Easy ways to boost staff morale.

[bitofwhatyoufancy]

Hi! I work for a head teacher who is kind hearted, well intentioned and passionate about the kids. Great hey?
Except his people skills are appalling and as a result many people in the school are unhappy and demoralised.
After taking advice he's just told staff that for the last few weeks of term as long as planning is done people can do ppa from anywhere and can swap around days/times as long as everybody is happy. This seems like a great move as people can go shopping or attend their kids school events.
It got me thinking though, setting aside all the big things that make teachers feel low, what small things can head teachers do that helps to boost staff morale?
I will pass on suggestions as he really does want to improve things I think!!
Thanks!

Tentacle, the NUT area rep has tried to gently push this type of course, he wasn't responsive though, he honestly doesn't get how he is perceived!!

Piggy, that's really shit, you're a team and you should have been treated like it

I'll live. Am tough as old boots!

But your head actually sounds quite nice in all honesty! You clearly like and respect him. And he sounds like he cares if people are unhappy and that's a real step in the right direction.

I used to volunteer to run the after school homework ‘support’ sessions - I had an awful evening where no one was settled, no one did the work they’d been set, no one was doing any of the things they should. I went to talk to our deputy head who promised to help the next evening, which was ok but I felt rubbish that I’d needed to ask for help (I was about 10 ish years in at this stage). The next morning there was a miniature bottle of port and a card telling me not to worry. It made such a difference and was such a little thing. I really missed him when he retired, his quiet support and just noticing stuff was a huge morale boost

We had a deputy retire about 5 years ago who we all miss, too. A kind , generous and caring person on SLT does make such a big difference. I miss her all the time!

If my old head had sent me a Christmas card I'd have wanted to shove it up his arse, tbh.

At my previous school arrangements were always made to allow staff to go events at their children's schools -sports days, assemblies etc- sometimes by SLT covering, sometimes by juggling classes. It made such a difference.

I aim to become Head eventually, and things I feel would work well are:

• Staff are covered on their birthday (or are given a day in lieu if it falls during a holiday or during an 'important' school day I. E. Sats or Ofsted)

• Hand written christmas cards thanking staff for their individual input/qualities

• I would bend over backwards to ensure my staff could attend their own children's key school events (I. E christmas play and sports day)

• staff would not be expected to send in cover when off poorly and would only need to texr/email me notifying of sickness rather than having to phone.

• department heads to be given a day off or an afternoon off per half term to complete paperwork such as development plans and data analysis

• more meeting time allocated for marking and planning etc

• all staff to be given a day or half a day to write reports

• christmas party paid for

• qualifications such as masters etc, npqh etc encouraged and paid for by the school

Mrs P : that will have to be a small school to allow people to have days off for their birthday! In my department that would mean a week in early September where someone would be off every day!!

I like most of your ideas but I don't want meeting time for marking. You are prioritising marking there : how about investigating ways of actually streamlining marking instead of making it sound the most important thing.

Personally, I would really value meetings which were discussing teaching and learning and new educational idea, rather than ones which tell us what to do from the top down. And, whilst I appreciate planning and marking time on training days, I would also like training days that actually innovate , train and inspire!

The other thing I'd like (and I know many schools do this already) is a shortened teaching day on days with parents' evenings.

I am new in post at a smallish primary. Morale is better than I've seen in any school for a long time. I felt it when I visited and and at interview, and it is such a relief. Of course staff have their gripes and it's really hard work (tricky intake, complicated planning, high expectations) but its a positive place,

Things I've noticed that boost morale

• Head and Deputy are in and out of classrooms EVERYDAY - they come in to say hello first thing and goodbye before leaving. This feels genuine. They are checking that all is ok with your world. If you're full of cold and coughing, one of them will cover your break duty etc

• there is an open climate - staff meetings are lively with everyone having a say. All staff are asked if they'd like to add to the agenda, and all staff are asked if they have any other business. Your opinion feels important.

• Head, Deputy and other members of staff will often comment positively on things going on in your room, learning that's taken place, children who are making good progress etc. Book scrutiny's are done by the whole staff regularly, so everyone knows what's in everyone else's books - it doesn't feel too pressured.

• staff are publicly and privately thanked for any extras you do.

• work load is discussed all the time, with adjustments made to new initiatives, or planning formats, or assessment tasks if people say it took/will take too long. We're often asked "Is that reasonable?"

• nobody eats in their room, everyone comes to the staff room (except the Head) even if only for 10 minutes. This obviously isn't a rule, but it definitely helps morale. People moan and drip and have a laugh about their morning.

Most of the teachers have young families, and I know in lots of places you'd work through your lunch in your classroom to get stuff done, but it does feel good to all eat together.

• there is no expectation that you work late at school, or arrive early. You can leave early and no one comments, unless to say 'well done - get out of here', and if you're there late either the Head or Deputy will come and see what you're doing and make sure you're not feeling too burdened.

