Our Unit 871 Supervisory ESL Instructor, Nick, provides insights of building an education team that is motivated and sustainable.
In times where it was sink or swim, I swam. But I would never ask anyone on my team to take that same plunge.
My first day as a teacher in Saudi Arabia was an absolute trial by fire. There was no orientation. There was no staff briefing. There was no safety net. It was just me, a dry-erase marker, and a dozen expectant faces. I even had to ask my own students where they kept their course books.
I survived through pure adrenaline, quick thinking, and a lot of luck. For years, I wore that rough start like a badge of honor. But looking back as a supervisor today, I see it differently.
Throwing someone into the deep end isn’t a rite of passage. It is bad leadership.
The Cost of the Deep End
When you throw new teachers into the deep end, two things happen:
- Energy goes to survival, not teaching. New teachers waste mental energy worrying about basic tech, room rules, and schedule logistics.
- Bad habits form fast. Without early guidance, people invent quick fixes just to get through the lesson. These fixes often turn into bad habits later.
Plunging people into panic does not show who is a great teacher. It only shows who manages stress well.
Building a Team People Want to Show Up For
A former team leader of mine once told me: “If people don’t want to come into work, the leader is doing something wrong.” That line stuck with me.
Onboarding isn’t about running an obstacle course. It is about making sure a new teacher walks in on Monday morning feeling relief instead of dread.
- Taking Away the Invisible Pressure: When a new teacher knows someone has their back, they stop worrying about looking foolish. Instead, they focus on their students.
- Making Help the Default: Nobody should feel embarrassed to ask a basic question. A strong team makes asking for help feel normal, not like a confession of weakness.
- Building Real Pride: People don’t get excited about a job because of a speech. They get excited when they join a crew of colleagues who actually look out for one another.
Leadership isn’t about seeing who can handle the pressure. It is about building a place where people are glad to show up and do the work.
I am glad I survived my first day in Saudi Arabia. But my job today is making sure no one on my team ever has to.