Changing Climates -- It's All About Value

Almost a year ago to the day, I sat down with a colleague of mine and we discussed the climate in the building. We noted that very few people appeared to be happy while in our building. Everyone walked around, worrying about their next task, completely self-involved. Staff members rarely spoke to one another other than to complain about a school or district policy, poorly behaved students, or each other. There was a growing culture of mistrust which was completely counterproductive for all involved. Cliques began to form and many people began to feel left out... isolated... on their own. 

The two of us decided that we needed a game plan. A school climate situation as dire as this one needed to be handled one step at a time. 

We began by talking to teachers. We thought that was a logical step. See what the staff needed/wanted/felt. But a couple of different things happened...

1) People didn't want to talk

2) People aired a whole LOAD of grievances that seemed a bit above our pay-grade.

So what did we do?

Together, we needed to develop trust with our colleagues. We needed to let them know that we valued them as teammates and hope to be a support system. But how do you do that? We wanted to put ourselves out there, make ourselves available... we wanted to give everyone a chance to lighten up a little bit, to let loose.

So, we planned a series of activities.

We thought that it would be a great idea to begin by hosting a staff potluck breakfast.

We sent out the first announcement and... it didn't really go over too well. No one seemed interested in signing up! So, we hit the hallways and asked everyone face to face.

A lot of staff members had questions:

• Do we have to bring data with us?
• Do we have to need to read something beforehand?
• Do we have to come?

WHOA WHOA WHOA... Hold up a second! 

We nipped that right in the bud!

• No, silly gooses (yes, I know it's geese!), of COURSE you don't have to bring data with you! Just... breakfast!
• No, you don't need to read anything beforehand -- unless, of course, you need a recipe for whatever item you're bringing with you!
• No, of course not. No one has to come to breakfast, but really... who wouldn't want to kick off a Friday morning with some bacon, eggs, and other delicious goodies?!

The look on people's faces was... unbelievable! I'm not even sure that I can accurately describe it! SO many staff members were just... shocked that there was no hidden agenda.

Just breakfast? Could it be?

It seemed so silly to me at the time, but looking back... with all else that gets thrown our way, I truly do not blame a single one of them for being skeptical.

That first breakfast was pretty incredible. All staff members (with the exception of a handful from 1 or 2 grade levels) attended. We had so much food that we didn't even make a dent!

So many people had an extra skip in their step that Friday and when our Principal approached us and said, "Great job! Everyone is in such a good mood!" we knew that we had been successful!

We decided to keep up with the breakfasts -- they were not all as successful as the first, but they provided an opportunity for people to talk in an informal setting. And, boy oh boy, did everyone need that!

At first, as most of us do, we fell into the same pattern of just talking about school stuff. Then, someone began to ask about a recent trade in the NFL, someone mentioned family visiting, and yet someone else began discussing her newest grandchild. It was no time before we were able to decompress and and you could visibly see people's shoulders relax... smiles widen. It was great! My favorite part, though? Everyone began looking forward to each breakfast! They began counting down days and trying to come up with more extravagant dishes to bring in. It was almost like an outlet for all of that pent up negative energy!

In April, we decided to add a theme -- this month would be baseball teams in honor of the start of the season.
In May, we celebrated our Teacher of the Year nominee.
In June, we hosted a surprise "bridal shower" for a male colleague who was to be married 2 days after school ended.

These breakfasts are nothing revolutionary, but they truly allowed us to place a heavier emphasis on the positives and help us to eliminate all some of that negativity!

Seeing how helpful it was for everyone to have an outlet, I decided that I needed one of my own. So, I began a little project!

Over the long Thanksgiving weekend, I sat down at my computer and I thought about each and every one of my teammates. I thought about what I admired about them, ways they had inspired me, lessons I had learned. And I began to type. Within an hour, I had written something about every teacher in grades PK-4 as well as some of the Support Staff and Specialists. I decided to keep it going. I decided to create a little snippet for each member of our staff and tell them why they are so special. It was difficult at times and I was embarrassed that I knew so little about so many people on our team!

