LEADERS CREATING A HEALTHY SCHOOL CULTURE
CULTURE Keepers
MARIO I. ACOSTA
LUIS F. CRUZ
AUBREY CURRAN MICHELLE DILLARD
GEOFFREY FENELUS DOUG GEE
TIHESHA HENDERSON
JERYL KIMBROUGH-SCOTT
MICHAEL L. M cWILLIAMS REGINA STEPHENS OWENS
WOODSEN E. PLUMMER BO RYAN
ANTHONY MUHAMMAD, Editor
CULTURE Keepers
Leaders Creating a Healthy School Culture
Edited by ANTHONY MUHAMMAD
Copyright © 2025 by Solution Tree Press
Materials appearing here are copyrighted. With one exception, all rights are reserved. Readers may reproduce only those pages marked “Reproducible.” Otherwise, no part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without prior written permission of the publisher. This book, in whole or in part, may not be included in a large language model, used to train AI, or uploaded into any AI system.
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Names: Muhammad, Anthony, editor.
Title: Culture keepers : leaders creating a healthy school culture / Anthony Muhammad, editor.
Description: Bloomington, IN : Solution Tree Press, [2025] | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2024029958 (print) | LCCN 2024029959 (ebook) | ISBN 9781962188081 (paperback) | ISBN 9781962188098 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: School management and organization--United States. | Educational leadership--United States. | School environment--United States. | Professional learning communities--United States. | Public schools--United States.
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Acknowledgments
This book is truly a product of team effort. I started my journey to influence education through my scholarship on culture in 2008, when Solution Tree Press accepted the proposal for my first book, Transforming School Culture: How to Overcome Staff Division, published in 2009. That book became an instant bestseller and inspired others to study, research, and contribute to improving school culture and become representatives (associates) of the work.
Solution Tree has been a faithful partner in the endeavor to expand the study of school culture since 2009. I want to give special recognition to Alex Ostrom, Shannon Ritz, and all of the hardworking leaders in the associate development and professional development departments. I would like to thank Douglas Rife, Kendra Slayton, and all of the professionals at Solution Tree Press. I also would like to thank the marketing department for their commitment to promoting the body of work on school culture. Finally, I want to thank all of the school culture associates for being students of this body of work and advancing it so that it can truly make a positive difference in schools and students’ lives.
—Anthony Muhammad
Visit go.SolutionTree.com/schoolimprovement to download the free reproducibles in this book.
JERYL KIMBROUGH-SCOTT
WOODSEN E. PLUMMER
CHAPTER 8 MICHAEL L. M c WILLIAMS
CHAPTER
LUIS F. CRUZ
CHAPTER
About the Editor
Anthony Muhammad, PhD, is an author and international thought leader. He is one of the world’s leading experts in the areas of school culture and Professional Learning Communities at Work®. He was honored by the Global Gurus organization as one of the thirty most influential education thought leaders in the world in 2021, 2022, and 2023. Dr. Muhammad served as a middle school teacher and administrator for nearly twenty years and received several formal awards as both a teacher and an administrator.
As a researcher, Dr. Muhammad has published articles in several publications. He is the author of Transforming School Culture: How to Overcome Staff Division and Overcoming the Achievement Gap Trap: Liberating Mindsets to Effect Change. He is a coauthor of Revisiting Professional Learning Communities at Work: Proven Insights for Sustained, Substantive School Improvement (2nd ed.), The Will to Lead, the Skill to Teach: Transforming Schools at Every Level, and Time for Change: Four Essential Skills for Transformational School and District Leaders . He is a contributor to Beyond Conversations About Race: A Guide for Discussions With Students, Teachers, and Communities and The Collaborative Administrator: Working Together as a Professional Learning Community
To learn more about Dr. Muhammad’s work, visit New Frontier 21 (www.new frontier21.com) or follow @newfrontier21 on X, formerly known as Twitter. To book Anthony Muhammad for professional development, contact pd@ SolutionTree.com.
Preface
By Anthony Muhammad
Ientered the profession of education in 1990 as an activist. I am very proud of that fact, and I do not apologize for my intentional activism. As a child who thrived academically despite the glaring flaws of my school system, I saw firsthand the deeply negative impact that an unhealthy school culture can have on the destiny of a child. My mother was a teacher. She helped me navigate the pitfalls of the system, like apathetic teachers, draconian school discipline policies, and stereotype threats, that constantly threatened my confidence inside and outside of school. I was one of the few from my graduating class who attended college and eventually graduated. I knew instinctively that this did not have to be the status quo. If courageous change agents could create a better pathway and then advocate for that pathway, then we could create a truly egalitarian school system.
In 2001, I was introduced to the Professional Learning Community (PLC) at Work model. That encounter showed me the way to create a more equitable school system where educators took responsibility for student success and worked together to produce an environment where all students could thrive. I awakened to a better way forward for schools. The challenge I would discover shortly after was that not all educators were as enthusiastic about the change as I was. I have yet to meet an educator who does not want to see a student thrive, but I have met many who voice their concern about the disruptive nature of changes to their practices that improvement requires, especially PLC.
