Schools thrive when staff work together effectively. A great team doesn’t just happen — it’s built through trust, collaboration and shared purpose. The TEAMWORK model provides a practical framework to strengthen how we work together.
Working in schools is challenging. The staffroom should be a place of support, camaraderie and shared purpose—but in some schools, it becomes a space clouded by negativity. Sadly, many early career teachers are told, the one place in the school to avoid…is the staffroom. They are told that is where misery congregates to share how terrible their lives are.
Schools are complex places and teamwork is vital. Staff in schools are members of many teams. These include teaching teams, year level teams, faculty teams, special needs team, front office team, curriculum teams, project teams and leadership teams to name a few. Teams have the potential to be powerful problem solving groups. However, working in teams often involves meetings and they have the potential to be monumental time wasters and time is a precious resource in schools. It is vital that we use time efficiently. Meetings need to have a clear purpose and operate effectively and efficiently. If this isn’t happening, all participants need to take responsibility for raising the issue and openly discussing their concerns and how improvements could…
I’m not awesome at using spreadsheets and it’s not a significant part of my role. Is it helpful for me to spend hours trying to be ‘good’ at spreadsheets? It could be, but I can probably guess that I would be frustrated at least 80% of the time. I would have some serious self-doubt and self-loathing going on and I would be feeling down about myself when I realise how much I actually don’t know but really wish I did. So why bother? I know an amazing person at school who would gladly help me with any spreadsheet questions I have. When I leave his office, I always feel wonderful and proud of myself knowing I have been productive and…
Whenever I speak in workplaces about difficult managers and co-workers, there is always one question that always comes up… ‘How do we get rid of difficult people?‘ But I think a more important question to ask is, ‘Why are they so difficult?’ If you believe that the answer to that question is that they are … “100% pure evil!”, “They cannot help it” or “They are beyond help”, it will certainly affect the way you interact with that person and possibly make a bad situation much, much worse. Here are my top five, less-sinister explanations for difficult people at work. Although these explanations do not excuse their behaviour, they certainly can help you see their behaviour in a kinder light…
Independence is defined as freedom from dependence; exemption from reliance on, or control by others; being in charge or direction of one’s own affairs without interference. Sounds great doesn’t it? Liberating even? You know the saying belted out by every motivational coach, “There is no I in Team”. Well I don’t agree, in fact I see the “I” so important that it needs to go first. Maybe even a new word, iTEAM. Modern day workplace culture is based on the importance of teamwork, of collaboration and consultation. Don’t get me wrong, I agree these are important but we first need to focus on getting our own self together and having freedom to be creative if we are to be a…
“A worthy building cannot be erected on a weak foundation” I recently read this quote and it made me think about the importance of taking the time and effort to connect with people. Whether you want to build a relationship with a child, a parent, a colleague, a partner or a friend, building the foundations to connect with the other person will ensure relationships are starting from a stable base. Taking the time to build relationships now, makes it much easier to resolve any differences that may arise in the future. In today’s society we are short on time and resources. As a result, relationships are being built on agendas with the goal to achieve successful outcomes. Whilst I acknowledge…
One of the challenges of working in schools is that we work with people. Each of us has people who we find difficult to deal with, whether they are fellow staff members, parents or students. Often they frustrate or annoy us! By identifying what makes their behaviour challenging, we can implement strategies to assist us in responding. Seven types of difficult people have been outlined with suggestions on how to respond to their typical traits. You may find you recognise elements of your difficult person’s behaviour in one or more types. After reflecting on this information try to identify specific strategies to deal with the people you find difficult. However, it is important to remember you cannot change anybody else’s…
Working in schools can be challenging, especially for new graduates. I recently came across a brilliant article by Jenn Gonzalez on her website Cult of Pedagogy titled, Find Your Marigold: The One Essential Rule For New Teachers. The article, highlights the importance of surrounding yourself with good people. By finding the positive, supportive, energetic teachers in your school and sticking close to them, you can improve your job satisfaction more than with any other strategy and your chances of excelling in this field will skyrocket. Just like a young seedling growing in a garden, thriving in your first year depends largely on who you plant yourself next to. THE MARIGOLD EFFECT Many experienced gardeners follow a concept called companion planting:…
Working in schools is almost always crazy busy. There is always a lot to be done and it never seems like there is enough time to do it. It is essential that we use the time we have available effectively and efficiently. Increasing our focus and reducing our distractions is one of the keys to getting more done. Often we are distracted without even realising it, for example, glancing at your phone, quickly checking your email or being aware of a conversation that is going on around you. Often we give in to these distractions out of habit. Distractions inhibit your ability to totally immerse yourself in the task and reach the highly productive state known as ‘flow’. The Pomodoro…