How teachers make the difference at your school with their vision on education

How do teachers see education, and how much say do they have within their institution or school group? That makes more of a difference than you might think. Especially in a sector like education, lots of people work with real passion for what they do. Their opinions and vision definitely influence how things develop within a school. But how do you get teachers to share a vision on education, what impact does that have on them, and how can you use this knowledge in your recruitment in education?

Your view on education

A vision on education: what exactly do we mean by that? By 'vision', we mean your view of or opinion on the state of affairs in education and within a specific educational institution. Which direction could a school take? What do colleagues think is important, and how do they try to keep the working atmosphere or culture positive? But also: what developments do we see in education in general, and what do we think of them? Do we go along with everything, or does a counter-movement take shape? As a democratic country, we have influence, albeit indirect, on the choices the government makes. But the vision behind it is what we're focusing on now.

When this vision comes through strongly within an educational institution and is shared by a large share of the teachers, it can certainly make an impact within a school: as a group, or on an individual level. An example? A work culture with mutual trust, where people really listen to each other and openness and freedom are highly valued. But also one where the quality of education comes first, and is seen as something that keeps developing. Without a shared vision, you run the risk of teachers grumbling and not connecting with each other. A working day then quickly becomes a routine in which someone teaches, marks on their own and goes home again. In short: the passion for the job is nowhere to be found.

The impact of a shared vision on education

We mentioned it earlier: people who work in education often do so with a mission. Their heart is truly in teaching. Even so, having a shared, practical vision on education can make teachers even more engaged in their work. Research shows that schools with a clear vision create a culture of trust, which makes it easier for teachers to work together, give feedback and keep developing. Working on your employer brand can help here. And a shared vision like that isn't just nice for the teachers themselves; it can also drastically raise the quality of lessons and job satisfaction. How great is that?

Building a vision and keeping it alive

More motivation and professional growth: it sounds fantastic. But how do you get there? Establishing a strong, shared vision on education and keeping it alive can be a challenge. At a school, after all, you work with many different people, all with their own stories and opinions. Get it wrong and you actually risk more uncertainty and reluctance among your teachers, and that rarely has a positive effect on the quality of education. You can achieve a strong shared vision on education in several ways.

The role of school leaders

Leaders such as headteachers and principals play an important role in this. They don't just take the lead; they also have a kind of helicopter view of the school and all its staff. When there's a negative atmosphere, these are the people who should get wind of it quickly. The opposite is true as well: shaping and maintaining a positive shared vision is also in the hands of school leaders. They can do that, for example, by getting teachers talking to each other and bringing different ideas together. A strong vision shouldn't just exist on paper, but become visible in concrete actions and daily routines. When that happens, the new vision or way of thinking quickly becomes the new normal.

The right way to recruit in education

We're well aware: teachers are scarce. So sky-high expectations about a particular vision won't speed up your search for new teachers. But do remember that if you hire someone whose vision doesn't fit your organisation at all, you're often even worse off. That person might have a negative influence on others, for example. There's also a chance your new colleague will leave again before long. Not only does that mean you've invested time, effort and money for nothing, it also doesn't help your pupils develop.

In recruitment in education, hiring teachers with a strong, positive and motivated vision can really move your educational institution forward in the long run. So, sitting down with a candidate? Then look beyond the qualifications and experience on their CV. Besides the standard questions, ask about their vision on education too, and how it has shown up in practice so far.

Want to know more or need help recruiting teachers? Get in touch with us, and together we'll look at how recruitment in education can help shape or strengthen the vision within your school group or educational institution.