Ways to improve staff well being in schools

[karmakemmie]

Hello,

I am fairly newish in a teaching job and am feeling a little isolated. The staff and my department are very nice but aside from work we have nothing in common.
I spoke to my line manager and we discussed things i did in my last school like a weekly staff choir and how it would be great if staff had opportunities to come together in a non work capacity. She told me to think of some ideas and get back to her. I have no ideas
Would anyone mind sharing what things they do in their school to promote well being and cohesion please? Thanks.

Most people work so much during the week they'd rather spend their free time with friends and family. I know it's nice to have things in common with colleagues, but honestly, I wouldn't equate staff wellbeing with being friends with my colleagues. I'd equate it with more time remission, better benefits, transparency between management and staff, mutual respect. I don't want to waste my personal time on work, and I don't want to waste my free time at work on activities trying to make friends. If you want to make friends, maybe join some groups outside of work?

I would really like there to be no lip service paid to staff wellbeing when workloads are still so massive.

Every time its on the agenda my heart sinks. What would improve my wellbeing? A sensible marking policy, no bloody drop ins every 5 minutes and a SLT who actually still taught.

A few years ago, my "well-being" wasn't great. I was close to leaving teaching altogether. Instead, I moved abroad and now teach at an international school. I love my job. I enjoy being at work and being with my class. I enjoy having a chat with my colleagues and we all generally get on very well. Our staff well-being is pretty good on the whole, our turnover is low. What does my school do to support staff well-being?

• Teachers get trusted to do their jobs. We don't generally have observations, learning walks or book looks. I have no problem with anyone coming into my classroom to take a look. I share my books with colleagues when I think there's a need to talk about something or I need advice on how to help someone. It's completely non-threatening and non-invasive.
• Our planning consists of a weekly overview of objectives. We are four-form-entry, so it's one sheet. How I get my class to meet the objectives is up to me. While we share ideas, activities and resources within the year group, there is no pressure to use any of it. If we want to make up our own stuff, then that's up to us.
• We have workbooks. If my class needs a calm lesson, I can simply assign one or two pages in the workbook for them to complete.
• We don't set homework. There is no need for me to stress about them doing it, me having to check or mark it or having to chase it up. (I remember having to set detentions for kids who hadn't recorded 20 minutes of reading in their reading record. What a bloody palaver...and certainly not the way to inspire a love for books.)
• We have PPA every day. Our days are longer than in the UK but it gives me that little bit of time during each school day.
• Our marking policy doesn't stipulate how to mark or the detail that is needed. We are just meant to check work every so often. If I sit with a group while they do something, I don't mark it afterwards.
• Everyone is a lot more laid back about things. We don't have new policies every 5 minutes. We also have the right to say no when new initiatives are supposed to be introduced if we feel they aren't appropriate or that the timing isn't right.
• Health matters. If I have a sick day, I'm sick. End of. There is no worry about sending in cover work. The world doesn't end if my class do something else for a day or two...or even a week. We sort it out as a team.
• Family matters. I get 10 child sick days per year - paid. So does DH. Due to Covid, we actually get more at the moment. (I remember going back after mat leave in the UK and DS catching every bug possible during his first few weeks at nursery and then passing them on to me. Even though we tried to cover it as best as possible, I was told I couldn't take another day off for at least six months and was threatened with having to speak to the governors and all sorts...)
• I get paid for my working hours. I'm on a 40 hour contract. I rarely do more. I'm not expected to do more. I don't have to run clubs. I don't have to have any whole school responsibilities. If I wanted to do those things, I'd get paid extra for them. Even without doing these things I earn more than I would on the leadership scale in the UK.

Give teachers the gift of time. No staff meeting or briefing. Let them get on with marking and go home at a decent time to see their family.

Thanks for your responses everyone.
Ellie I wasn't looking at taking any free time away from teachers. The choir that I was involved in was during school hours at the end of the day. I really enjoyed it along with other teachers even though it took 30mins away from planning, marking etc.
I am not really looking for work friends or even more friends just opportunity to engage with colleagues in a non work capacity - is that even possible?

It seems that the general theme is time or lack of and I agree with this.

You make a good point phleb we used to have a well-being inset in my last school but it really felt that senior management were ticking a box so never felt that genuine. I think I'm after something more long term and meaningful then just one day in the summer term.

Dizzy your teaching role sounds great. I really like what your school has in place to support staff.

As sweet as that sounds, I think you found yourself in a very unique situation in your former school. I wouldn't frame wanting to have staff clubs as a well-being initiative. Try to start a choir, if you'd like.

Wellbeing for me means:

The IT works ALL OF THE TIME.
Printers and photocopiers work ALL OF THE TIME.
I don't have to wait for a new projector bulb.
I don't have to change toner, or lug paper boxes around.
Staff meeting is cancelled if there isn't something specific for CPD.
Children who don't belong in mainstream, are on their way to appropriate provision, even if that's going to take awhile.

Well-being for me:

• adequate supplies of basic stationery items (glue sticks, pens, pencils, rubbers etc) so that I don't have to scrimp and scavenge about for the simple tools the children need for their work

• an end to senseless duplication/triplication of work when inputting the same data into multiple spreadsheets

• a full time TA (or even just shared access to an afternoon TA!)

• fewer formal lesson observations/book scrutinies/learning walks/pointless meetings that could have been emails

• a printer that works

• back up from SLT if a child (or parent) is kicking off

What I do not need:

• team building activities with my colleagues.

• to be expected to set cover if I am ill. If I'm too ill to come to work, I'm too ill to be working at home too.

• to double mount all displays (including lettering), especially when backing paper is scarce.

even though it took 30mins away from planning, marking etc.

When I was newly graduated, I'd spend lots of time at work chatting to colleagues and would have enjoyed something like this. Now I have a baby and a 3 year old, work 40 hours a week (0.75 contract) and try to maximise every minute of those hours so that I'm away from my children as little as possible. I'm afraid your manager is probably aware people in your department feel the same. You sound lovely and I'd feel bad if I worked with you and you suggested this, but for me it just comes down to time.