The ABCs of Supervising: What Primary School Teachers Know That Most Managers Don't

Related Reading:

• Leadership Skills for Supervisors
• ABCs of Supervising
• Professional Development Resources

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My niece started Grade 2 last month, and watching her teacher manage 28 six-year-olds with the patience of a saint got me thinking about something that's been bugging me for years. Why do primary school teachers seem to intuitively understand supervision better than most corporate managers I've worked with?

After fifteen years in workplace training across Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, I've seen some absolute disasters in management. Yet every time I walk into a classroom, I'm witnessing masterful supervision in action. These teachers are dealing with tiny humans who have zero impulse control, limited attention spans, and the emotional regulation of caffeinated squirrels – yet somehow they create productive, harmonious environments day after day.

The Alphabet Soup of Modern Management

Let's be brutally honest here. Most supervisors today are drowning in acronyms: KPIs, OKRs, SMART goals, 360 reviews, and whatever other management fad crossed their LinkedIn feed this week. Meanwhile, effective supervision has always been about the fundamentals – the ABCs, if you will.

A is for Attention. Real attention, not the performative checking-in that happens during rushed corridor conversations. Primary school teachers give their full attention when a student approaches them. They stop what they're doing, make eye contact, and listen. Compare that to your typical supervisor who's simultaneously answering emails whilst you're trying to explain a problem.

I learned this the hard way about eight years ago when I was managing a team of twelve in a consulting firm. Sarah, one of my best performers, had been struggling for weeks, but I kept brushing off her concerns with quick "we'll chat later" responses. Turns out she was dealing with serious personal issues that were affecting her work. A five-minute conversation with proper attention could have prevented months of declining performance and eventual resignation.

B is for Boundaries. Teachers are brilliant at this. They set clear expectations, communicate consequences, and follow through consistently. They don't negotiate with six-year-olds about why homework exists, yet somehow in corporate Australia, we've convinced ourselves that every workplace rule needs a committee discussion.

The best supervisory training programs I've encountered emphasise this principle: clarity breeds confidence. When people know exactly what's expected and what happens if they don't deliver, performance improves dramatically.

The Consistency Paradox

Here's where it gets interesting. Teachers maintain consistency within flexibility – something that sounds contradictory but isn't. They adapt their approach to individual students while maintaining the same core standards for everyone.

I've watched managers tie themselves in knots trying to be "fair" by treating everyone identically. Fair doesn't mean identical. Fair means giving each person what they need to succeed within the same framework of expectations.

Take feedback, for instance. Some team members need direct, immediate correction. Others respond better to private conversations. The standard remains the same – quality work delivered on time – but the supervision approach varies.

C is for Celebration. This one drives me mental because it's so simple yet so rarely done well in business. Teachers celebrate small wins constantly. "Great job on your spelling test, Marcus!" "I love how you helped Zoe with her reading, Emma!"

In corporate land, we save recognition for annual reviews or major project completions. What absolute nonsense. The most effective supervisors I know have adopted the teacher approach – frequent, specific, genuine recognition for good work. Not participation trophies, mind you, but authentic acknowledgment of effort and achievement.

The Goldilocks Zone of Supervision

Primary school teachers intuitively understand what Goldilocks knew about porridge – getting the temperature just right. Too hot (micromanagement) and you scald the relationship. Too cold (neglect) and nobody's nourished.

I see supervisors swinging between these extremes constantly. Monday they're breathing down everyone's necks, checking every email. Friday they're completely MIA because they've overcorrected.

The sweet spot? Regular, predictable touchpoints that provide support without suffocation. Teachers check in with their students multiple times per day, but it's structured and purposeful, not random or intrusive.

When Adults Behave Like Children

Let's talk about something nobody wants to admit – sometimes your team members will act exactly like primary school students. They'll test boundaries, seek attention through disruptive behaviour, or sulk when they don't get their way.

The difference is that teachers expect this behaviour and have strategies to handle it professionally. They don't take it personally when little Johnny has a meltdown because he didn't get to be line leader.

