What Can Leaders Do for Teachers?

Amid the growing teacher shortage crisis and the extra demands placed on teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic, if there’s anything we’ve learned as educational leaders, it’s that some things are out of our control. But we do have agency in ensuring that our teachers are well supported and that we’re meeting their needs, and when teachers are nurtured, they are better able to nurture their students. As Allyson Apsey illustrates in her groundbreaking new book, every teacher brings their whole self to school: their dreams, their personal challenges, their hopes and fears, and their desire to be valued, to be connected, and to learn and grow. As school leaders, we have a duty to create an environment that can support every part of a teacher, that can help them stay connected to their why, and that can fulfill their servant hearts.

Changing a school culture takes careful planning and it takes time, and leading the whole teacher calls for a deeper level of systematic change than typical teacher appreciation efforts. Let’s dream for a moment about what school could be for teachers. How could school leaders create a school environment that nurtures the whole teacher? What impact could a school that sets teachers up for success have on student achievement? This book explores the six components of the whole teacher with strategies and ideas to create the environment that teachers need to thrive.

Endorsements

“Recognizing the emotional and psychological needs of classroom educators, Allyson Apsey gives leaders essential insights on how to improve teacher effectiveness, engage their hearts, and regain their commitment to our profession. At a time when many teachers are burned out and traumatized, Apsey offers hope.”—Douglas Reeves, author, Fearless Schools: Building Trust and Resilience for Learning, Teaching, and Leading

“With deep credibility and an authentic voice, Leading the Whole Teacher will provide you a clear path to protecting the most important part of education—the people. This book will engage your heart and mind as you serve your staff and school in a manner that’s meaningful to them.”—Dr. Brad Gustafson, award-winning principal (MN), author, and speaker

“As a service-oriented leader, Allyson has created a resource that is a necessary addition to the field. Leading the Whole Teacher is a book you will keep close to your desk and return to throughout the year.”—Jessica Cabeen, principal of Austin Online Academy, author, and speaker