5.25.2016
#MTBoS30: Teacher Morale
This was not the best year for teacher morale. Personally, I find that it doesn't matter much to me because I really don't notice. {I'm selfishly focused on myself and my classroom and my teaching.} The principal mentioned this at our closing day meetings and took the blame for it. He hopes to address it better next year.
I started to think about what might help boost morale. The only thing I can think of is the only thing that ever affects me: dress code. Our dress code is the same as the students. We can't wear sleeveless. We have to wear skirts that touch the knee. Those two are hard enough. On Fridays, if you want to wear jeans then you have to wear a school t-shirt. This is not a big deal to most people. Over time, most teachers now wear khakis and school t-shirts on a daily basis. I just do not think that is professional attire. What bothers me the most is that I don't feel trusted to dress professionally. I wear clothes to church that I can't wear to school. That's pretty bad. I have dressed modestly my whole life and it's just frustrating to feel like I have strict rules, like otherwise I would come to school dressed inappropriately.
Another thing that teachers used to talk about is monthly potlucks. {We are a really small school}. This has not happened in my seven years there. This year the administration planned a potluck for our teacher's institute day and literally some people were so angry about it that they boycotted. A potluck.
During Teacher Appreciation Week, a lot of neighboring schools were posting how they were treated at their schools...t-shirts, catered meals, gifts. We did not receive similar treatment.
Just overall, we feel micro-managed which leads to feeling not trusted which leads to feeling not valued.
All this to say {I'm not ranting, honestly}, what things does your school do to make teachers feel valued and appreciated?
I can think of one thing from a school where I student taught where they exchanged names with their birthday and favorite cake. So each person gets their favorite cake on their birthday from a surprise colleague. I thought that was so cute!
So not even things that the administration does for teachers but things teachers do for each other...what positive things happen at your school?
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Morale can be a reflection of relationship quality. When our students have low morale do we throw more rules at them or become more engaged and involved? The same can be said for administration and teachers. Rules without relationship become a burden.
ReplyDeleteThis year our principal was also the interim head of school and everyone felt the change. He simply could not be in our classrooms as much, not that we were abandoned. The best solution for low morale is more involvement by leadership.
I can see your point. It also depends on the type of involvement. For teachers who already feel mistrusted and micromanaged, 'more involvement' might not be the best fix.
DeleteThe past two years I have worked at a school with very low teacher morale. It all starts at the top with school administration. The turnover rate at this school is about 50 percent so that accounts for part of it. At my next school, if there isn't something similar in place, then I would like to start a Sunshine (hospitality) committee.
ReplyDeleteWhat ideas do you have for the hospitality committee? Maybe that's what we need to do too.
DeleteWhen our school had the lowest morale a teacher started this awesome pay it forward thing. Silently without saying who it was from she would get three people little gifts from the dollar store. Place those gifts in a brown bag with our last name on it and a little note about paying it forward. Leaving them in our mailboxes. From coffee cups with a little smaller coffee mix or candy... She got me gardening things! Everyone looovvved it and many people participated by paying it forward to another teacher like she asked but secretly through out our first half of the year she got everyone in school. We only have 36 on staff... smaller k-8 school. Some people got doubled up but it was like they needed it. I still do it. I will leave five dollar gift cards to target on a stack of post it notes with a note of encouragement... And others do it for me when they know I'm struggling. I recall getting Starbucks gift card and a nice travel mug... But it's all about the idea, what would they like or need? None of us knew so this year we have a staff engagement committee and through that we created a staff likes binder and each staff member has a page of the things they like and enjoy.... Easily accessed in our workroom.
ReplyDeleteYou're so creative and use the time to blog I forget sometimes you might struggle with anything too. I'm sorry I haven't said lately how awesome you are. Anytime I'm in a pinch or need some advice or help with teaching something you are there through your words. Without a team it's rough. Thank you for all you do. Have a great summer!
I would love to hear more about this staff engagement committee. The pay it forward idea sounds so sweet and I do love the Dollar Tree!
DeleteThank you for your thoughts and comments. I do very well on my own but it's hard to tell when you've isolated yourself and get lonley if you're always alone. Thankful for my internet teacher's lounge! :)
This year the biggest help was our getting to know you binder. Everyone filled out an ALL about me sheet we put them in sleeves and left it in the teachers lounge. I grabbed ideas from there to thank people, co teachers, and I know they used mine for snacks and such. It was really great. We also had a photo selfie scavenger hunt with teams for things around the school (prizes included various King size candy bars lol), staff meals that were catered or we all brought something in pot luck style and gave it a theme like Italian. Then with decorations, games, etc it was good. Some people are selfish though, that's what I've learned this year... And you can't force anyone to participate but the administrative staff noticed and they made points of starting more and more events. It really is great for me to see first grade teachers when I'm in middle school all day. I love hearing someone else's little catastrophes on the lower elementary level to feel like I'm not stuck in my corner. Let me know what you think of and try. I'm always up for new ideas!
DeleteDo you have a copy of the all about me sheet? And can you explain the photo selfie scavenger hunt? Confused. :S
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