It often feels like there is never enough time. Emails, meetings, paperwork, planning, marking, conversations with parents and supporting students can quickly fill every minute of the day. The Pareto Principle, often called the 80/20 Rule, offers a simple way to think about your workload.
Staff who work in schools, give so much — your time, energy and heart — to support your students and school community. But in the midst of caring for everyone else, it’s easy to put your own well-being last. Looking after your mental health isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity
In many schools, the staff car park is a busy place immediately after meetings. Colleagues often congregate in small groups, in the staff car park, to reflect on the meeting and share, what they were going to say or should have said! at the meeting.
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.
Unconscious bias is a bias that we are unaware of, and which happens outside of our control. It happens automatically and is triggered by our brain making quick judgements (shortcuts) and assessments of people and situations, influenced by our background, cultural environment and personal experiences. We are all biased because our unconscious mind is geared towards bias and it is primarily the unconscious mind that drives our instinctive decisions.
Dealing with an upset or aggressive parent can be one of the most challenging aspects of working in schools. Whether it’s an emotional outburst over a mark or a misunderstanding about school policies, these confrontations can quickly escalate. The following strategies are intended to diffuse the situation while maintaining professionalism and personal safety. Here are some key tips to help manage and deescalate aggressive parents.
“Comparison is the thief of joy!” In part one we highlighted that measuring ourselves against others can rob us of happiness and satisfaction. For educators, this principle resonates deeply. The classroom, a microcosm of society, is filled with diverse students, each with unique abilities, backgrounds and potentials. Yet, the pressure to compare—be it between students, schools or even teachers themselves—can erode morale, hinder progress and stifle creativity. Recognising and addressing this tendency is essential for fostering a supportive and fulfilling educational environment.
The phrase “comparison is the thief of joy,” attributed to Theodore Roosevelt, is a poignant reminder of how measuring ourselves against others can rob us of happiness and satisfaction. According to author Morgan Housel, your happiness depends on your expectations more than anything else. According to Housel the common storyline of history is: Things get better, wealth increases, technology brings new efficiencies and medicines save lives. The quality of life goes up. But people’s expectations then rise by just as much, if not more.