Engagement

The following tips for living a more meaningful and fulfilling life are from ‘Eight Steps to Happiness’ by Dr Anthony Grant and Alison Leigh. Practise random acts of kindness- Random acts of kindness has been scientifically shown to increase the happiness and wellbeing of both the giver and the recipient. Do something nice for a different colleague every day this week. Be mindful – We’re enticed to want more, buy more, use more, consume more. Our heads become so full of this chatter that we take for granted the good things in the here and now. To become more mindful try: Connection: Connecting with the present, engaging fully through all senses. Diffusion: Letting thoughts come and go without getting caught up with…

Working in schools can be both rewarding and challenging. In stressful times we can forget why we work in schools, we can lose our mojo! The following strategies are intended to help you reclaim your mojo and look after your well-being. Schedule stop times – Identify your work curfew: a set time when you have to put the laptop down and take a break. Call it quits. Break up with the iPad. Schedule a date with someone else … even if it’s just yourself. (Can you tell I’m recently divorced?) Set goals for yourself that don’t involve work – Staff who work in schools tend to be goal-minded individuals. A novel concept for me: working toward a purpose that doesn’t…

Pretty much anyone working in schools can talk extensively about the difference between effort and achievement – particularly in the scenario when some students seem to cruise through their school life with very little effort whilst achieving high grades whereas others continuously ‘bust their gut’ trying, but only ever achieve average academic outcomes. While situations like this can be frustrating for teachers to watch, it can be downright disheartening for those students in the latter group. But when we fast-forward and look at the individuals in their later lives, evidence shows that the kids who learn the value of effort are the ones that are more satisfied and successful in work and life. They are the resilient ones. Often, schools…

Keep Calm It is vital that staff in schools model a calm approach. OUR attitude is contagious and will be ‘caught’ by our students. It is therefore vital we manage our own stress levels, remain calm and do NOT become flustered. We need to be careful NOT to transfer high-stakes expectations onto our students. Pressure doesn’t help! Focus on encouraging students to do their best and trying hard. It is important to choose your words carefully when you speak. As with all learning activities we should put our focus squarely on effort rather than results. The only pressure on students should be to try hard rather than to do well.   Keep NAPLAN in Context It is important to keep…

After the excitement of a new year and all the changes it brings starts to wear off, we can become a little lacklustre in our enthusiasm for work. Finding your “why” helps you avoid the rut, giving you clarity, purpose and direction… and is often just what you need when the going gets a little tougher, repetition sets in and the holidays still seem a long way off! Aside from helping us amidst the rhythms of the school and work year, finding your why is an important step to help you set goals, take risks, maintain motivation and move forward – personally AND professionally. So, how DO you find your “why”? Well, it requires a bit of work – part…

1 They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care We have all heard this saying before but it’s true. Our work in schools is ALL about relationships. Do your students know you care? How well do you know your students? Smiling makes a difference – smiling lets your students know that you are happy to have them in the classroom – it makes them feel special and wanted. A teacher who smiles at every student every day is saying, “I’m happy you’re here, I’m happy to be teaching you and this is a safe environment”. Students who believe that you are genuinely happy to see them each day are much more likely to “buy”…

The first step in improving your work / life balance is to work out exactly what it is that you want. What aspect of your life do you want to be different? What would you like to improve? Whilst your initial reaction may be to ‘work less’, reducing your paid hours, for example working part time, might not be possible. This may be for financial or logistical factors. Try to be as specific as you can about the outcome you would like to achieve. If you could free some time, how would you utilise it? What is it about your lifestyle that you would like to change eg spend more time with my kids, sleep better at night, worry less…

According to best-selling author and motivation guru Daniel Pink, there are three key drivers of motivation- PURPOSE, AUTONOMY and MASTERY. Each driver contributes to our motivation. PURPOSE – Keeping the BIG picture in mind is important in keeping us motivated, especially in challenging times. Our work in schools can be very busy and stressful. One of the factors that contributes to our stress level is dealing with people. You never quite know what is going on in other people’s lives. Our work in schools is important and has purpose. As schools are at the hub of the community, all staff who work in schools have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others. As well as looking…

Working in schools can be REALLY demanding. At times we can feel that we are at the mercy of other people’s moods. People can sometimes be unreasonable, emotional and erratic. At times THAT person might even be you! It is important that we get job satisfaction from our work. There are six key factors that determine the level of satisfaction that people gain from their work. People want to feel that their work is important – This should be a ‘no brainer’ for people working in schools. Our work is vitally important. We play a critical role in society. I make a difference is the second key factor in achieving job satisfaction. This factor should also be easily achieved by…