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Emotional Support

Hargreaves and Fullan (2000, #167) point out that teaching is an emotional practice, raising feelings in both teachers and students. 'Teaching involves not only instructing students but also caring for and forming relationships with them' (p. 53). Hargreaves and Fullan argue that it is easy to lose sight of the emotional dimension of teaching, and 'of the enthusiasm, passion, and dedication that make many teachers great. Emotion energises teaching but can also drain it. Thus emotional support is one of the strongest needs of beginning teachers' (p. 53).

One could argue that emotional support is one of the strongest needs of all teachers, not just beginning teachers. Furthermore, such emotional support should not be the responsibility of one or two counsellors or mentors, but rather of the entire school community (Hargreaves & Fullan, 2000, #167).

Writing about educational change, Hargreaves (1997) also stressed the importance of emotions.

Teaching and leading are profoundly emotional activities (Fried, 1995). You would not guess this from much of the educational change and reform literature, however … If educational reformers ignore the emotional dimensions of educational change, emotions and feelings will only re-enter the change process by the back door. (pp. 108-109)

A related article can be found at The Emotions of Leadership

References
Hargreaves, A. & Fullan, M. (2000). 'Mentoring in the new millennium.' Theory Into Practice, 39, 50-56.

Hargreaves, A. (1997). Rethinking educational change with heart and mind. Alexandria, VA: Association for Curriculum and Development.