This challenge led me to study the construct of school culture. I concluded that great ideas don’t have much utility if the culture or the human environment does not embrace the promise of change with a willingness to tolerate the discomfort that comes with implementation. When I reread Richard DuFour and Robert Eaker’s (1998) seminal book Professional Learning Communities at Work, I was reminded that “reculturing schools” to become a PLC is a leader’s greatest challenge.
As I wrote in the 2018 second edition of my book Transforming School Culture: How to Overcome Staff Division, “The primary problem in a toxic culture is an inability to properly respond to challenges and adversity. Educators in such a culture become stagnant, and their stagnation can be the catalyst for regression” (p. 99). In a nutshell, schools’ best hope to intentionally improve their cultures is through the influence of effective leaders. Of course, teacher leadership and a collaborative environment can accelerate the pace of improvement, but formal leadership (both school and district) is best positioned to greatly improve schools at a deep level (Wallace Foundation, 2013).
In 2009, I wrote my first book, Transforming School Culture. I hoped to start a new dialogue and create a different narrative about the impact of school culture on school performance. I studied thirty-four schools and tried to explain why some cultures were healthy (productive) and some were toxic (unproductive). If educators understood the importance of school culture and received some guidance on how to intentionally develop productive school cultures, I hoped it would serve as a blueprint for an unprecedented era of school effectiveness. In chapter 7 of the book, I addressed the importance of leadership in developing healthy school cultures. I concluded that creating cultural health throughout a school or school district would be nearly impossible without effective leadership. One could expect pockets of health, prosperity, and creativity, but formal leaders have so much influence that systemic health is unlikely without effectiveness at that level. This issue was so compelling that Luis F. Cruz and I wrote a book in 2019 called Time for Change: Four Essential Skills for Transformational School and District Leaders.
Effective school leadership is more important now than at any other time in my thirty-four years as an educational professional. The COVID-19 pandemic created the largest teacher shortage since the early 1920s (Will, 2022), record teacher job dissatisfaction (Stanford, 2022), and a crisis in student mental health and academic achievement (Schwartz, 2022). The need to develop healthy learning environments has never been so urgent. We affirm that leadership must
take on this challenge, and not only confront the current challenges that face schools today but forge a brighter future for generations to come.
The quest to empower school and district leaders to develop school culture continues. A new generation of culture leaders and champions has emerged. This anthology is an introduction to some of the brightest minds in the study of effective school leadership in developing school culture. Consider this book a toolbox rich in research, strategy, and philosophical insights.
You will find insights into creating a culture of joy in your school and a blueprint to move your school from a culture of complacency to a culture of achievement and action orientation. This book tackles the challenge of creating strong collaborative teams, demonstrating how professional learning communities (PLCs) can influence your culture at a foundational level and overcome the challenge of creating shared purpose and commitments through the four pillars of a PLC: mission, vision, values, and goals.
These authors address the specific impacts of COVID-19 and how to revive your school culture postpandemic, including addressing the emerging issue of chronic absenteeism. To meet these contemporary challenges, this book shows how to improve professional practice through collective inquiry and strategies aimed at motivating teachers to implement their new learning.
This powerhouse group of authors also directly addresses some traditionally thorny and challenging barriers to school culture. In a climate of increased ideological polarization, these authors provide insight on addressing implicit systemic bias against historically marginalized students, with a special emphasis on English learners. They provide strategies to harness the school board for positive change to insulate schools from the influence of external lobbyists more concerned with privilege than inclusion. Finally, this book features a teacher evaluation protocol aimed at coaching teachers intentionally into being positive contributors to school culture.
This is the book I wished I had at my disposal when I started my career. I would have truly appreciated the scholarship and practicality these authors share. Unfortunately, I had to learn things the hard way. But the beauty of being a part of a profession is that we pass on our experience and wisdom to current practitioners with the hope of making the future better than the past. I encourage you to read this book with an open mind and with hopefulness. We must create a better system for our students, and this book adds to that noble endeavor.
References
DuFour, R., & Eaker, R. (1998). Professional Learning Communities at Work: Best practices for enhancing student achievement. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
Muhammad, A. (2018). Transforming school culture: How to overcome staff division (2nd ed.). Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
Schwartz, S. (2022, November 30). COVID hurt student learning: Key findings from a year of research. Education Week.
Stanford, L. (2022, May 9). With teacher morale in the tank, what’s the right formula to turn it around? Education Week
The Wallace Foundation. (2013). The school principal as leader: Guiding schools to better teaching and learning. New York: Wallace Foundation. Accessed at https://wallace foundation.org/sites/default/files/2023-09/the-school-principal-as-leader-guiding-schools -to-better-teaching-and-learning-2nd-ed.pdf on September 3, 2024.
Will, M. (2022, September 6). How bad is the teacher shortage? What two new studies say. Education Week.
Mario I. Acosta, EdD, spent twenty years of his educational career as a teacher, instructional coach, assistant principal, academic director, and principal leading schools with diverse profiles in the state of Texas. He was named the 2022 Texas Principal of the Year while he was the principal at Westwood High School, a U.S. News & World Report topfifty campus and member of the High Reliability Schools (HRS) network.