When we returned to school, I made point of speaking to each and every colleague before Winter Break and learning something new. I spoke to students, too.

And in December, I put together notes to slip into each mailbox. I made the decision to keep all notes anonymous. While mine were very specific, I have uploaded a pack of compliments with Christmas graphics for your to use. These are a bit more generic, but somehow still feel personal. Check out the sample HERE or click the image below to purchase the full set of 14 different compliments for just $1! Seriously, they're great to attach to teacher gifts, throw in a Christmas card, anything!

I snuck into the office one afternoon, under the guise of needing to send a fax. I quickly slipped the notes into each mailbox and ran upstairs (Please note: I put one in my own mailbox in case anyone wanted to be nosy and try to sleuth out the details).

The best part of the day was when we headed to staff meeting the following afternoon. It was the first time we had all been together, in the same room, since the notes went out. I walked in a few minutes late as I had a parent meeting at the end of the day and people were whispering and my Principal pointed to me and shouted, "IT WAS YOU, WASN'T IT?!"

I am so proud of myself for keeping it together. I pretended like I had no idea what they were talking about.

Apparently, before I got to the meeting, everyone was frantically trying to determine who had sent the letters. They went person by person through the staff and everyone denied it. Someone suggested that since the fonts were "cute" then it must be me because I use "cute" fonts. Someone else insisted that I was hiding from everyone so that I didn't have to admit it.

I feel a teensy weensy bit bad for lying about it, but... the point wasn't for me to receive accolades for being nice. I genuinely wanted everyone to see their worth -- to feel valued. Someone stood up and thanked the "person or persons who acted so kindly". Someone else, wished "that the favor might be returned".

It was clear that things were looking up at our little school.

So really, if you're having a climate issue, take a moment to reflect. Do the people at your school feel valued? How can you help them out? Take a moment to say hello, say thank you.

Just yesterday, I sent an email to our school Psychologist and thanked her for intervening with a child struggling emotionally (the gentle way of saying she was having a massive tantrum) while I was transporting my class from lunch to the classroom. When I saw her later in the afternoon, she had a huge smile on her face and said, "Thank you so much for your email! It's so nice to get thanked!" Seriously! It may sound silly, but...

And, consider purchasing my Christmas Compliment Cards. I whipped them out last week and delivered them to some new teachers and it really helped lift their spirits. If you prefer to make your own, I wholeheartedly support that decision! :)

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Changing Climates -- Where It All Began

Since before I signed my first contract, it was clear that each school that I entered was set up very differently. In Cambridge, MA, where I had my first practicum experiences, I spent 2 years at the same school. The staff worked very independently of one another, but everyone was on the same track. They all had the same goals, used the same materials They all worked in very different ways to achieve them, implementing different strategies, utilizing different materials.
In Arlington, MA, I found a school where again, teachers and students worked toward the same goals. Here, most classrooms resembled one another. They posted the same words on their word walls, had the same posters hung in, more or less, the same spots on the walls, and emphasized use of the same strategies in problem-solving. 
In Brookline, MA, I student taught for a semester. Here, I found a staff that, when teaching, seemed more isolated than I had ever seen. It was abundantly clear that not all teachers were teaching the same thing at the same time. They used very different strategies, even different programs. In this school, there was a very loose outline of a curriculum, but the teachers had a great deal of freedom to take their class pretty much whichever direction they wanted. While my class studied shadows, our grade partner's class was studying states of matter, while another grade partner's class studied germs.
In each of these schools, I felt 100% comfortable working with any member of the staff. Every single one of these schools had a fantastic climate. Collaboration was plentiful, staff, students, and families were constantly interacting and almost always had a smile on their faces. Walking in, you just got... good vibes. Back then, as an education student, I attributed this feeling to a group of individuals doing their dream job, answering their calling. 
I have now taught in Bridgeport, CT for 3 years (in my 4th!) and I have experienced prescriptive curriculum requiring all but the reading of an actual script as well as pacing guides indicating shared objectives, but allowing the freedom to teach as the individual deems necessary.
When I was first hired , I entered a school undergoing a complete turnaround. None of those warm, fuzzy feelings took over. Those "good vibes" just weren't present. Was it me? Was it my Principal? Was it the result of veteran staff members embittered by years of threatened school closures? What was it?! After some soul-searching, some research, and some time getting to know some pretty incredible educators I realized... the answer was YES. It was all of that and more.

