Date of Award
2004
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Fischler Graduate School of Education and Human Services
Advisor
Gary Reglin
Committee Member
Maryellen Maher
Keywords
administrative support, appreciation, attrition, bus monitoring duty, cafeter ia monitoring duty, classroom visits, clerical tasks, coaching, collaborative work, collegiality, community involvement, encouragement, faculty meetings, hall monitoring duty, incentives, local businesses, mentoring, middle school, morale, nonteaching duties, orientation, parental involvement, peer observation, professional recognition, school pride, social period, students, teacher appreciation, teacher attrition, teacher morale, teacher motivation, teacher recognition, teacher welfare, teacher-administrator relationship, teachers, volunteers, workdays
Abstract
This applied dissertation was designed to enhance the morale among teachers at a middle school that experienced high teacher attrition each year. The solution strategies implemented addressed issues of administrative support, collegiality among teachers, parental involvement, reduction in nonteaching duties, and teacher recognition and appreciation.
The writer served in the capacity of assistant to the principal and devoted all of his time to activities intended to enhance teacher morale at the school. He made regular visits to individual teachers' classrooms in a nonevaluative capacity to express interest in the teachers’ work and to offer encouragement and assistance where needed. He also initiated a short social period before schedule faculty meetings and on teacher workdays. To promote school pride, he spearheaded the organization of a club to coordinate school pride activities among faculty, students, parents, and community members. Collegiality among teachers was enhanced by the writer's substitution for teachers during times when they visited the classrooms of their peers to observe or otherwise do collaborative work. Veteran teachers were also encouraged to mentor and coach newer ones.
To reduce the number of nonteaching duties teachers had to perform, the writer promoted the use of volunteers for such responsibilities as clerical tasks and bus, hall, and cafeteria monitoring duty. He provided orientation to teachers on roles volunteers could play and the rules and regulations governing those roles.
Community involvement was encouraged through solicitation of goods and services from local businesses and industries. These goods and services were utilized as incentives for teachers, parents, and students and were awarded during recognition activities.