Steve Francis – Page 4 – Happy Schools

5 Secrets to Improving WORK-LIFE Balance

January 27, 2022

We’re all BUSY! We all have lots of things that we must do, should do and could do with every second of every day! Despite the amazing technology that is available to us, almost all of us are busier than ever before. Aim for WORK – LIFE Satisfaction NOT balance For most people the term ‘balance’ immediately brings to mind thoughts of balance scales. Many people visualise our work commitments on one side of the scales and the commitments in the other aspects of our lives on the other side. We seem to constantly add more tasks to the WORK side and feel guilty that we need to create more time and space for the LIFE side to regain…

What To Do When There Is Too Much To Do

September 17, 2020

Stevef

Effectiveness

Time is precious. Schools are busy places. There is almost too much to do and not enough time. No matter what time of year it is, the problem is the same: our list of tasks is never-ending and our time available is never enough. How can we deal with this in a sane way? Realise That You Can’t Do It All Right Now You might have 20 things to do or 100….but you can’t do all of them right now. How many can you actually do right now? ONE! Realising that we can’t do everything right now is an important step in having realistic expectations about what we can achieve. Research shows that most people UNDER estimate how long tasks actually…

Successful Parent- Teacher Interviews Over the Phone

September 10, 2020

Stevef

Communication

Due to COVID restrictions, many schools are now conducting Parent-Teacher conferences over the phone or using ZOOM. This creates some different challenges to the usual face-to-face meetings. Here are some tips to optimise your parent-teacher conferences. BEFORE THE CALL – Be prepared – Make sure you are absolutely clear on the following. What are the key messages you want to communicate to the parent? What outcomes are you trying to achieve? Whilst this might be one of many calls that you need to make to parents, this is THE CALL that parent has been waiting for. It is likely to be an important call for the parent. Remember this is their son or daughter and for most parents their children…

Prepare Now for Happy Reporting Later

March 14, 2019

Stevef

Effectiveness

Reporting periods for many school staff are a time of tension and stress, where tempers are tested and a good night’s sleep becomes a distant memory. Instead of dreading its approach and using weak coping strategies like counting down the days till the holidays, try planning early (read, super-early – like, now!) to make reporting time much calmer. Preparing for reporting well in advance is not only an investment in your wellbeing, it also keeps you more focused on the goals you want your students to achieve. Think about why reporting occurs. Do you participate out of compliance? Or do you genuinely wish to communicate with students and their families on learning progress? If you take the time to clarify…

Planning a Quality Parent Information Session

February 14, 2019

Stevef

Communication

Maintaining a solid connection with parents is critical to ensuring a happy school environment and at the beginning of the year it is particularly important that a culture of high expectations, support, warmth and openness is established. Time and energy invested in this area also eases pressure on school staff later on because trusting parents are less likely to challenge or criticise and more likely to support school decisions in challenging times of high pressure, doubt and stress. 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. While this is always a busy time, making the effort to prepare appropriately…

Effective Meetings

January 24, 2019

Stevef

Communication

Schools are busy places, filled with busy people. Often there is too much to do and not enough time. It is therefore essential that available time is well utilised. We have all attended meetings that have been a frustrating waste of time. Some of them have been meetings that we have led. Meetings that are seen to be a waste of time is one of the biggest frustrations of staff in many schools. To ensure that people’s time is well utilised, it is essential that the following questions are considered and strategies applied. What are we trying to achieve? Is a meeting necessary? Is a meeting the best way to achieve the intended outcome? If we are delivering a message…

How Can the Pareto Principle Help?

September 20, 2018

Stevef

Efficiency

Working in schools, there is always a lot to be done and never enough time. Time is a valuable commodity. The Pareto Principle can be helpful in ensuring we utilise our time well. Whilst you might not have heard of it as the Pareto Principle, the 80 / 20 rule, as it is more commonly known can help us get more done. First identified by Italian mathematician Vilfredo Pareto in 1906, the Pareto Principle was used to describe the unequal distribution of wealth. Pareto observed that twenty percent of the people had eighty percent of the wealth. In the late 1940s, quality guru, Dr. Joseph M. Juran, attributed the 80/20 Rule to Pareto, calling it Pareto’s Principle. The 80/20 Rule…

6 Things Productive People Do Every Day

August 9, 2018

Stevef

Efficiency

Schools can be crazy busy places. The most common response you hear when you ask someone who works in a school, how they are, is busy! However, there is a fine line between being busy and being productive. Here are six tips from international best-selling author Tim Ferriss. Establish Your Morning Routine Research shows how you start the day has an enormous effect on your productivity. If you start the day calmly, you are in a better position to focus and get the right things done. A hectic start to the day, where you are frantic and constantly feeling that you are playing ‘catch up’ puts us behind the 8 ball from the very outset. At times the hectic start…

Getting Feedback From Your Students

August 2, 2018

Stevef

Resilience

Getting feedback from your students can help identify where you should focus your attention to improve your practice. If what you are doing in the classroom is not working from the student’s perspective, then making some changes is likely to be beneficial (for them AND for you). If students are disengaged, for whatever reason, they have an impact on our stress levels. Their disengagement may present as poor behaviour that disrupts the learning of others and demands our attention OR withdrawal that also causes us stress, by challenging us to find a way of reconnecting with them. Whilst students should be at the centre of what we do, you as the teacher are the person with the most impact in…

10 Keys to Happier Living

July 5, 2018

Stevef

Resilience

Working in schools can sometimes feel as though we are running on a never-ending treadmill, constantly in pursuit of the lifestyle we aspire to. At times it can feel like our work is not appreciated. The website ActionForHappiness.org provides the following guidance on 10 keys to happier living. Awareness – Taking time to switch off autopilot and be “in the moment” is important to combat stress. Pay attention to your senses – what can you see, hear or feel around you? Choose a regular point in the day to reflect Emotions – Positive emotions can build up a buffer against stress and even lead to lasting changes in the brain to help maintain well-being. Take time to notice what you…