CRACKING THE CODE FOR TEACHER WELL-BEING
anything at all Tuesday afternoons from 11:15 to 1:15 . I stop whatever I ’ m doing and try to passionately listen .”
Does Nancy Schuler offer the answer to teacher attrition in America ? Certainly not . Every school has its unique culture , its configuration of strengths , weaknesses , resources , and practices . Many are much larger with exponentially greater numbers of relationships to track . And Nancy benefitted from being a senior administrator at the school for over 20 years before becoming head . But her story provides a brilliant example of what happens when a leader develops a clear and decisive focus , and when that focus matches the need of the times . The story also brings to light one of the most important applications of Kettering ’ s quote .
Let ’ s run a short experiment about problem stating . I ’ m going to ask you two questions , and I want you to notice how each of them makes you feel . The first question is : what can we do to stop teacher attrition ? Sit with it for a moment . Does it feel light ? Heavy ? Do you feel eager to engage ?
Now the second : What can we do to enhance teacher retention ?
Did you notice any difference ?
It might be subtle , because you are reading this alone , but imagine for a moment that you are meeting with a committee of seven colleagues , or an entire faculty of 50 or 80 ,
“
The first question is : what can we do to stop teacher attrition ? Sit with it for a moment . Does it feel light ? Heavy ? Do you feel eager to engage ? Now the second : What can we do to enhance teacher retention ? Did you notice any difference ?
”
and you will spend the next hour in discussion with these two question as your prompt . Would the discussion kickoff differently depending on your use of attrition versus your use of retention ?
Words open doorways . They initiate different pathways of ideation and emotion , affecting our mood , energy levels , and productivity , part of the genius of Kettering ’ s insight . While the first phrasing of the question focuses on the problem , the second seeks to build upon solutions . And solutions of a particular kind .
They are shining examples of what Dan and Chip Heath , in their book Shift , call tapping into the power of bright spots . They cite the case of Jerry Sternin , a relief worker in Vietnam
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CSEE Connections Spring 2023 Page 5