If you are a teacher - what can/should SMT do to motivate you?

[WishIwasanastronaut]

Just that really. Motivation at my school is at an all time low.
10% of the staff seem to do 90% of the work.
Being stricter on the teachers who take the piss is obviously one way of tackling the issue but I'm more interested in how to reward those that go above and beyond the daily grid.
Any ideas?

[noblegiraffe]

Wow, I read 'being stricter on teachers who take the piss' and my morale just plummeted and I don't even work for you.

What do you mean by taking the piss?

[mistymeanour]

Praise them, tell them how much you appreciate all their hard work. Give increments when the budget allows to reflect the extra work they do. Show an interest in how they see their career advancing - forward info on relevant training courses that could help them. Everyone loves a bit of recognition.

[WishIwasanastronaut]

Noblegiraffe - yes, not very well put I admit. I am talking about those that do not plan engaging lessons, rather get kids to copy from photocopied sheets; those who are often off sick but aren't really sick; those who are not punctual; leave their lesson for long periods of time; use iPads/iPhones for work unrelated things in the classroom; those who do not upload their paperwork/share their planning etc.

I feel like the good guys don't get justly rewarded.

[noblegiraffe]

What paperwork is supposed to be uploaded?

[WishIwasanastronaut]

christ noblegiraffe - are you one of my colleagues? Just some very short, basic planning docs and some exam reports onto the shared area... Not terribly onerous - no one should really be teaching without them, it's really the bare minimum.
Will you answer my question now?

[noblegiraffe]

What's an exam report?
If you have schemes of work, why do you need basic planning to be uploaded? Who actually looks at it? Why? Could that time be spent doing something more productive like marking?

[FabulousFudge]

Saying thank you and well done
Being available to listen and advise
Communication - verbal and email
Regard for right to a reasonable work/life balance

[WishIwasanastronaut]

Honestly, some people get others to do their registers and sneak off early.
Some do little or no marking and do not provide constructive feedback. We are working on making those people more accountable.

But my question is, what about those at the other end of the scale? Those who organise and accompany trips in the evenings and during school holidays? Those who are active members of working groups? Those who often cover/plan lessons for absent colleagues? Those who give up breaks and lunchtimes to help kids out of kindness? Those who are often given the difficult classes because they can cope with them?
What's in in for them?

[DosDuchas]

why have SLT being so weak?
why is this behaviour seen as ok. You lot need to start issuing some warnings and sacking some folks!

[DosDuchas]

you need to get rid of the dead wood.
THEN worry about morale

[WishIwasanastronaut]

I know DosDuchas! You are spot on!

I am hopeful the ball is rolling with that one.

But what about the ones who go above and beyond?

[noblegiraffe]

Have you asked your staff why they are demotivated and morale is shit?

[DosDuchas]

the other staff will be pleased when the skivers go

tell them they are great. Give them responsibility. stop micro managing them TRUST THEM

[WishIwasanastronaut]

Honestly, no. That would be a start. Maybe a survey... People might be inclined to be more honest anonymously.

But I am still looking for ideas to reward the exceptional teachers. Some really are amazing.

[WishIwasanastronaut]

I am not currently SMT. I have been asked to come up with some ideas of recognising outstanding individuals though. It's bloody hard (and I am also quite anti performance related pay).

[Iggi999]

Not going on trips etc doesn't mean your no exceptional. Some people have no childcare to facilitate the long hours your promote. In fact maybe that's what the reward should be - lead by example and don't expect your staff to put in hours and hours of unpaid overtime.
Still interested to know how you know people who are off sick are actually well. If 90% of staff are not pulling their weight that suggests a very demotivated workforce - a change in senior leadership might well help.

[Icedfinger]

Acknowledge people by name for what they as individuals do. Thank them for it publicly.

Look at the calendar- do you need full plans in the same week as reports are due in? Do governors need to do learning walks in SATs week?

Be present at difficult times, have an open door, ask how they are. Accept honest answers.

Don't expect staff to do anything you wouldn't do- demonstrate this. Don't forget what it's like to teach a full week.

[Iggi999]

A day or two of cover to enable them to work on whatever they are currently doing in their own time would be well received I think.

[NinjaPanda34]

I'm with icedfinger. Have an open door. Don't expect people to be psychic. Have a cake-Friday where you bring in the cakes. Get your SMT to cover classes the week reports etc are due in instead of filling frees with cover classes. Know people's names(!)... I could go on...

[noblegiraffe]

For a start I'd get rid of the requirement to upload planning to a shared area. Your crappy teachers aren't doing it anyway and your good teachers will plan anyway without someone wasting their time looking over their shoulder. Let them get on with their jobs.

If a member of staff takes a trip, thank them by name in staff briefing and write them a thank you letter that they can put in their performance management file. But taking trips shouldn't be an expectation, as mentioned a lot of people have childcare commitments.

[meerschweinchen]

Tbh I'd be demotivated if I had to upload every lesson plan. I scribble copious notes in my planner, have a clear idea in my head and all my resources on the computer. Obviously, I can and do produce proper lesson plans when observed, but I'd hate to have to do it for every lesson. Micromanaging in the extreme and a complete waste of time, in my opinion.

What would motivate me is the same as the students: praise, recognition, taking an interest in me as a person....

[DosDuchas]

i havent done a lesson plan in twenty years, apart from obbos and ofsted

[honeysucklejasmine]

Lordy, I would hate to have to submit plans for every lesson! Who reads them, and why do they think they know my class and my subject better than me?

Allow your teachers freedom to teach. Otherwise they tend not to want to be teachers anymore and leave.