Teachers' Perspectives on Principal Mistreatment

Schools run on loveóof the kids, the subject, the work, the hope, the possibilities, the smiles of satisfaction, the looks of appreciation, the little things that keep teachers and students and leaders going. The principal whose interactions with staff undermine this all-important source of energy by creating dissociation between teachersí selfconfidence and their professional self-image is like the captain drilling a hole in her/ his own ship. No matter how hard you bail, itís always sinking. Leaders who cause teachers emotional damage would be wise to reconsider the cost effectiveness, if nothing else, of disintegrating a teacherís self, a precariously balanced entity that is already overtaxed. Leaders who are sensitive to teachersí needs for congruity and emotional understanding in their professional relationships with their leaders can provide invaluable support and catalyze creativity which can benefit exponentially, the whole school community. (Beatty, 2001, p. 36)

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