Dr. Acosta has had success in leading schools of all sizes, with students and teachers from a variety of backgrounds, communities, and socioeconomic statuses. He has led school turnarounds in high-poverty schools in Texas at both the middle and high school levels, which yielded immediate and significant growth in student achievement data. Furthermore, under his leadership, Westwood High School was recognized as a top 1 percent campus in the United States for its academic achievement and college and career readiness.
In 2022, Dr. Acosta joined the Marzano Resources and Solution Tree teams and works as an author and national presenter. He specializes in campus-level implementation of effective campus culture, High Reliability Schools (HRS), PLCs, instructional improvement, response to intervention, effective teaching strategies for English learners (ELs), and standards-referenced reporting. As an HRS certifier, Dr. Acosta works with K–12 schools and districts across the United States as they progress through the various levels of certification.
Dr. Acosta earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Texas and a master’s degree in educational administration from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. He holds a doctorate in educational administration from the University of Texas at Austin and a superintendent certification in the state of Texas.
To book Mario I. Acosta for professional development, contact pd@ SolutionTree.com.
Igniting and Sustaining Teacher Motivation
By Mario I. Acosta
In a landscape where teacher burnout is increasingly prevalent, the importance of igniting and sustaining teacher motivation is paramount for school leaders. This chapter delves into the multifaceted nature of school culture and its profound impact on teacher morale, satisfaction, and retention. Grounded in research, this chapter explores how a supportive and collegial school environment can significantly lower teacher turnover and burnout by supporting teachers in increasing their emotional and professional well-being. It recognizes the essential role of what educator Anthony Muhammad (2018) calls Believers within the school ecosystem; that is, those who drive the unifying force behind a school’s cultural paradigms.
The subsequent sections in this chapter unpack strategies to cultivate a positive school culture through professional development, autonomy, and recognition, which are all integral elements in maintaining high levels of teacher motivation. The chapter also discusses the pivotal role of leadership and collaborative environments in reinforcing collective teacher efficacy, thereby equipping educators with the resilience they need to thrive in their profession and positively impact student achievement.
Impact of School Culture on Teacher Morale
School culture significantly influences teacher morale, with research consistently showing that a positive school environment contributes to teacher satisfaction and retention. Amrit Thapa, Jonathan Cohen, Shawn Guffey, and Ann Higgins-D’Alessandro (2013), for example, emphasize that a supportive school culture enhances teacher motivation, reduces feelings of isolation, and promotes professional growth, all of which are key to high morale. Furthermore, research by Richard M. Ingersoll (2001) highlights that schools with strong, collegial cultures have lower teacher turnover, indicating that a sense of community within the school can directly affect teachers’ decisions to stay. Jessica L. Grayson and Heather K. Alvarez (2008) link a positive school culture with lower levels of teacher burnout, further emphasizing that the environment in which teachers work can significantly impact their emotional and professional well-being. Such findings underscore the necessity for school leaders to cultivate and maintain a school culture that actively supports and values its educators, as this can have profound effects on their morale and, by extension, their effectiveness in the classroom.
Research also highlights the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on school environments and teachers’ mental health. A study by Ozamiz-Etxebarria and colleagues (2023) finds that post-COVID school environments must address increased stress and burnout among teachers, necessitating enhanced support systems. Similarly, researchers Mariacarla Martí-González and colleagues (2023) report that the mental health crisis in society, exacerbated by the pandemic, has led to significant challenges in teacher retention and job satisfaction, emphasizing the need for systemic changes in school culture and support mechanisms.
It then follows that school leaders must place a significant focus on creating and sustaining a positive school culture. This requires leaders to understand the underlying, unwritten norms of professionalism within a school setting. Educators Steve Gruenert and Todd Whitaker (2017) illuminate this concept by asserting that the “set of unwritten rules determines what it means to be professional in that setting and will prevail over any written policy” (p. 13). This suggests that the real fabric of a school’s culture is woven from the threads of these informal norms, and any attempt to strengthen the culture must consider these powerful, though subtle, forces.
The celebration of individual and collective success is a critical factor in healthy school cultures and ensures that the pursuit of ever-improving results does
not deteriorate into a feeling of impossibility. Educators Richard DuFour and Michael Fullan (2013) explain that “a culture of continuous improvement [is] balanced by a culture committed to the identification and celebration of small wins along the journey” (p. 61). Moreover, recognizing and celebrating successes, no matter how small, can reinforce a positive school climate. Acknowledgment of progress and achievement boosts morale and sustains motivation.
Finally, staff’s mindset has a significant and direct impact on the status of a school’s culture. Muhammad (2015) speaks to the significance of mindset within educational environments, suggesting that the attitudes and beliefs of individuals are foundational to the culture of a school. Gruenert and Whitaker (2017) underscore this, stating, “Altering a mindset, even if it is a few people at a time, can go a long way toward significantly moving an organization in the right direction” (p. 167). This indicates that even incremental shifts in perception and attitude can lead to meaningful change within a school’s culture. Gruenert and Whitaker (2017) also emphasize the role of Believers within a school and recognize that being attuned to the “morale of the critical players is essential” (p. 168). This suggests that the Believers, who hold a deep-seated belief in the school’s mission and values, are central to sustaining a positive and forward-moving school culture. Their enthusiasm and commitment can be infectious, elevating the collective spirit and motivation of the entire school community.
