How could school leaders improve the flourishing of teachers in the COVID-19 pandemic?

Abstract

This chapter considers how school leaders could improve the flourishing of teaching staff during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Evidence suggests that the flourishing of teachers positively influences pupil outcomes across a range of measures, and philosophers argue that flourishing is intrinsically good. However, teachers are arguably not all flourishing, and many are experiencing excess stress, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. This chapter’s research questions are: 1) What do teaching staff (including school leaders) understand by the term ‘flourishing at work’?, 2) What do teaching staff believe school leaders could do to improve their flourishing?, and 3) What kinds of strategies could school leaders adopt with the intention of improving the flourishing of teaching staff? These questions were answered using a mixed methods research design with participatory and collaborative elements. The chapter proposes a new perspective on and associated model of school leadership: ‘leadership for teacher flourishing’. The key factors identified in enabling teachers to flourish include positive relationships, opportunities for growth, positive impact on subjective wellbeing, and reducing time pressure and excess stress.