Irreplaceable Educators in Authentic Systems
Written by Mary Mangione, MA
Do you ever think about how teacher retention can be like a replay of ground hogs day? As an administrator you onboard, train, and invest your time on your teachers and spring time come around and they are applying for other jobs? This is especially concerning as schools work to improve academic outcomes while supporting students with increasingly complex behavioral and social-emotional needs. School leaders face the difficult task of meeting all state and federal compliance requirements, which can result in costly compensatory reimbursements for schools. Most of all, the school environment lacks the capacity to make adequate progress in providing a dynamic learning environment for all students.
Does it make a genuine difference if we continue to receive state funding to hire highly qualified staff? In this issue, let’s dive deeper into some of the core issues of why people leave their workplace, which leaves schools constantly pivoting to fill classrooms with long-term subs.
How can schools build lasting systems around strong individuals before they leave?
In this blog, we will be discussing systems that not only provide stability but also give strong individuals opportunities to thrive and feel a sense of connection and accomplishment in their daily duties. Whether they are a classroom teacher, administrator, or hall monitor, strong systems support a positive culture and give individuals a sense of pride in their work.
Chicago’s first AI-powered school is making headlines and raising concerns about the future stability of the teaching profession nationwide. Educators have mixed feelings about artificial intelligence, and staff-room conversations increasingly center on whether AI could eventually replace teachers. According to the American Psychological Association, when jobs are designed to make workers replaceable, employees begin to feel replaceable. A decade ago, the possibility of teachers being displaced by technology may have seemed far-fetched; today, it has become a legitimate concern in schools across the country.
“According to the American Psychological Association, when jobs are designed to make workers replaceable, employees begin to feel replaceable. A decade ago, the possibility of teachers being displaced by technology may have seemed far-fetched; today, it has become a legitimate concern in schools across the country.”
We know schools are workplaces where educators provide service to students and families, and where relationships truly matter. Without meaningful relationships, student attendance declines, staff attendance declines, and the true impact on achievement and social-emotional growth goes unseen. How can we leverage relationships while still building a school system that allows an organization to thrive? How do we build an effective system so that our strongest individuals feel seen and continue to have a sense of accomplishment?
Let’s look at two of the five conditions for effective teams in Hackman’s work. Richard Hackman is a renowned psychologist who studied organizational behavior and theory. He has identified five factors in a team’s effectiveness: 1) Real Team, 2) Compelling Direction, 3) Enabling Structure, 4) Supportive Context, and 5) Expert Coaching. Real Team and Compelling Direction are the two models that will be focused on this topic due to its impact on how teams can work collaboratively together to reach a common goal. Strong individuals can be high performers when they work on the right team and maintain a sense of accomplishment and an authentic connection to their work, especially in a school setting, where it directly impacts students’ lives.
A Real Team is bounded, stable, and interdependent. They depend on each member of the identified team, and the team members are committed to working together for the duration of the work. A Compelling Direction gives the team a compelling purpose and a roadmap aligned with the school's mission and vision. The common goal aligns and motivates the team to complete tasks that directly impact the school.
Some of the strongest individuals working in our schools are high-performing professionals who make a meaningful difference every day. They are often the people who volunteer for additional responsibilities, inspire their colleagues, and step forward to lead teams toward shared goals. However, creating real teams with a compelling direction is not enough to retain these exceptional employees.
As discussed earlier, authentic organizational systems help employees feel valued, purposeful, accomplished, and connected. An authentic workplace allows individuals to fulfill their responsibilities while also bringing their unique strengths, perspectives, and talents to the team. When people are invited to contribute in ways that reflect who they are and what they do best, the impact on both the individual and the organization is exponentially greater.
“Authentic organizational systems help employees feel valued, purposeful, accomplished, and connected. An authentic workplace allows individuals to fulfill their responsibilities while also bringing their unique strengths, perspectives, and talents to the team. ”
Yet high-performing employees need more than recognition and connection. They need meaningful opportunities to participate in projects that challenge them, build their skills, and generate intrinsic motivation. They also need clear pathways for professional growth, expanded leadership, and promotion within the school system. Too often, schools reward their strongest employees with additional work but offer little additional authority, development, or opportunity. Over time, even the most committed professionals may begin to feel stagnant or overlooked.
If schools want to retain their strongest people, they must create environments where excellence leads somewhere. Employees should be able to envision a future in which their talents are developed, their contributions influence the organization, and their leadership continues to grow. When schools pair authentic teamwork with purpose, challenge, recognition, and genuine opportunities for advancement, high-performing individuals are more likely to remain—not simply because they are committed to the mission, but because the organization is equally committed to them.