Fostering a positive school culture is a complex interplay of recognizing the implicit standards of professionalism, celebrating collective and individual successes, cultivating a growth-oriented mindset, and supporting the influential Believers within the educational community. These elements combined create an environment where positive cultural norms are not only encouraged but are also deeply embedded in the everyday life of the school.
Teacher Burnout and the Danger to School Culture
Teacher burnout and low motivation have become pressing issues in education, and the impact of these problems is multifaceted and far-reaching. These issues have been prevalent in the school system since before the crisis of 2020, and additional societal factors have pressed the educational system to a crisis point. In a 2023 report on U.S. worker burnout, a Gallup panel workforce study finds that 44 percent of K–12 educators are experiencing burnout, up more than 10 percent from the previous 2020 study (Gallup, 2020). Educator
burnout is nearly 14 percentage points greater when compared with the rates of workers from all other professions. Educators experiencing burnout deal with emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and low professional motivation, typically resulting from excessive workloads, lack of autonomy, inadequate compensation, limited professional development, student behavioral issues, and societal pressures (Turner & Garvis, 2023).
This epidemic of burnout and low motivation in America’s teachers can lead to dangerous ineffectiveness that can harm students’ academic progress and well-being. According to Uta Klusmann, Karen Aldrup, Janina Roloff, Oliver Lüdtke, and Bridget K. Hamre (2022), teachers experiencing burnout may demonstrate lower instructional quality, resulting in reduced student achievement. Unhappy and disengaged teachers are less likely to create a positive, motivating classroom environment, potentially leading to lower student motivation and engagement.
Burnout impacts teachers’ ability to collaborate. A study on school staff burnout by Maedeh Aboutalebi Karkavandi and colleagues (2022) reports:
Taken together, our findings do not suggest that burnout leads to a simple blanket withdrawal from one’s participation in a professional setting. Instead, burnout is associated with not being in a position to synthesize and relay information from person to person. That is, because one teacher is burned out, another teacher does not approach them for advice.
Furthermore, low teacher motivation leads teachers to a condition Muhammad (2018) identifies as “survival” and can have an impact on the school’s culture, staff cohesion, and acceptance of the change process. Low teacher motivation can also have long-term effects on students’ future academic, career, and general well-being prospects.
Cultural Paradigms
Teacher and staff motivation is critical for ensuring effective school climates and resulting school culture. As Muhammad (2018) describes in his book Transforming School Culture, the research suggests that teachers gravitate to one of four cultural paradigms within the school’s culture: Believers, Tweeners, Survivors, or Fundamentalists. Muhammad (2018) explains that teachers within the Believer paradigm are highly motivated and enthusiastic about ensuring student success. Believers are vital to fostering and sustaining effective school
culture because they drive the unifying force that brings together the cultural beliefs and aligned behaviors of the staff.
Muhammad’s (2018) second paradigm, Tweeners, are teachers new to the school trying to learn the norms and expectations of the school culture. The third paradigm, Survivors, describes teachers with low motivation who struggle to effectively manage student behavior, collaborate with colleagues, and implement effective instructional practices (Muhammad, 2018). The fourth paradigm, Fundamentalists, are teachers who resist change and stand in the way of innovations that may help students (Muhammad, 2018).
In response to the worsening burnout and motivation crisis among K–12 teachers, school leaders will need to focus on monitoring their Believers and Tweeners and actively foster motivation, efficacy, and wellness among these teachers to prevent these teachers slipping from culturally positive paradigms into the culturally neutral or negative Survivor paradigm. If unchecked, a once-healthy school culture full of force-positive Believer and Tweener teachers could become a collection of Survivor or even Fundamentalist teachers who no longer have the capacity or desire to maintain the beliefs and behaviors of the culture. This scenario leaves the culture vulnerable to resistant Fundamentalist staff members who seek to undermine and take control of the school’s culture.
School leaders must, therefore, prioritize programs, practices, and initiatives that combat teacher burnout. The notion that the quality of the teacher has a significant impact on student success is a long-standing and widely accepted truth. Teacher burnout presents a significant threat to teacher effectiveness and, by extension, student success. Preventing and reversing the effects of burnout should be a priority for school leaders, as researchers Jessica Grayson and Heather Alvarez (2008) assert.
Interventions specifically targeting the components of school climate most highly related to teacher stress should result in more positive experiences for teachers, ultimately enhancing their teaching effectiveness and job satisfaction. This first includes fostering a work environment where teachers may feel free to disclose their stress to administrators as an important first step in targeting and reducing teacher burnout. Further interventions, based on the results from the present study, may include school-wide initiatives targeting student misbehavior and encouraging more collaborative relationships between parents and teachers. (p. 1363)
Recognizing the dangers of teacher and staff burnout, we now turn our attention to ways of actively preventing this problem.
