Creating a Culture of Value and Appreciation for Professional Educators

Walter McKenzie
Jun 7
2 min read

This is an ongoing series on The Worthy Educators’ Principles of Educator Agency and Efficacy and their implementation in our efforts to transform the profession. This piece addresses the non-negotiable right of principle 11, Recognition: celebrating our learning, growth and success as we model the journey on which we launch our students. See the accompanying infographic below and share this resource with colleagues. We invite educators everywhere to join us in this important work!

Watch the video accompaniment to this blog post!

Recognizing educators as professionals is critical in redefining the narrative of our profession across all stakeholders. It is as much to recognize the significance of the profession as it is the specific contributions of each of us as individuals.

This goes beyond professional courtesy. Cultivating a culture of recognition sets a tone of caring and respect, boosts staff camaraderie and engagement, improves recruitment and retention of the best and the brightest in the profession, and strengthens the organization at every level. It's an investment yielding positive returns for teachers, teams, schools and the entire community, fostering a more positive, productive, professional climate for everyone involved.

There are many ways to build a culture that communicates value and appreciation for professional educators, including...

Everyday in-the-moment acknowledgements:

Verbal Praise: sincere compliments and thank yous, especially in person

Private Recognition: one-on-one conversations to express gratitude

Thank You Notes: personalized notes or emails for specific efforts

Public Acknowledgment: acknowledgements in a group setting

Social Media Shout-Outs: announcements and spotlights on accomplishments

And formal, official recognitions:

Awards: recognizing achievements and outstanding performance

Gifts: material tokens commemorating milestones and excellence

Opportunities: invitations for new experiences and growth

Sabbaticals: leave granted for study and travel

Employee Appreciation Days: designated time to express awareness and gratitude

Flexible Work: offering schedules that are flexible and adapt to educator needs

Charitable Contributions: donate or match contributions in the educator’s name

Celebrations: team outings, dinners and other get-togethers in honor of educators

Displays: media assets, walls of fame and bulletin boards featuring success

Peer-to-Peer Programs: colleagues recognizing one another's accomplishments

In short, thoughtfully delivered recognitions are a cost-effective way to improve climate and morale, foster positive relationships across the community, and create contexts for school success where everyone contributes their best efforts, reinforcing the behaviors and outcomes that allow everyone involved to achieve their goals.

Recognitions expressing sentiments of genuine gratitude elevate the profession and everyone in it. More than just one week a year or at the conclusion of a given semester, a culture of appreciation that recognizes the work we do every day as educators is critical to the transformation of education.