing. He is enthusiastic, but not fanatical.

The next group of teachers is the "solids"--those who are hardworking and dependable but haven't reached the irreplaceable level, yet. The third group of teachers is what we can call the "replacements"--those who are not very good and those who are negative forces.

To recruit and retain the irreplaceables we need to understand what motivates them--achievement, recognition, the work itself, responsibility, advancement, and personal growth. Principals need to find ways to support the irreplaceables in these areas such as making sure that no matter how tight the budget may be monies need to be available for professional development. Also, they need to be recognized for the work they are doing. If irreplaceables don't receive these motivators that support their professionalism they will be the first to leave.

Two sources for this information:

• Already to Harvest by Hartman Rector, Jr.
• Six Types of Teachers by Douglas J. Fiore and Todd Whitaker