The Effects Of Principal Leadership On Teacher Morale And Student Achievement

At the heart of every educational institution lies student achievement. Personnel, planning, and instruction are just a few of the many aspects of a school that begin with a drive for greater student achievement. Although there are many staff members that students come in contact with during the school day, the classroom teacher has the most influence over students’ education. For this reason, school leaders should aim to ensure teachers in their buildings are happy with their work environment and all that it entails. Teachers “want to work in schools where they have time an opportunity to work with other professionals – and where they feel supported and appreciated by their principals” (Protheroe, 2006). When teachers feel the support and appreciation from their principals, they are filled with motivation to continue …show more content…
Teachers are the largest body of staff in a single school building, therefore they have the ability to influence students and the school environment in a major way. Similarly, teacher influence can be negative as well. If teachers don’t feel supported and lack what is needed aide their students in gaining a successful education the school environment can easily be influenced in a negative way. As high stakes testing and accountability becomes more of a force in the schools, teachers feel more pressure to perform as expected. This extra pressure to perform can cause teacher morale to decrease as well. Teachers with high morale feel they are able to do their jobs and appreciate not having to perform extra tasks and duties in the school. These teachers feel that their principal is supportive as they provide encouragement and sometimes funding to support the visions teachers have for their schools. Teachers are trusted by the school leadership to do the jobs they were hired and love to