Relationship Thesaurus Entry: Principal and Teacher

Successful stories are driven by authentic and interesting characters, so it’s important to craft them carefully. But characters don’t usually exist in a vacuum; throughout the course of your story, they’ll live, work, play, and fight with other cast members. Some of those relationships are positive and supportive, pushing the protagonist to positive growth and helping them achieve their goals. Other relationships do exactly the opposite—derailing your character’s confidence and self-worth—or they cause friction and conflict that leads to fallout and disruption. Many relationships hover somewhere in the middle. A balanced story will require a mix of these dynamics.

The purpose of this thesaurus is to encourage you to explore the kinds of relationships that might be good for your story and figure out what each might look like. Think about what a character needs (good and bad), and build a network of connections for him or her that will challenge them, showcase their innermost qualities, and bind readers to their relationship trials and triumphs.

Principal and Teacher

Description:
A principal is the lead administrator at the primary, intermediate, and high school levels. As the boss, principals are responsible for evaluating a teacher’s work performance, as well as creating instructional policies and defining best educational practices within the environment. They may support a teacher through difficulties with students or parents, while also offering resources and development opportunities to strengthen their professional skills.

Relationship Dynamics
Below are a wide range of dynamics that may accompany this relationship. Use the ideas that suit your story and work best for your characters to bring about and/or resolve the necessary conflict.

A principal who respects the teacher’s professional judgment and gives them wide berth in carrying out instruction
A teacher who respects the leadership of the principal and follows their policies
A principal focused on the administrative side of things, leaving the education up to the teachers
A strictly professional relationship, where personal conversations and topics don’t come up
A micromanaging principal who does not respect the professional judgment of the teacher
A teacher who challenges the principals’ authority and decisions
A relationship with vastly different communication styles that lead to conflict
A cozier relationship—professional, but each person knowing and caring about the other’s personal life
A principal who expects more out of the teacher than they should

Challenges That Could Threaten The Status Quo
The principal abruptly or sharply changing school policies
A teacher receiving a poor evaluation (whether it’s warranted or not)
The principal playing favorites with other staff members
The teacher being overlooked for promotion or recognition
The two parties disagreeing on how to handle a difficult student or parents
One party needing to step away from professional duties to handle personal matters
One party engaging in an inappropriate relationship with another staff member or a student’s parent
The teacher needing critical supplies and being told that funds aren’t available
Having major differences in communication styles 
The principal controlling the teacher’s autonomy
The teacher being reassigned to a new class or grade level against their will
The principal focusing more on pleasing the parents than the staff
One party claiming credit for the idea or work of the other
The teacher questioning where tuition funds are applied
The principal compromising educational practices to boost tuition revenue
The teacher losing their position due to overstaffing or budget cuts
One party publicly admonishing the other

Wounds That Could Factor into The Relationship
A child dying on one’s watch, A learning disability, A school shooting, A sibling’s betrayal, A terrorist attack, A toxic relationship, An abuse of power, Battling a mental disorder, Being bullied, Being disappointed by a role model, Being disowned or shunned, Being falsely accused of a crime, Being fired or laid off, Being forced tBeing legitimately incarcerated for a crime, Being let down by a trusted organization or social system, Being the victim of a vicious rumor, Cracking under pressure, Crossing moral lines to survive, Failing at school, Failing to do the right thing, Having one’s ideas or work stolen, Infidelity, Losing a loved one due to a professional’s negligence, Making a very public mistake, Misplaced loyalty, Poor judgment leading to unintended consequences, Prejudice or discrimination, Social difficulties, Telling the truth but not being believed, Unrequited love

Conflicting Desires that Can Impair the Relationship
Each wanting control of educational practices
The principal wanting a particularly demanding student in the care of the teacher
The teacher not respecting professional boundaries and the principal’s role
The principal behaving in a way that makes the teacher uncomfortable
The teacher wanting to change positions while the principal wants them to stay where they are
The teacher wanting more support than the principal can or will give
The principal assigning the teacher duties that he she doesn’t want to do or shouldn’t have to do
The teacher wanting a raise that the principal cannot or will not award
One party wanting a romantic relationship

Clashing Personality Trait Combinations
Cautious and Reckless, Efficient and Scatterbrained, Independent and Needy, Persuasive and Weak-Willed, Controlling and Rebellious, Dishonest and Honorable, Confrontational and Timid

Negative Outcomes of Friction
One party being fired or quitting
Negative energy impacting the students’ learning environment
One party receiving a poor performance because of bias or a history between the two characters
The teacher being bullied by someone who has control over their career
Uncomfortable interactions in group settings
The teacher experiencing diminished self-worth and burnout
Gossiping affecting morale and productivity among the faculty
One’s reputation being ruined
Decreased trust
Good ideas being rejected based on their source rather than their merit

Fictional Scenarios That Could Turn These Characters into Allies
Coming together to implement an educational initiative or professional development
Teaming up to face a demanding or discriminatory parent
Coming together to support a child with unusual needs
Sharing a common experience in their personal lives
One party showing support for the other during a time of personal or professional difficulty
Planning a school/community event together (a festival, show, family night, etc.)
Planning a staff gathering together (a party, ceremony, etc.)
Experiencing a school-related trauma together (a shooting, a medical emergency, the terminal illness of a colleague, etc.)

Ways This Relationship May Lead to Positive Change
Respecting one another’s professional judgment and learning from each other
Forging a friendship beyond work
Self-reflecting after receiving a poor performance review, leading to growth
One of the parties learning to relinquish control  

Themes and Symbols That Can Be Explored through This Relationship
A fall from grace, Alienation, A quest for knowledge, Betrayal, Borders, Crossroads, Depression, Disorder, Friendship, Greed, Inflexibility, Isolation, Journeys, Knowledge, Obstacles, Order, Perseverance, Pride, Rebellion, Recognition, Sacrifice, Stagnation, Suffering, Teamwork, Transformation, Unity

Other Relationship Thesaurus entries can be found here.

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