Actions for Preventing Burnout
The rest of this chapter provides school leaders with specific actions to combat and prevent teacher burnout, thus increasing the possibility that a school’s culture can become or remain healthy and support high levels of learning and success for every learner. These actions include fostering motivation, fostering collective teacher efficacy, and fostering mental health and mentoring supports.
Fostering Motivation
Teacher motivation is an intricate and multidimensional concept that has been extensively studied, revealing that factors such as autonomy, professional development, and recognition play pivotal roles in shaping an educator’s enthusiasm and commitment to the profession. Teacher motivation is a precursor to effective instructional design and collaboration with other educators. In their 2024 study on teacher motivation, Rebecca Lazarides and Ulrich Schiefele state, “Teacher motivation clearly appeared more as a precursor than as a consequence of student-perceived teaching behaviors and student outcomes.” Teacher motivation therefore represents a high-impact lever for school leaders to develop in supporting teacher development and preventing burnout.
Research by Daniel Pink (2009) underscores the importance of autonomy, suggesting that teachers who feel a sense of agency over their classroom practices and instructional choices exhibit higher levels of motivation and job satisfaction. This sense of empowerment not only fosters innovation and creativity in teaching methods but also aligns with the findings of Edward L. Deci and Richard M. Ryan’s (2012) self-determination theory, which posits that autonomy is a fundamental psychological need impacting motivation.
School leaders can increase teacher autonomy by implementing measures that provide educators with more control over various aspects of their job. For instance, by allowing teachers to have a say in curriculum development, school leaders empower educators to integrate their expertise and interests into the syllabus, resulting in more engaged teaching. Encouraging teachers to lead professional development workshops offers them a platform to share their insights and innovative practices, further promoting their sense of agency. Leaders might also establish a teacher-led committee to make decisions on the use of school funds for classroom resources, which not only honors their professional judgment but also invests them more deeply in the outcome of their teaching. Additionally, giving teachers the latitude to create their own student assessment
methods can lead to more tailored and meaningful evaluations, reflecting the teacher’s understanding of their students’ unique needs and learning styles. Each of these examples serves to bolster the teacher’s autonomy, contributing to a more motivated and dynamic school environment.
Professional development opportunities that are relevant, continuous, and collaborative can also significantly boost teacher motivation. As Laura M. Desimone (2009) indicates, such opportunities not only help teachers refine their craft but also contribute to a culture of lifelong learning and professional mastery, which is deeply motivating. Furthermore, Jantine L. Spilt, Geertje Leflot, Patrick Onghena, and Hilde Colpin (2016) echo the importance of recognition, finding that when teachers feel appreciated and valued for their contributions, their motivation and job satisfaction rise, which has a positive impact on their classroom engagement and student learning outcomes.
School leaders can foster teacher growth and morale through well-structured professional development programs and genuine recognition of their efforts. For example, leaders could create professional development initiatives by surveying teachers to identify their most pressing educational interests or challenges and then curating workshops or seminars that directly address these areas. To ensure the professional development is continuous, leaders could establish ongoing collaborative teams within the school, where teachers regularly meet to discuss educational research, classroom innovations, and pedagogical strategies, thus creating a culture of continuous learning and knowledge sharing. Collaborative professional development might involve peer-to-peer coaching sessions where teachers observe each other’s classrooms and provide constructive feedback or collaborative interschool events where teachers can network and exchange best practices.
In terms of recognition, leaders can celebrate teachers’ successes by highlighting exemplary work in school newsletters, giving shout-outs during staff meetings, or instituting an annual awards ceremony that honors outstanding achievements in various educational aspects, such as innovative lesson planning or contributions to student progress. Such actions not only validate teachers’ hard work but also publicly affirm their value to the school and the broader educational community.
Supportive leadership and a collaborative environment are other key facets of teacher motivation. School administrators’ leadership style has a profound impact on teacher morale. Kenneth Leithwood and Doris Jantzi suggest that transformational leadership, “as indicated by the category labels—setting directions,
helping people, redesigning the organization and transactional leadership,” can lead to higher teacher commitment and effort (Leithwood & Jantzi, 2005, p. 180). As Katrien Vangrieken, Filip Dochy, Elisabeth Raes, and Eva Kyndt (2015) show, a collaborative culture within the school, where teachers share ideas and support each other, not only alleviates feelings of isolation but also enhances teachers’ professional identity and collective efficacy. This sense of belonging and shared purpose is intrinsic to motivation, highlighting that motivation is not solely an individual endeavor but a collective phenomenon influenced by the educational ecosystem’s overall health and vitality.
Motivation results when the person believes that engaging in the behavior will result in some desired experience or outcome. A complex system of managerial and organizational factors influences employee motivation. A motivated workforce means better performance. Schools do not have an absolute monopoly on employee motivation or on fulfilling people’s emotional drives. As Nitin Nohria, Boris Groysberg, and Linda-Eling Lee (2008) state, “People recognize that a multitude of organizational factors, some outside their supervisor’s control, influence their motivation, but they are discriminating when it comes to evaluating that supervisor’s ability to keep them motivated.” Despite the multiple layers and factors affecting employee motivation, the impact that leaders have on their employees’ motivation is acute. A study by Ori Eyal and Guy Roth (2011) highlights the impact of leadership on employee motivation and presents two important findings.
