Spring break is the last long break before the school year ends. For teachers, it is a time to recharge, but it is also a time to think and reflect upon the school year to determine if their current school is a place they want to return to next school year. Principals slip forms in teachers’ mailboxes asking if they plan to return next year or transfer to another school in the district. Some teachers update their resumes and venture out to school job fairs or begin completing applications online. Although educators know this process comes around each year, for some reason, it becomes an awkward and unnecessarily stressful time. Administrators are partly to blame.
Most people know I’m known for writing the viral article with one million plus views, “Teachers Quit Principals, Not Schools.” The article is so popular that when I had to interview for a new job last year after my former school district eliminated my position, many of the principals who interviewed me had read my article. If you are a principal that teachers want to quit, let them go. Nothing good will come of you attempting to block their future opportunities. Don’t bother telling teachers how you will change or how it will be better next school year when you are only concerned with hanging onto those teachers rather than fixing the areas that are pushing teachers out the door.
Before I quit the principal I wrote about, that administrator knew I wanted to leave. Regardless how any principal feels about me now, all of my principals will tell you I work hard, have good relationships with students, and will tell you what is on my mind. This is why no principal I have ever worked for was blindsided when I left. Even with my current job, my principal is aware of my future plans. We are all grown, but some of us act immature or inappropriate when it comes to talking about why teachers want to leave. People accepting jobs and switching jobs is part of the education profession. It doesn’t need to be a hostage situation.
I even had a principal refuse to write me a reference letter to stop me from leaving. My evaluation for that school year was highly effective and the notes were all praise. Guess what? That principal being petty did not stop me from leaving nor did it prevent me from being offered other jobs, three to be exact. When principals try to hold onto people who no longer want to be at their school, they are damaging the school culture and refusing to do some introspection to determine what could be changed to improve their staff retention rates.
At the end of the day, the people impacted most are the students. There is nothing worse than for a child to have a teacher that does not want to work at the school. I’m not suggesting principals lie and give glowing reviews to pass the trash to get rid of educators who want to leave because they realized their inadequate teaching has been exposed. In those situations, principals should be putting in supports and following the procedures to get those teachers on a plan of improvement or a plan of non-renewal of their teacher contract. But for teachers who are good or even great, who want to leave your school, let them go. Don’t get in their way. The best you can do is make changes so no one else will want to leave your school.
About 2 years ago I received my master’s in Educational Leadership, my goal has been to start trying to move up the ladder. I have over 10 years experience teaching. I am certified to be a principal in 2 states, and a wealth of professional development and leadership experience. My problem is that my last principal and current principal refuse to promote me because I am a good teacher. Both of these schools are Title I and have students with behavior issues and behind on their academics. I feel they want to keep me in this position because they can’t find anyone else. The principal I am with now, I know for a fact has the pull in the district to sabotage anything I interview for. My last principal and “supposedly mentor” didn’t even tell me a position was coming open when I asked if there would be one. All of a sudden an email is sent where she has given the job to a sorority sister. I know not all districts are like this, but it makes me mad. I’m more qualified and great at what I do. My last principal I even felt like she was intimidated by me. What should I do?
Hi Sandy. I suggest you actively look for jobs and keep your resume updated. Sometimes, mentors don’t look out for you. If it is possible, consider looking for a job outside of your district or in a neighboring city. During one job transition, I switched districts. I was automatically able to obtain opportunities I wanted to get at the previous district for years. I wish you luck. I hope this additional information helps.
I am dealing with a very similar issue to Sandy. I have been at my current school for 6 years, always have great evaluations, no issues with my team or parents, etc. I have gone on 6 interviews so far with a different district, with two principals confirming that they wanted to hire me, but my principal gave me a poor reference. Same thing happened to me last year, except last year I was trying to stay within my district. So now not only do I feel attacked as a teacher and person, but I feel hopeless that I will ever be able to get out of my school because they will always bad mouth me to another prospective job. It is extremely demoralizing.
One option is being transparent with the school that wants to hire you. During one interview I had, I told the panel that my principal did not want me to leave the school. I also provided other references in addition to the principal. Unfortunately, there are principals that will give bad references so you can’t leave.