It's by no means perfect, but I don't dread going in every day (which I have been doing in Primary teaching for a long time previously).

SLT need to find out why morale is so low and then do something about the issues. Maybe try an anonymous suggestion box. If your school is the type were SLT are too busy trying the guess who has written what, making excuses and undermining staff this won’t work because they will be too distrustful of SLT.

@piggywaspushed The school I work in has around 30-40 teaching staff, plus LSAs etc and the strategies I mentioned are largely what we do pretty successfully here. The only one we don't do is to give staff a day off on their birthdays - it would be SLT teaching the majority of the lessons when covering where they could. This was a strategy encouraged at a course I was on.

You'd probably adore our school if that's what you're after for training days. Our last two were looking at ways to improve challenge in the classroom - very hands on with lots of activities on the tables for us to try. Our second was then speed dating (the hall was decorated with heart balloons, we were all given love heart sweets etc and we had to share examples of good practice across subjects when chatting with our 'dates'.) We also frequently have 'daft' training days where our older deputy head was forced to dress as a hula girl, and we had team competitions to see who could fly a toy the furthest distance, and then there was the time we had to dress up as members from the Beatles and reenact lines from their songs - don't ask!!

OP, tell your head to read this!

teacherhead.com/2017/12/01/10-low-impact-activities-to-do-less-of-or-stop-altogether/

I love the idea of a book scrutiny being done by the staff rather than done to the staff!

I wish I had the balls to forward your link to my SLT, Piggy!

The head teacher spelling my name right after 17 years of working with him would be a start. It's not even an unusual name.

copy I wish I did too ! (to my SLT that is...)

The data dump thing is in so many leading books now and yet no one is either reading them or listening to what they say.

Piggy That link is brilliant. I'm printing it out and sticking it up in work.

A bit of consistency, so staff know where they are. I don't teach in a school any more but I do go in to the school I used to teach in, on a freelance basis (long story) so that last year's Year 10 class haven't been left without a specialist teacher (they didn't replace me) This means I am in for a couple of hours most Fridays. The HT told the staff in September that there would be doughnuts in the staffroom every Friday as a thank you for their hard work (school is in SM. It's a chaotic nightmare. The staff are saints) and that's happened maybe one in every three weeks. Sometimes there isn't even milk for a cuppa. There was a fancy coffee machine as it wasn't making enough money in the canteen so they tried to sell it, and then when it didn't get sold, put it in the staffroom. But it's run out of coffee beans and there's no money to re-fill it, so now there's just a tiny kettle - there was a hot water tap plugged into the mains, but they remove that when the coffee machine was put in.

I was there for 13 years. When I first started, staff morale was high. Staff felt valued. Everyone who left made a big fuss about the staff - the school was always difficult but the staff made it. When people retired, or left, there was a whip round, and lovely, thoughtful present were bought. When I left, after 13 years, I got the same bunch of supermarket flowers that the colleague who had been there two terms got. Not that I'm bitter

Staff morale is worth investing in. Show staff that they are the most important people in the school. It doesn't need to be expensive, but don't tell staff there will be doughnuts every Friday as a thank you unless you intend to provide them.

Rant over.

Specific positive feedback is always the one for me. So ‘you’re doing a great job’ doesn’t mean much as it feels, cynically, like an attempt to boost morale. However ‘that assembly you did yesterday was really inspiring’ or ‘I just wanted to let you know I had a parent contact me the other day and they were really appreciative of the work you’re putting in’ leave me walking on air for the rest of the day. Our head is great at this and definitely gets more work out of people as a result!

I was thinking about this today and thought about the fact that we are always running around doing letters and praise postcards for kids with 100% attendance. What about staff? I am the last (wo)man standing in my department. Well, I think I am the only full timer who hasn't has a day off ill. (for over two years as it goes)

I am not suggesting people can't be ill or anything draconian like that but how about a little card or something for those who have managed to stay healthy, strong and reliable and battled on? We are saving the school money and resources , ultimately. I wouldn't suggest that should be public.

Piggy You've been teaching for over 2 decades so are now virtually indestructible in terms of kiddie germs. Unfair advantage!

But I think there's already too much pressure on teachers to come in when they aren't well, like it being often more bother to set cover work than it is to come in and do it yourself.

Pay the mid day supervisors for an extra half hour and have a sharing lunch. Everyone brings something in.
It’s a chance to get together and chat.

Indestructible! Ha!

Yes I do agree but it does go with general tenor of the thread of feeling unappreciated when you are reliable and solid, as it were.

Don't want a present but a long service gift would be nice! but just a card 'we have noticed you have not had a day off this year. We appreciate it. Thanks.' Hand signed!

My last school did termly attendance prizes for staff. It was much valued. I know you can't help your health etc but it's still a bit of recognition for those days when it's just you and 5 supply teachers, and you spend the whole day mopping up problems and neglecting your own classes.