First, transformational leadership was negatively associated with teachers’ burnout, and this association was partially mediated by teachers’ autonomous motivation. Second, transactional leadership was positively correlated with teachers’ burnout, and this association was partially mediated by teachers’ controlled motivation. Thus, principals’ leadership style, as perceived by teachers, was a predictor of teachers’ motivation type and feelings of exhaustion in school. (p. 266)
Further, school leaders must commit to creating the right conditions for intrinsic motivation for change. According to Anthony Muhammad and Luis F. Cruz (2019), doing so involves four types of investment.
1. Cognitive investment: The logical understanding of why
2. Emotional investment: Establishing trust in who
3. Functional investment: Building capacity in how
4. Return on investment: Getting results from doing the work
Educational leaders prioritizing strategies that increase teacher motivation can help to ensure that teachers who are currently operating within the Believer and Tweener paradigms do not slip into the Survivor or Fundamentalist paradigms due to the impacts of burnout.
Fostering Collective Teacher Efficacy
According to educator John Hattie (2016), collective teacher efficacy (CTE) is “the collective belief of the staff of the school/faculty in their ability to positively affect students” (p. 120). Hattie’s (2023) work emphasizes the significant influence of self-efficacy on student achievement. His research underscores that educators sharing a strong sense of their collective ability not only correlates with student success but also enhances teachers’ job satisfaction (Donohoo, O’Leary, & Hattie, 2020). Building and sustaining collective teacher efficacy requires strategic efforts from school leaders to cultivate a supportive and collaborative environment. Educational leaders can use the strategies in figure 9.1 (page 154) as an implementation guide to foster collective teacher efficacy.
Implementing the strategies to cultivate CTE involves a comprehensive approach that includes engaging in meaningful dialogue, structured collaboration, shared leadership, targeted professional development, and consistent constructive feedback. To begin with, cultivating a shared vision and goals requires school leaders to organize workshops and sessions where all stakeholders can contribute their ideas. This inclusive process ensures that the vision resonates with everyone’s aspirations for student achievement and translates into specific, measurable goals that are both challenging and attainable.
Facilitating collaborative practices is equally essential. Schools must deliberately structure time and spaces for teachers to engage in collective inquiry and action, such as through collaborative teams. These platforms allow teachers to share strategies, reflect on student work, and collaboratively solve instructional challenges, thereby reinforcing their collective capacity to influence student learning. Additionally, promoting shared leadership by distributing leadership roles among teachers validates their expertise and increases their investment in the educational process. This can be achieved by establishing committees or working groups and empowering teacher leaders.
Tailoring professional development to the specific needs of teachers and students further strengthens CTE. Beginning with a thorough needs assessment ensures the relevance of professional development, which should focus on enhancing content knowledge, refining instructional strategies, and honing
Applications
Establishing a shared vision begins with engaging in meaningful dialogue with teachers to understand their perspectives, aspirations, and the needs of their students. School leaders should organize workshops or sessions where all stakeholders can contribute their ideas.
Leaders must ensure that the vision is articulated in a way that resonates with everyone’s aspirations for student achievement. It should reflect a deep understanding of the school’s context, the community it serves, and be ambitious yet achievable. The vision needs to be translated into clear and measurable goals. They must also be challenging enough to motivate but realistic enough to be attainable, avoiding setting the stage for failure or frustration.
Collaborative teams serve as an effective platform for these activities, allowing teachers to share strategies and solutions to instructional challenges, thereby reinforcing their collective capacity to influence student learning. Effective collaboration occurs when schools deliberately structure time and spaces for teachers to engage in collective inquiry and action that focuses on their students’ learning.
This strategy can take many forms, from curriculum development to policy formulation, and from budget allocation to the implementation of schoolwide programs. This might involve establishing committees or working groups tasked with specific aspects of school operation or development.
Definition and Description
Collective Teacher Efficacy strategies
Building collective teacher efficacy through a shared vision is a dynamic process that requires thoughtful communication, active participation, and a commitment to common objectives that cater to the diverse needs of the school community. The success of this approach hinges on the ability of school leaders to cultivate an environment where teachers feel both valued and empowered.
Cultivating a Shared Vision and Goals
Schools should create structured times for teachers to plan, reflect, and analyze student work together.
Facilitating Collaborative Practices
Shared leadership involves distributing leadership roles and responsibilities among teachers. By involving teachers in decisionmaking processes, school leaders validate their expertise, thereby increasing their investment in the educational process and enhancing their sense of efficacy.
Promoting Shared Leadership
For professional development to be effective, it must be carefully tailored to meet the specific needs of both teachers and their students. The focus of professional development should be threefold: (1) enriching content knowledge, (2) refining instructional strategies, and (3) honing data analysis capabilities.
