Using ‘Golden Rules’ to Protect Well-being
Working in schools can easily become overwhelming. There is always more you could do — one more email, one more task, one more idea to prepare for tomorrow. The challenge is knowing when to stop. Without boundaries, school work can slowly take over your evenings, weekends and even your holidays.
Tips for Reaching Out To Parents
Some parents can be time consuming and add to our stress. In most schools, five percent of parents consume 95 percent of your time. However, reaching out to have them onboard can make our lives easier. Try these proactive approaches.
TEAMWORK Doesn’t Happen by Luck
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.
Planning a Quality Parent Information Session
Building a solid connection with parents at the beginning of the year is particularly beneficial. If parents see you as having credibility and trust you, they are less likely to challenge or cause you grief. An excellent way to build a positive and nurturing culture is to provide quality information sessions for parents to attend, in the first few weeks of the school year.
Setting Up For Success
The start of a new school year brings a mix of excitement, anticipation and, for many teachers, a touch of anxiety. The habits and routines established in these first few weeks often shape the months ahead. Here are five practical tips to help you set yourself up for success this year.
Setting Behaviour Expectations For A Successful Year
Setting up and managing your classroom at the beginning of the year has a significant impact on your success and stress levels. Behaviour management guru, Bill Rogers emphasises the importance of the first meeting with a new class as the establishment phase in building a positive classroom environment. It is important to set the right tone.
Overcoming FoMO and the Hurry Bug
FoMO and the Hurry Bug are by-products of technology, connectivity and a fast-paced life. FoMO or the Fear Of Missing Out is driven by our most basic desire to feel connected. It is evident in a desire to stay continually connected through social media with what others are doing.
Are You Envious of Tradies?
I’m a big fan of the reality TV show, “The Block”. Through watching the program, I realised that I am envious of tradies, especially tilers. At the end of each day a tradie can see the results of their work. A sparky can see the lights they installed, a plumber can count the toilets they have unblocked, a painter can see the walls they have painted and a tiler at the end of their week can see the beautiful bathroom they have produced.
Assuming Positive Intent
The best book I have ever read on developing people skills is “The Speed of Trust” by Stephen MR Covey. In the book Covey says, “We judge ourselves according to our intentions but we judge other people according to their behaviour and make assumptions about their intentions.”
Communicating with People You Don’t Get on With
Schools are busy, people places. Some people are easier to get along with than others. At times we will need to work with people we don’t necessarily get along with. The following are the five tips for communicating with people we find difficult to get on with. Acknowledge other people’s feelings and points of view
Countering Workplace Gossip
Let me start by saying that I am not against sharing personal news and accessing support from colleagues at school. However, friendly work banter is quite different from gossip, which can be quite destructive to workplace relationships, morale and productivity.
Ode to Staff in Schools
This Happy School article is a special edition to mark World Teachers’ Day. In Australia and New Zealand the day is celebrated on the last Friday in October. The ode recognises the impact all staff in schools have on the young people we are trusted with.