Corporate supervisors, however, often get triggered by adult tantrums. They either become authoritarian ("Because I said so!") or permissive ("Fine, whatever you want"). Neither works.

Teachers use redirection, natural consequences, and emotional regulation techniques. When Jamie throws crayons, the teacher calmly removes the crayons and offers an alternative activity. When your team member throws a metaphorical tantrum about deadline changes, the same principles apply.

The Art of Scaffolding

This is probably the most sophisticated thing teachers do that most supervisors completely miss. Scaffolding means providing just enough support for someone to succeed independently, then gradually removing that support as competence grows.

I've seen managers either dump people in the deep end ("Figure it out") or do everything for them indefinitely. Teachers systematically build independence through structured support that decreases over time.

When teaching reading, they start with shared reading, move to guided reading, then independent reading. When developing team members, the progression should be: I do it with you watching, we do it together, you do it while I observe, you do it independently.

The Power of Routine and Ritual

Walk into any well-managed classroom and you'll see the power of predictable routines. Morning procedures, transition signals, end-of-day wrap-ups. These aren't rigid rules – they're supportive structures that free up mental energy for learning and creativity.

Most workplaces are chaos masquerading as flexibility. No consistent meeting rhythms, random communication methods, unclear escalation procedures. Then we wonder why people seem stressed and unfocused.

The most effective teams I work with have adopted classroom-style routines: regular team check-ins, standardised project kick-offs, predictable feedback cycles. Structure creates freedom, not restricts it.

Dealing with Different Learning Styles

Teachers naturally differentiate their approach because they see the results immediately. Visual learners, auditory processors, kinaesthetic thinkers – all in the same room, all needing slightly different approaches to absorb the same information.

Supervisors often default to their own preferred communication style and assume everyone learns the same way. I prefer written instructions and detailed briefings. Half my team needs to talk things through verbally. The other half needs to see examples and templates.

Effective supervision means adapting your delivery method while maintaining consistent content and expectations. It's not rocket science, but it requires paying attention to how individuals respond and adjusting accordingly.

The Emotional Labour Nobody Talks About

Here's what every teacher knows but rarely gets credit for: supervision is emotional work. You're managing not just tasks and outcomes, but human feelings, motivations, insecurities, and relationships.

Teachers spend enormous energy creating emotionally safe environments where learning can happen. They validate feelings while redirecting behaviour. They build confidence while maintaining standards.

Most supervisor training focuses on technical skills – performance management, delegation, planning. But the real work is emotional intelligence in action. Creating psychological safety, building trust, managing your own emotional responses while supporting others through theirs.

The Long Game vs. The Quarterly Report

Perhaps the biggest lesson from education is thinking in developmental timescales rather than quarterly performance cycles. Teachers understand that growth happens gradually, with setbacks and breakthroughs that don't follow neat timelines.

Corporate Australia's obsession with immediate results often undermines long-term development. We want instant performance improvements, immediate behaviour changes, quick fixes for complex problems.

The best supervisors I know have adopted the teacher mindset: patient, persistent, focused on gradual improvement rather than dramatic transformations. They celebrate small progress and understand that sustainable change takes time.

Making It Practical

So how do you apply primary school supervision wisdom in your workplace? Start with the basics:

Give people your full attention when they need it. Put down the phone, close the laptop, make eye contact.

Set clear boundaries and expectations, then stick to them consistently.

Celebrate small wins regularly and specifically.

Provide structured support that gradually decreases as competence increases.

Create predictable routines and communication rhythms.

Adapt your approach to different learning styles and personalities.

Think in developmental timescales, not just performance periods.

The irony is that these aren't revolutionary concepts. They're fundamental human psychology applied consistently and professionally. Primary school teachers master these skills because they have to – their classroom management depends on it.

The rest of us could learn something from watching the experts at work.

Maybe it's time we stopped looking to business schools for supervision wisdom and started paying attention to the people who've been getting this right all along. After all, if you can successfully supervise 28 six-year-olds, managing a team of adults should be a piece of cake.

Shouldn't it?