When You Have Mean or Unsupportive Admin — How to Protect Your Peace When Your Admin Doesn’t Have Your Back

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Show Notes:

When the people who are supposed to support you leave you feeling isolated and unheard, teaching can quickly become a lonely battlefield. So what do you do when your biggest challenge isn’t the classroom, but the administration that’s supposed to support it? Dealing with unsupportive administrators can make an already demanding job feel nearly impossible.

If you're in this situation, know that I see you, because I’ve been there too. When teachers feel like their admin doesn’t have their back, it can be exhausting, isolating, and even hopeless at times. But you're not powerless. In fact, there are ways to protect your well-being, advocate for yourself, and create positive change—even when support from the top is lacking. In today’s episode, I’m sharing what to do when you're dealing with mean or unsupportive admin, and how to protect your peace by setting healthy emotional boundaries.

It's important to remember that administration isn’t the gatekeeper of your peace…you are. While we can't always choose our admin, we can choose how much power we give them over our emotional health. I’ll walk you through simple daily and weekly habits that, when practiced consistently, can help you build resilience, reconnect with your “why” in teaching, and find mental resets throughout your day.

And if you’ve ever struggled to find the right words to express your concerns or set boundaries with admin, I’ve got you covered. Approaching admin for help can feel intimidating, especially if you've been shut down in the past. I’ll share a few effective responses to help you set clear, confident boundaries that protect your peace and emotional well-being.

Facing an unsupportive administration can leave even the most dedicated teachers feeling discouraged and undervalued. But while you may not be able to change your leadership overnight, you can take meaningful steps to reclaim your peace and preserve your passion. With a few practical strategies and mindset shifts, you can continue to show up for your students, and for yourself, in powerful and sustainable ways.

 Inside this week's show, you'll learn:

• Ways you can protect your peace when you have unsupportive admin and they don’t have your back. 
• Daily and weekly habits that build resilience, boost confidence, and provide mental resets, when practiced consistently.
• Effective responses you can use to set clear, healthy boundaries with your administration.
• A reminder that you are in control of your mindset and peace (not your administration) and practical strategies to reclaim that control.
• How the Classroom Management Club offers support, strategies, and a collective community for navigating unsupportive admin together.

Links & resources mentioned inside this episode: 

• Classroom Management Club Waitlist
• Beginning Teacher Talk on YouTube
• Grab a copy of my book, Dear New Teacher, Here's Exactly What to Do: Your 5-Step R.E.A.D.Y. for School Roadmap for Elementary Classrooms
• Lung Cancer Free: One Couple’s Journey Through a “Lungs in a Box” Double Lung Transplant.
• Enter to win a $25 Amazon gift card by leaving a review for Beginning Teacher Talk on Apple Podcasts!
• Follow Dr. Lori on Instagram
• Follow Dr. Lori on Facebook
• Follow Beginning Teacher Talk on TikTok

I hope this information is helpful as you prepare for your first, second, or third year of teaching. Until next time, remember, just because you're a beginning elementary teacher, there's no need for you to struggle like one.

💛 Lori

Dr. Lori Friesen | Beginning Teacher Mentor

Creator of the R.E.A.D.Y. for School Academy and The Classroom Management Club, Dr. Lori Friesen has mentored thousands of beginning teachers across the country through her workshops and courses. Host of the popular podcast Beginning Teacher Talk and author of Dear New Teacher, Here's Exactly What to Do, Dr. Lori is dedicated to serving educators and inspiring learners. Learn more at drlorifriesen.com.

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Related episodes you might enjoy:

• Is Your Admin Supportive? How to Ask for the Help You Need
• Can We Just Take a Breath? Proof that Mindset Matters
• When You Experience Fear of Not Being Good Enough

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