Skip to main content

Mobile Navigation

  • National
    • Policy
      • High Expectations
      • Quality Choices
      • Personalized Pathways
    • Research
    • Commentary
      • Gadfly Newsletter
      • Flypaper Blog
    • Events
    • Scholars Program
  • Ohio
    • Policy
      • Priorities
      • Media & Testimony
    • Research
    • Commentary
      • Ohio Education Gadfly Biweekly
      • Ohio Gadfly Daily
  • Charter Authorizing
    • Application
    • Sponsored Schools
    • Resources
  • About
    • Mission
    • Board
    • Staff
    • Career
Home
Home
Advancing Educational Excellence

Main Navigation

  • National
  • Ohio
  • Charter Authorizing
  • About

National Menu

  • Topics
    • Accountability & Testing
    • Advanced Education
    • Career & Technical Education
    • Charter Schools
    • Curriculum & Instruction
    • ESSA
    • Evidence-Based Learning
    • Facilities
    • Governance
    • Personalized Learning
    • Private School Choice
    • School Finance
    • Standards
    • Teachers & School Leaders
    • Think Again
  • Research
  • Commentary
    • Gadfly Newsletter
    • Flypaper Blog
    • Gadfly Podcast
  • Events
  • Scholars Program
Flypaper

11 ways school districts are boosting teacher morale

Happy McGavin
4.1.2022
Getty Images/ajr_images

g

Times are tough, America’s teachers are feeling the strain, and schools are working hard to turn their frowns upside down. People also love lists, especially odd-numbered ones. So let’s look at eleven ways that school districts are boosting teacher morale:

  1. Cameras in the classroom—but they make you look younger.

  2. Professional development led by actual clowns.

  3. Allowed to “lose” one student of your choice per field trip.

  4. A framed, autographed photo of Checker Finn, with a personalized message reminding you that “you had it coming.”

  5. Golden tickets to the American Federation of Teachers headquarters, placed into random chocolate bars by Randi Weingarten.

  6. Replacing the coffee maker in the teachers lounge with a keg of Miller High Life.

  7. “Squid Game,” but with copier paper as the reward.

  8. No longer required to clock out when leaving the building to cry in your car.

  9.  A competitive, professional-level salary... Just kidding! Disco yoga in the gymnasium.

  10. Singing telegrams provided by the P.E. teacher.

  11. A fully-paid thirteen-minute lunch break.
Tags: American Federation of Teachers Randi Weingarten
Happy McGavin
Fordham Logo

© 2026 The Thomas B. Fordham Institute
Privacy Policy
Usage Agreement

National

P.O. Box 110
Burke, VA 22009

202.223.5452

[email protected]

Ohio

P.O. Box 82291
Columbus, OH 43202

614.223.1580

[email protected]

Sponsorship

130 West Second Street, Suite 410
Dayton, Ohio 45402

937.227.3368

[email protected]