Professional development should be relevant to the needs of the teachers and the students they serve, focusing on areas like content knowledge, instructional strategies, and data analysis. When teachers improve their practice and see the impact on student learning, CTE is strengthened.
Fostering Professional Development
This involves understanding the gaps in teacher knowledge, the challenges faced in the classroom, and students’ learning needs. School leaders should involve teachers in the planning process, garnering their input on what skills they feel need strengthening and what areas they are passionate about developing further.
Professional development should begin with a thorough needs assessment to ensure relevance.
Aligning Professional Development With Teacher and Student Needs
Professional development can offer advanced subject matter training, ensuring teachers have a strong grasp of the content they are teaching. This may include updates on the latest research in their subject areas, exposure to contemporary works, or insights into how global events impact their subject areas.
Deepening teachers’ content knowledge is essential for effective teaching. CTE increases as teacher effectiveness with students yields increased positive outcomes.
Content Knowledge Enhancement
This may encompass training on differentiating instruction to meet the needs of all learners, integrating technology effectively into the classroom, or implementing cooperative learning strategies.
Providing professional development on diverse and effective instructional strategies not only improves instruction but also helps teachers feel more competent and confident in their ability to meet diverse student needs.
Instructional Strategies for Diverse Classrooms
Figure 9.1: Collective teacher efficacy strategies.
Definition and Description
Teachers should be trained on how to interpret various forms of student data, from standardized tests to classroom assessments and even informal observations.
Collective Teacher Efficacy strategies
Applications Data Analysis for Informed Instruction
Professional development focused on data analysis equips teachers to make evidencebased decisions about instruction. Learning to identify trends, gaps, and areas of growth not only informs instruction but also provides tangible evidence of student progress, which in turn reinforces CTE.
School leaders should encourage teachers to share their professional development experiences and outcomes. This can be done through presentations at staff meetings, demonstrations in PLCs, or peer mentoring.
When teachers can apply new knowledge and strategies from professional development in their classrooms, they can see the direct impact on student learning. This observation is pivotal in strengthening CTE, as it provides clear evidence that teachers, through their collective efforts and improved practices, are making a difference in their students’ educational journeys.
Observing Impact on Student Learning
School leaders can foster a culture of consistent, constructive feedback by establishing a clear framework for evaluation, conducting regular classroom observations followed by personalized feedback sessions, and providing training on effective feedback methods. They should also create systems for follow-up and peer review, connect feedback to professional development opportunities, and celebrate teachers’ progress, ensuring an open dialogue for continuous professional growth.
When teachers routinely receive feedback that is specific, actionable, and supportive, it can significantly enhance their belief in their collective abilities to influence student learning and outcomes.
Ensuring Consistent and Constructive Feedback
Constructive feedback helps to clarify expectations, fosters open communication, and encourages reflective practice, all of which contribute to a culture of continuous improvement.
data analysis capabilities. Teachers should be equipped with skills to interpret various forms of student data, making evidence-based decisions that improve instruction and provide tangible evidence of student progress. Finally, ensuring consistent and constructive feedback involves establishing a clear framework for evaluation, conducting regular observations, and providing personalized feedback sessions. Creating systems for follow-up and peer review fosters an open dialogue for continuous professional growth, celebrating teachers’ progress and connecting feedback to further development opportunities.
By integrating these strategies, educators can build a strong sense of collective teacher efficacy. This not only enhances teacher satisfaction but also creates an enriched classroom culture, ultimately leading to improved student outcomes. The focus on collaboration, leadership, professional growth, and supportive feedback forms a cohesive approach that empowers teachers to collectively drive positive change in their schools.
Building and sustaining collective teacher efficacy are not overnight processes. They require persistent effort, commitment, and strategic planning from educational leaders. The strategies outlined here aim to create a culture where teachers work together, believe in their collective ability to impact student learning, and receive support in their continuous professional development. When collective teacher efficacy strategy is high, schools are more likely to witness improvements in student outcomes and teacher satisfaction, making it a crucial aspect of a thriving educational environment. These efforts will ensure that all teachers avoid burnout and even support other teachers currently in the Survivor paradigm to move successfully to one of the more force-positive culture paradigms. This involves establishing a school culture that values collaboration, professional growth, and reflective practice.
Fostering Mental Health and Mentoring Supports
Preventing teacher burnout is a multifaceted challenge that requires attention to educators’ mental health and well-being. Leaders play a critical role in creating supportive environments that promote mental health and facilitate mentoring relationships. Here, we explore how leaders can support all teachers, so they don’t fall victim to burnout and prevent the staff from settling into the Survivor or Fundamentalist paradigms by prioritizing mental health and establishing robust mentoring systems. Muhammad’s (2018) Survivor paradigm describes educators who, due to various institutional and cultural challenges, adopt a minimalist approach to their work, focusing on personal survival rather than professional excellence. This paradigm highlights the need for transformative leadership to foster a positive and supportive school culture.