During my Masters program, I took a class called Characteristics of Effective Schools. The very first topic which we discussed was school leadership. We visited numerous schools and made observations on leadership style as well as referenced literature on the subject. My favorite piece was one written by Kaye Pepper and Lisa Hamilton Thomas. Pepper was an acting Principal in a low-performing school and tried many things to turn the school around. She was methodical in her approach and highly reflective, taking note of how her leadership of the school affected the staff and students she managed. Her article, Making a Change: The Effects of the Leadership Role on School Climate outlines her own personal changes from a command & control standpoint, to more of a transformational leader. Through her article, she exposes the anxiety in her staff as they worked under her totalitarian leadership and how it eased into trust and feelings and respect when she made her own adjustments. She comments on the desire to work harder and to do more. Honestly, if you have the time, it's a great read. Unfortunately, the link above is the only place I was able to find it, but your local college book store might be able to order it, also. Seriously, check it out. She has some incredible insights!

Our Principal came in on day 1 and was adamant that she was here to make a difference -- here to inspire students, ignite a passion, and educate. She made it clear that she would be relying heavily on veteran teachers, but that all faculty and staff members would have a voice. Is this true all of the time? Absolutely not. But when I really reflect on it, do I expect my Principal to open all topics up to discussion? No, I really don't. And she shouldn't have to. An effective leader should be able to rely on others when needed, but also make tough calls on her own.

In August, she kicked the year off by explaining that we would now, after 3 years, be working toward developing an active PLC (Professional Learning Community). We spent time during summer in-service reviewing articles on the set-up of PLCs and presenting on the topic in small groups. I will discuss PLCs in more depth later this week, but basically, a PLC engages all members. Decisions are made by the group, for the group and all members take ownership of the final outcome. This is the type of transformational leadership that so many have been searching for.

Introducing a full staff to PLCs is a process and one thing that I have noticed much of the staff doing over the past couple of years is relying on... 

Teacher Leaders

I made a promise to myself to be honest throughout this entire series -- the good, the bad, and the ugly. In year 1, did we have clear teacher leaders? No. In year 2, did we have clear teacher leaders? Mayyyybe... I can think of 1 individual who used to step up. She used to fall on the grenades that no one else wanted to touch.

When staff members were concerned about service hours for students, she brought it up.

When paper was scarce, she brought it up.

When inequities occurred in the building, she brought it up. 

Most people in our school knew that if you had a problem or a concern that needed to be addressed, you could simply speak to her and she would make sure that said issue was brought up.

While many relied on her, these issues were often brought up in the wrong forum, and often with little tact. Because of this, few staff members respected her as they should have. She really was a very good teacher!

Now, let me tell you. In year 3, I stepped up in a big way. I didn't plan to do it. I promise I didn't! But in my 3rd year, I found myself hitting my stride. I was comfortable as a teacher -- planning, instructions, assessment, all of it. I finally felt like I had a handle on this crazy ride.

That year, I stepped up as Secretary of the School-Wide Data Team, Secretary of School Governance Council, and got together with a colleague to improve the climate of the building.

And this is where we begin this journey that is the blog series. I cannot speak for school administration, but I can surely speak as a staff member... and I will be speaking as a teacher leader. Over the next couple of days, I hope to look at school climate from a teacher's perspective and provide some insight into exactly what a member of the teaching staff can do to improve the climate. I plan to lay out the very same process that I began at the start of the 2013-2014 school year and having continued into this year.

Make sure to follow the blog to keep up with new blog postings. Stay tuned for my next post in the series!  But first, I'm curious... what types of school climate issues do you and your school face? What have you tried that has worked? Anything not work?

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Blog Series Live TOMORROW!

This morning, I may be doing some more baking for the holidays and finishing up the Christmas shopping, but...
Tomorrow it all goes live! Make sure you follow to stay up to date all week long! 

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