at the 2009 NAIS Annual Conference, but now it's time to poll the best
minds of my generation (apologies to Allen Ginsberg), and a couple of
other generations as well.
My topic is the revitalization of experienced teachers, some of whom, as
we all know, lose confidence, energy, and/or efficacy over time. Sometimes
this has to do with change within the school, sometimes with personal
circumstances, and sometimes with a constellation of factors we lump
together as "burnout" (a term I'm not very fond of).
Most schools have seen this, and there must be stories and ideas out there
among the ISED community as to how to help these people either regain
their groove or make a transition to something else.
We know, or suspect, that sometimes schools actually avoid or downscale
necessary change to work around such teachers. Managing them can become a
disproportionate time suck for administrators and a quiet source of
annoyance and even institutional embarrassment. But there they are, often
having given much in the past and thus regarded as valuable.
I suspect that the issue will become a bit more of a challenge as times
get tough; there will be even more fear of leaving a position even as
schools may need to become more creative an innovative both
programmatically and with regard to personnel costs.
So, if you'd like a few microseconds of fame, please let me know (off
list, s.v.p.) whether your school has "solved" the problem of the fading
teacher or whether you have some great ideas as to how it might. Some of
you might even fall into the "senior teacher" demographic and have our own
worries; what would help put the spring back into your teacherly step?
A lot to chew on, but this list has the best teeth (or maybe dentures) I
know of.
Thanks--Peter Gow
Peter Gow, Director of College Counseling and Special Programs
Beaver Country Day School
791 Hammond Street
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
www.bcdschool.org
Tel. 617-738-2755
FAX 617-738-2701
Skype: petergow3
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