Great staff make a huge difference to both the outcomes achieved by a school as well as the school’s culture. Attracting and retaining great staff is paramount. Super Stars – dedicated, hardworking, talented staff who have a great work ethic and a terrific attitude can afford to be fussy! They are highly sort after and…
Alternatives to Collective Punishment- by Larry Ferlazzo
I suspect many teachers have had an experience like this: A paper airplane, ball of paper, or pencil flies through the air, or somebody makes an obnoxious noise. The object is probably aimed at another student, and it may or may not hit the intended target. The noise is just meant to be funny. You…
Do YOUR Staff KNOW How Much You Appreciate Them?
Job satisfaction is a key driver for staff engagement. The four key factors for job satisfaction are:- My work is important I make a difference though my work I am good at my job and What I do is appreciated Most teachers in most schools would confidently answer YES to the first two statements but…
Is Anybody Else Worried About Teacher Morale?
I’m worried about the morale of teachers. Just quietly, many of them are NOT happy! They may not say that openly to the Principal or other school leaders but many are feeling unhappy and frustrated. They often vent to their partners, their colleagues and even to strangers in social settings. Unhappy teachers often present a…
Low Teacher Morale in UK
This week the Guardian newspaper reported low morale in UK schools with many teachers saying that they feel demoralised and overworked. The survey suggests that they also felt that they face constant criticism and unrealistic expectations. “The YouGov poll of 852 teachers commissioned by the National Union of Teachers found that 42% of respondents rated…
Are Teachers at YOUR School Happy?
A happy staff is essential to a school’s sustained success. Whilst teaching is challenging, most staff should feel happy to work at the school and feel a sense of satisfaction. An unhappy staff is far more likely to ‘go through the motions’ and just do what needs to be done. Recent research by the Centre…
Nature or Nurture – Why are some school school staff happier?
Neuroplasticity has added science to the age-old debate of nature or nurture. For centuries we have debated whether our personalities are ‘pre-wired’ or are the result of the environment and experiences we are exposed to. Neuroplasticity is the science that explains how our brains develop. Research in the last 20 years explains how new pathways…
Meetings Are Toxic
I’m currently reading REWORK by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson and have come to the section ‘Meetings Are Toxic’. This is an area that troubled me as a school principal so their observations about meetings really resonated with me. “The worst interruptions of all are meetings. Here’s why: They’re usually about words and abstract…
Mobile Phones in Schools – pain and potential!
There are more mobile phones in Australia today than there are people – go figure! It’s therefore not surprising that many students in schools have them including many students in the upper primary year levels. The capabilities of today’s smart phones are amazing! Not only do they include calculators and cameras (still and video), many…
Are You A Horrible Boss?
The article in Fast Company magazine that I read this week kept me awake at night. In my mind I re-read the title as “Were You A Horrible Boss?” I have always prided myself on being people focussed, particularly my staff. However the article had me reflecting and feeling guilty that at times I may…