Leaders don’t have to be perfect—but they do need to be present. In this exclusive book excerpt, Carrie Bishop and Jessica Holloway share how to create a culture where teachers feel safe, seen, soothed, and secure.
To keep great teachers in the classroom, schools must move beyond traditional recruitment and hiring practices. Attracting and retaining exceptional teachers requires leaders to create work environments where educators feel valued, supported, and inspired to stay. And this necessitates a shift in perspective—one that highlights what schools can offer teachers, not just what teachers can offer schools.
In this excerpt from Make Your School Irresistible: The Secret to Attracting and Retaining Great Teachers (ASCD, 2025), Carrie Bishop and Jessica Holloway explain how leaders can foster a culture where teachers feel safe, seen, soothed, secure—what the authors refer to as the 4 Ss of good leadership. For leaders, these principles provide a framework for building trust, strengthening relationships, and making your school a place where teachers want to grow and thrive.