Please welcome Stephanie of Principal Principles. Stephanie has written a timely piece for us to enjoy. With staff morale so low at many schools, her ideas could be just the boost your school needs to make working there a joyous experience. Thank you, Stephanie, for sharing with us!
Appreciation and morale on a campus go hand-in-hand. People starve for appreciation. Being recognized and appreciated for hard work is a key motivator for teachers. A simple thank you or a pat on the back can play a huge part in staff morale, as well as teaching performance. There are simple and effective ways to increase staff morale without breaking the bank. If you are a teacher, administrator, or support staff on a campus, you can help make your campus a joyous place to work.
As a principal and a former kindergarten teacher, I have discovered that one of the greatest needs of faculty and staff is a more positive morale. This is true in every school. Therefore, these activities were designed to help educators, especially campus leaders, consistently and continually build a positive morale throughout their teachers and staff.
1. One of the most important things I have learned over the years is that an effective leader needs to be visible and always be real. Never ask your staff to do something that you wouldn’t do yourself. Get out of the office and visit with the teachers. The best time to do this is before school begins each day. Just a few minutes each day can make a huge difference.
2. Everyone has something to contribute, no matter how big or small. Make them feel special. As a principal I invest time in the teachers that give more than expected or required. Teachers that feel good about themselves will become inspired to teach and deliver instruction at higher levels. The more you do for them, the more they will do for you in return.
3. Celebrate your successes and then celebrate some more. Have fun at school and celebrate meeting your goals. Send a personalized card to a teacher. Pin a certificate to the bulletin board in the teacher’s workroom. Send home newsletters to parents highlighting your campus successes.
Leaders Back to School Celebration – Before school I take my campus grade level leaders out to dinner, including a fun activity planned for after dinner. This year we went to Painting with a Twist. This is a place where we paint and listen to music. They are already talking about next year.
Make the Best of a Staff Meeting – Who doesn’t love to feel special? At my meetings I go beyond just passing out chocolate on the table. See how I created specialized treats and prepared for a staff meeting.
Parting Thoughts
When teacher morale is energized and productive, good things will happen in the classroom. This is a win-win situation for everyone.
All great ideas! While I'm not a principal, I know I can do several of these with my co-workers to keep our morale high! Thank you!
~HoJo~
These a great ideas! I was just thinking about how to show appreciation for our teachers!
Thanks so much for the feature today. It is such a blessing and a wonderful day. Stephanie from Principal Principles
Love these tips! It is so important to have a positive, happy school staff!
Tara
The Math Maniac
Thank you! Maintaining a high teacher is essential to creating a positive learning atmosphere for students.
Mary
Fit to be Fourth
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I love this post!
Our district has a book study and we read, The Energy Bus". Great read and we are using it as a focus to improve the overall moral .
I don't work for Stephanie, but I am blessed to call her my friend. She is a great person.
I don't work for Stephanie, but I am blessed to call her my friend. She is a great person.
these are great tips! but what about other staff on campus. You can have really happy teachers but if everyone else feels left out of all the fun things you are doing, then their morale will be low. Just thought I'd throw that in there.
What wonderful ideas! And you are right, it makes a HUGE difference if you feel appreciated! 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
Carolyn
Kindergarten: Holding Hands and Sticking Together
Hi Stephanie – thank you for this beautiful post. I can tell that you rock at loving kindness! I'll be sharing this link at a meeting with pre-service Administrators this Thursdays!
Barbara
If our principal did just one of those things…especially the first one, it would blow my mind.
It would be great if my principal even considered doing some of these things, instead of hanging out with his "pets". Recognize the good we all have to offer!
All I'm hearing is teacher, teacher, teacher. A big problem with morale is that the rest of the staff (paraeducators, secretaries, nurse, custodians, kitchen workers) is made to feel that the teachers are the only ones who matter. Don't forget, without the rest of the staff your teachers would be lost.
Some of the ideas are nice and I can see you are a principal who appreciates her staff, but the sweater and nerd suggestions do not sound like appreciation at all to me.
All great ideas!!!! And I think it would be easy to include all staff. I do not feel like it was the writers intent to leave out other staff members. Also to add to the previous post…the sweater and nerd suggestions are "suggestions" and would be fun ways to let the staff enjoy something new. Showing appreciation comes in different forms. My principal is great and as I read through these ideas she came to mind. What a blessing to have a great, positive, and encouraging boss like the writer here:)