3 Questions to Ask Your Teachers Before They Leave for the Summer
by Angie Copetillo
“What you see and hear depends a good deal on where you are standing; it also depends on what kind of a person you are.” — C.S. Lewis, The Magician’s Nephew
The end of the school year will be quickly upon us. This time of year has its own kind of buzz—House competitions, exams, ceremonies, hallmark events, and a collective sigh of relief as the rhythm of summer begins to break through. But amid the final push, there’s an opportunity we don’t want to miss: the chance to stop, reflect, and listen to our teachers before they walk out the doors for a well-deserved break.
Too often, we wait until August to ask, How are you doing? or What would have helped you flourish last year? By then, the moment has passed—and we’re already sprinting into a new school year. But right now, while the year is still fresh, we have an opportunity to pause and gather meaningful insight.
So, before your faculty disperses for the summer, consider asking three questions – not as a formal evaluation, but as an invitation – an opportunity to say: Your voice matters, your growth matters, and we’re still becoming—together.
1. What helped you grow this year?
This question gives teachers the chance to name what formed them, not just what they accomplished. It could be a book study, a new teaching method, a hallway conversation, or something they walked through personally that shaped how they see their students or their calling.
It’s important that we help our teachers reflect on more than curriculum and classroom management. When a school is serious about formation, it shows up in the faculty first. This question gives space for joy, gratitude, and perspective—and it also helps you identify what to repeat or expand for future development.
💬 Optional prompt for journaling or discussion:
“Was there a moment this year when your love for teaching was rekindled?”
2. What quietly wore you down?
We often ask what went well or what challenges were “big,” but this question digs into the small, unseen things that often wear on faculty over time: too many meetings, inconsistent policies, a lack of margin, relational friction, or simply the pace of the year.
This isn’t about fault-finding—it’s about being attentive. When we ask this question with humility and a listening posture, we signal to our teachers that we care not just about performance, but about their well-being. The slow erosion of joy or clarity doesn’t happen all at once—it happens in the day-to-day. Let’s be the kind of leaders who care enough to ask before the burnout sets in.
💬 Optional prompt for journaling or discussion:
“What made the good days harder than they had to be?”
3. What would help you feel more supported next year?
This is one of the most powerful questions a leader can ask. It opens the door for honest feedback and gives teachers permission to speak into the shape of next year with hope and ownership.
Support can look like mentoring, clearer communication, professional development, fewer meetings, more prayer, shared leadership, or even just time to think and plan. Whatever it looks like, asking this question shows your faculty that you’re not just managing a system—you’re shepherding people.
It also helps you see where you may need to invest your energy over the summer—not just in policies and schedules but in people.
💬 Optional prompt for journaling or discussion:
“If you could change one thing about how your work is supported, what would it be?”
Wrapping Up the Year with Intention
You don’t need a fancy survey tool or a formal review process to ask these questions. In fact, the most powerful way to ask them may be face-to-face, over coffee, during a final staff meeting, or even in a simple email that invites reflection without pressure.
What matters is that your teachers know: they are seen, heard, and valued. Build trust by helping them know their growth and well-being are just as important as their classroom outcomes and that the work of classical Christian education is not just forming students, but also forming the adults who walk with them day after day.
So, amidst the pending busyness of May, before the school doors close and summer routines take over, take a moment to listen. You may be surprised by what your teachers share—and how much it shapes the kind of school you’re building together.
