@consultingDCH Dr. Mike Robinson: How do you define a good teacher?
Dr. Dorothy C. Handfield: A good teacher is a teacher who is a team player and willing to expand his/her knowledge as a professional.
Dr. Mike Robinson: When a good teacher decides to leave, how does it impact the culture of the schoolhouse?
Dr. Dorothy C. Handfield: A good teacher makes decisions with the students in mind. When good teachers leave the school, others within the school question why, especially the students. Very rarely does anyone outwardly state that there may be a problem with the school's culture? These conversations are held behind closed doors. Some administrators take pride in "getting teachers out of their building". Nonetheless, this is done at what cost? Administrators have to constantly acknowledge the work of their teachers. Administrators must support the teachers in the midst of preparing for state assessments and increasing student achievement.
Dr. Mike Robinson: What can school leaders do to maintain good teachers? And to what extent do you believe a large number of bad teachers make good teachers want to leave?
Dr. Dorothy C. Handfield: Bad teachers can discourage good teachers. Bad teachers can create a negative environment as a means to distract from what is not getting done in the classroom. As an administrator, it is our responsibility to empower the good teachers and motivate the bad teachers.
Dr. Dorothy C. Handfield is a Principal within the Newark Public Schools. Dr. Handfield has 20 years of experience in urban education, where she served 13 of those years as a school administrator. Dr. Handfield is the CEO of DCH Consulting Service, LLC and Executive Director of The Reading Experience for Young Men, Inc. Her areas of study are the impact of community violence exposure on youth and traumatized youth.
Dr. Dorothy C. Handfield: A good teacher is a teacher who is a team player and willing to expand his/her knowledge as a professional.
Dr. Mike Robinson: When a good teacher decides to leave, how does it impact the culture of the schoolhouse?
Dr. Dorothy C. Handfield: A good teacher makes decisions with the students in mind. When good teachers leave the school, others within the school question why, especially the students. Very rarely does anyone outwardly state that there may be a problem with the school's culture? These conversations are held behind closed doors. Some administrators take pride in "getting teachers out of their building". Nonetheless, this is done at what cost? Administrators have to constantly acknowledge the work of their teachers. Administrators must support the teachers in the midst of preparing for state assessments and increasing student achievement.
Dr. Mike Robinson: What can school leaders do to maintain good teachers? And to what extent do you believe a large number of bad teachers make good teachers want to leave?
Dr. Dorothy C. Handfield: Bad teachers can discourage good teachers. Bad teachers can create a negative environment as a means to distract from what is not getting done in the classroom. As an administrator, it is our responsibility to empower the good teachers and motivate the bad teachers.
Dr. Dorothy C. Handfield is a Principal within the Newark Public Schools. Dr. Handfield has 20 years of experience in urban education, where she served 13 of those years as a school administrator. Dr. Handfield is the CEO of DCH Consulting Service, LLC and Executive Director of The Reading Experience for Young Men, Inc. Her areas of study are the impact of community violence exposure on youth and traumatized youth.