Supporting wellness through instructional leadership

In all three Alberta quality standards, Teaching, Leadership and Superintendent, the first competency focuses on relationships. That should not come as a surprise, since education is a people business. Indicators highlight fairness, respect, integrity and a genuine concern for staff and students. The Leadership Quality Standard has a specific indicator that speaks directly to the importance of health and wellness.

” Demonstrating a commitment to the health and well-being of all teachers, staff and students.”

This competency and these types of indicators were established pre-pandemic, demonstrating the importance of effective relationship building. However, it is safe to say that their importance has risen sharply in this COVID stage of education.

I was recently involved in a cross country dialogue with ERDI that featured Dr. Catherine Zahn. Dr. Zahn is the current President and CEO of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). It was affirming to hear her talk about strategies for supporting mental health that many in school and system leadership typically do as standard practice. Certainly connecting with your staff and students is central to ensuring that they feel valued and supported. The importance of demonstrating empathy and ensuring accountability of behaviour were mentioned, as well as understanding the role of stress and grief in our workplaces. Key for all, but especially leaders who understand the significance of service to others is finding ways to renew oneself. Leaders can’t give what they don’t have so, they need to support their own health too!

While her keynote didn’t specifically address teacher practice, a follow up small group discussion spoke about the link between it and wellness. I was proud to hear from a respected colleague of mine, here in Alberta, who said clearly that instructional leadership continued to be a focus in her division. It is (and has been) my strong contention that a focus on instructional practice is especially important during this time and fits hand in glove with a commitment to the wellness of staff and students. Let me explain.

This past year, the education world has been turned upside down. From the many switches of in-school to at home learning and back, to the constant “threat” of positive cases within a school community, educators have been required to be more nimble in their instruction than ever before. It has become their new normal and is vastly foreign from the way most use to teach pre-pandemic. With that in mind, why wouldn’t leaders commit to supporting teachers in their instructional practice? This pandemic has taken many teachers far our of their comfort zones and without support many can be left fledgling alone…not really very good for wellness!

Instructional leadership often takes a bad rap because it is wrongly linked to evaluation. Supervision of instruction (a term I don’t really like) or rather coaching (as I prefer) is essential to addressing teacher practice, ultimately improving instruction and developing stronger efficacy. My experience as a retired superintendent working with school leaders and current coaching sessions has proven invaluable in stabilizing teachers’ fears about the process and building more resilience and adaptability in the classroom. Teachers who feel that they are making a difference in their students’ lives tend to demonstrate a more positive outlook and that is why wellness and instructional leadership are so closely linked.

Instructional leadership should not be seen as negative and should never be employed as punishment. It is an essential component of what school and system leaders should do, and especially now, cannot be placed on the back burner until the timing is better. Leaders who schedule this practice consistently into their calendar and do so in a mode of support are assisting their teachers in ways that they should. Who a child’s teacher is, matters, and so developing the practice of all teachers through a non-threatening coaching model improves learning and supports the well-being of both teacher and student. Now is not the time, to limit your instructional leadership practice. Healthy, confident and adaptable teachers are required, especially now, and while some can achieve those capabilities without support, most cannot. Be the leader that “demonstrates a commitment to the health and well-being of all teachers, staff and students” by excelling in the practice of instructional leadership.

For more information on the coaching process please read the following blog post, Supporting Principals as Instructional Leaders or contact me directly as cdsmeaton@gmail.com