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00:00:17 --> 00:00:23 Grundmeyer Leader Services, where together we are transforming education, one leader at a time.
00:00:23 --> 00:00:27 Now, get ready to amplify your day with Your Morning Boost.
00:00:31 --> 00:00:35 Good morning. Welcome to Your Morning Boost, a daily podcast dedicated to fueling
00:00:35 --> 00:00:38 our collective leadership journey together.
00:00:38 --> 00:00:41 Hey, we're kicking off a brand new week, Monday, November 3rd,
00:00:41 --> 00:00:45 and this entire week is our monthly dive into the Fitting 5 newsletter from
00:00:45 --> 00:00:48 our partners at Grundmeyer Leader Services.
00:00:48 --> 00:00:53 These articles give us invaluable insight into some current educational trends,
00:00:53 --> 00:00:55 and we're starting with one that hits us hard.
00:00:56 --> 00:01:00 That's the impact of high staff turnover on student discipline.
00:01:00 --> 00:01:04 That's right. We are going to deep dive into the K-12 dive article,
00:01:04 --> 00:01:09 Teacher Turnover Contributes to Suspensions and Referrals, Study Finds.
00:01:09 --> 00:01:10 It points to a tough truth.
00:01:11 --> 00:01:15 When experienced teachers leave, we lose the key student-teacher relationships
00:01:15 --> 00:01:17 and consistency needed in classrooms.
00:01:17 --> 00:01:23 This breakdown drives up student discipline problems, and it's not just a staffing issue.
00:01:23 --> 00:01:26 It's a direct threat to our school culture.
00:01:33 --> 00:01:37 The study confirms that the rise in discipline isn't just because new teachers
00:01:37 --> 00:01:42 lack management skills. It's a systemic problem caused by losing two crucial things.
00:01:42 --> 00:01:49 Strong relationships or relational capital and consistent rules or procedural consistency.
00:01:50 --> 00:01:54 Students, especially those dealing with trauma or unstable home lives,
00:01:54 --> 00:01:57 rely on predictability and trust.
00:01:57 --> 00:02:02 When the adult who knows their story leaves, the one who understands why they
00:02:02 --> 00:02:07 might be acting out or what their nonverbal cues mean in the first place, that trust vanishes.
00:02:08 --> 00:02:14 If discipline then shifts from room to room because new staff haven't built
00:02:14 --> 00:02:20 shared expectations, confusion drives conflict, and we see this immediate spike in office referrals.
00:02:21 --> 00:02:27 So how do we use our time, our training, and our culture, the non-budgetary
00:02:27 --> 00:02:30 resources we have, to interrupt this cycle?
00:02:30 --> 00:02:33 First, we must focus on structural consistency.
00:02:34 --> 00:02:41 This means making sure classroom management isn't just dependent on how experienced a single teacher is.
00:02:41 --> 00:02:48 We need a uniform Tier 1 behavioral strategy that every adult uses every single day.
00:02:48 --> 00:02:52 My advice here is to lock in our expectations and rules so they don't change
00:02:52 --> 00:02:54 just because a new teacher walks in.
00:02:55 --> 00:02:59 This starts with implementing a single, non-negotiable set of maybe three to
00:02:59 --> 00:03:05 five universal expectations that everyone can believe in and everyone can follow.
00:03:05 --> 00:03:10 Simple rules. They can be things like be respectful, be responsible, and be ready.
00:03:11 --> 00:03:15 These are taught. They're reinforced, and they need to be done so identically
00:03:15 --> 00:03:18 in every classroom and common area, really. with no exceptions.
00:03:19 --> 00:03:23 Next, we need to solidify our discipline process. This means developing a simple
00:03:23 --> 00:03:28 visual consequence flowchart and training everyone on it.
00:03:28 --> 00:03:33 The first, second, and third minor disruption needs the same predictable response,
00:03:33 --> 00:03:38 but that response must be focused on learning and restoration, not just punishment.
00:03:38 --> 00:03:43 This consistency, where the consequence is a predictable chance to reflect on
00:03:43 --> 00:03:46 the impact of their behavior and to repair any harm is done,
00:03:46 --> 00:03:51 is what restores a crucial sense of predictability and safety for our students,
00:03:51 --> 00:03:54 especially those who need it most.
00:03:54 --> 00:04:00 Now, next, we also must prioritize cultural resilience through relational duty.
00:04:00 --> 00:04:06 If we're losing staff, the remaining team has to immediately step up and double down on connections.
00:04:07 --> 00:04:12 This is an all-hands-on-deck effort, and we must do so to rebuild the lost relationships
00:04:12 --> 00:04:13 that come from our lost colleagues.
00:04:14 --> 00:04:20 This means we as leaders must mandate and protect time for proactive relational check-ins.
00:04:21 --> 00:04:25 My advice is to carve out maybe the first five minutes of every class for a
00:04:25 --> 00:04:30 brief non-academic connection, or require teachers to make a daily positive
00:04:30 --> 00:04:35 contact with five specific students, maybe ones who frequently struggle.
00:04:35 --> 00:04:40 This builds up a connection account before a problem ever happens.
00:04:40 --> 00:04:45 In the end, we must also think about developing some high-leverage peer mentorship.
00:04:46 --> 00:04:50 Maybe the focus on this mentorship is entirely on relationship strategies and
00:04:50 --> 00:04:54 behavioral support, not just curriculum pacing for our new staff members.
00:04:54 --> 00:04:59 Pair new teachers specifically with those veterans who have the lowest referral
00:04:59 --> 00:05:04 rates. We call them our hidden MVPs. It helps show them exactly how to prevent
00:05:04 --> 00:05:08 conflict through these strong, genuine connections.
00:05:15 --> 00:05:20 By investing heavily in these three areas, uniform behavioral expectations,
00:05:21 --> 00:05:25 protected time for relational duty, and high leverage peer support,
00:05:26 --> 00:05:29 we create a leadership structure that's resilient to turnover,
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 stabilizing the school's culture for students.
00:05:32 --> 00:05:35 And in the end, this will help keep teachers focused on instruction,
00:05:35 --> 00:05:37 not just behavior management.
00:05:39 --> 00:05:42 This is a tough reality, and it's one we're going to have to face today.
00:05:42 --> 00:05:47 This link between high teacher turnover and increased disciplinary action is undeniable.
00:05:47 --> 00:05:53 The solution needs us to work on keeping staff and making sure behavior is handled consistently.
00:05:54 --> 00:05:57 That's the mission we share. Join us again tomorrow when we dive into the Ed
00:05:57 --> 00:06:03 Week article exploring the link between kids' social media use and lower reading and memory scores.
00:06:03 --> 00:06:07 But again, thank you for listening, everybody. We'll be back here again as we
00:06:07 --> 00:06:08 talk with you again tomorrow.
00:06:10 --> 00:06:14 That concludes another episode of your morning
00:06:14 --> 00:06:17 boost we hope today's daily dose of professional
00:06:17 --> 00:06:22 development helps you amplify knowledge widen reach and broaden impact your
00:06:22 --> 00:06:27 morning boost is an awb education production brought to you with the generous
00:06:27 --> 00:06:32 support of grundmeyer leader services join us again tomorrow for more until
00:06:32 --> 00:06:34 then keep boosting your impact.