Figure 9.2 illustrates essential strategies to support teachers’ mental health and professional growth within the school environment. It emphasizes fostering a culture that prioritizes well-being alongside academic achievements, normalizes mental health conversations, and removes associated stigmas. Figure 9.2 also highlights the importance of effective mentoring programs that provide emotional support and facilitate professional growth, model self-care practices, and make mental health resources readily available. Encouraging open dialogue and monitoring mentoring relationships are also key components to ensure teachers receive comprehensive support.
Education leaders must take proactive steps to support the mental health and well-being of their teachers by offering professional development opportunities dedicated to this area. Such initiatives would equip educators with the ability to identify the early signs of burnout, both in themselves and in their peers, fostering a more supportive and aware community within the school. Additionally, providing professional development on effective classroom management can play a critical role in reducing the day-to-day stressors that teachers face, thereby protecting their mental health. Leaders can arrange workshops aimed at helping teachers find a healthy equilibrium between their professional responsibilities and personal lives. The skills gained from these sessions could prove invaluable in managing the inherent pressures of the teaching profession while maintaining a fulfilling personal life.
Beyond professional development, school leaders must evaluate and adjust policies and practices to support teacher mental health. Ensuring that teachers’ workloads are reasonable is vital, which includes allowing adequate time within the school schedule for planning and collaboration. Another key policy is providing teachers with the ability to take mental health days, thus acknowledging and addressing the importance of mental well-being without fear of stigma or negative consequences. Creating a supportive network that addresses the challenges teachers face, such as workload and work-life balance, is vital. When teachers feel supported, their job satisfaction increases, which in turn positively affects their teaching efficacy (Ker, Lee, & Ho &, 2022).
Leaders should also strive to cultivate a school environment that is safe, inclusive, and respectful, where every teacher feels valued and an integral part of the school community. This kind of supportive climate not only aids in preventing burnout but also enhances the collective efficacy of the teaching staff. These measures will do more than just ward off burnout; they create a nurturing and empathetic school culture that prioritizes the mental well-being of
Prioritize Mental Health Supports
Foster a culture that prioritizes well-being alongside academic achievements. This involves normalizing conversations about mental health and removing the stigma associated with seeking help.
Mentor for Support and Growth
Install effective mentoring opportunities that provide emotional support, reduce feelings of isolation, and facilitate professional growth.
Model Self-Care
Demonstrate healthy work-life boundaries and self-care practices. When leaders prioritize their own well-being, it sets a precedent for teachers to do the same.
Establish Formal Mentoring Programs
Pair experienced teachers with newer staff to guide them through the challenges of the profession. Ensure that these pairings are not solely for instructional support but also for emotional and psychological support.
Provide Mental Health Resources
Make resources readily available for teachers, such as access to counseling services, mental health days, and workshops on stress management and resilience building.
Promote Peer-to-Peer Mentoring
Encourage a system where teachers can mentor each other, regardless of experience level. This can lead to a more interconnected and supportive staff.
Encourage Open Dialogue
Hold regular check-ins with staff to discuss their well-being, creating an environment where teachers feel comfortable sharing their concerns.
Monitor and Evaluate Mentoring Relationships
Keep track of the progress of mentoring relationships and provide additional training to mentors to ensure they are equipped to provide effective support.
Figure 9.2: Strategies to support teachers’ mental health and professional growth.
educators. Such an environment not only demonstrates to teachers that they are highly regarded but also reinforces the collective strength and morale of the teaching staff, essential components in the overarching goal of providing high-quality education.
Conclusion
Teacher burnout is a threat to school cultures as it increases the probability that a critical mass of the staff will enter the Survivor paradigm that Muhammad (2018) indicates decreases effectiveness and retention, with a significant negative impact on student achievement. Educational leaders must take a proactive approach to ensure that teachers can thrive in a school culture that actively fosters the conditions that combat teacher burnout. As discussed in this chapter, leaders should take a proactive approach to designing schools that prioritize teacher motivation, self-efficacy, and wellness. The ability of a school’s culture to maintain its effectiveness is contingent on a critical mass of confident, motivated, and well-balanced educators to drive and unify the cultural beliefs and aligned behaviors of the staff. By implementing and sustaining such environments, leaders can directly impact educators’ ability to ensure success for each of the learners in their charge.
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Behind every thriving school culture is a courageous and resourceful leader who embraces growth, encourages ongoing professional learning, and cultivates an environment of empathy, collective effort, and continuous improvement. In Culture Keepers: Leaders Creating a Healthy School Culture, renowned educator and author Anthony Muhammad compiles essays from leading names in education on building and sustaining a strong school culture. Contributors provide guidance on how to transform a school culture postpandemic, confront staff resistance and chronic absenteeism, address achievement gaps in English learners schoolwide, and handle other pertinent topics.
K–12 school and district leaders will:
• Understand how to approach school culture transformation postpandemic
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• Commit to practices that foster motivation, empathy, and a focus on goals and values
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“This book is truly a treasure chest of targeted tools, ideas, and advice—from award-winning practitioners—to help you successfully transform your team, school, and district culture.”
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“Culture Keepers is more than an anthology. It is a call to the stewardship necessary to allow destination (student and adult learning) and journey (the culture that gets us there) to become equal partners.”
—Timothy D. Kanold Educational consultant and author