Low Morale & Its Effects on Education

Morale is an important factor that determines a person's confidence and self-worth. If someone is suffering from low morale, he will not be as motivated or willing to make an effort to succeed. Education is not immune to the effects of low morale. Whether it is with the staff or students, low morale is a catalyst for academic difficulties.

Educator Morale

• Teacher morale has a significant impact on education. High teacher morale encourages learning and contributes to a positive school environment. The opposite is true with low morale. Teacher morale is affected by many stresses. Classrooms are affected by social problems, lack of supplies, uncooperative students, increased workload, criticism and low pay. An unmotivated or unsatisfied teacher will not provide the same quality of education as a teacher with high morale. In turn, student performance and achievement are affected (see Reference 1).

Bullying and Morale

• School is full of social and academic pressures. While most kids have a positive experience, many are targeted by bullies. The harassment, name-calling and humiliation brought on by bullies can heavily affect a child's academic performance. Some kids will even refuse to go to school under these circumstances. If a student's morale is too low to concentrate or attend class, his marks will inevitably suffer (see Reference 2).

Parental Influence

• Bullying is not the only thing that can lower a student's morale. If parents do not give their children appropriate support, kids will be pessimistic and not as likely to persevere if they fail. Once this low morale reaches the classroom, kids may go through school -- and life in general -- feeling "stupid" and unmotivated to learn (see Reference 3).

Addressing Low Morale

• For teachers, morale needs to be maintained. Luckily, this is not difficult to do. One measure that schools can take is to give teachers a sense of power and voice. In other words, schools should keep teachers involved with administrative decisions and always acknowledge their skills. Also, schools should back up their teachers and support them whenever possible (see Reference 1). Positive feedback, a happy home environment and having good role models are critical for developing a child's morale and help him succeed in school (see Resource 3).