Over the last couple of weeks while studying Empathy and how to employ empathetic methods into research practice, I decided to focus on three areas.
Interview - Grade Groups
Putting Myself in Their Shoes
Interviews - Grade Group Sessions
One of the best responsibilities of my current position as an Instructional Coach is being able to conduct grade group meetings twice a month. For the most part, the agenda is set for the year, but I also have the freedom to explore other areas with teachers. During my grade groups this last week, I was able to interview groups of teachers. This time around the interviews were very informal. I explained to each grade group what I was working on for class, and they were all willing to open up during our meeting time and tell me some issues of concern.
There were three areas of major concern as it applies to the low morale in our building.
1. Behavior and Discipline
2. Attitudes (of staff members)
3. Programming
Behavior & Discipline
This is a HUGE point of contention at our school. Research states that suspensions for misbehavior from students in urban districts has no positive influence on students changing said behaviors. We have mulled over and over year after year about what to do with student behavior. Yes, most behavior can be dealt with inside the classroom. Our teachers do a phenomenal job with classroom management and building relationships with the kids nearly eliminating most of your typical office referrals. However, there are the frequent fliers...they are in every grade level. You know, the kids who are continually disrespectful to all adults and other students. We have discussed having an ISS or Redirection Room, but we are out of space. I share an office with the Dean of Students who deals with all discipline issues. There are days I feel like I get nothing done! After listening to the teachers in grade groups, I believe that we need to figure out a way to have a room where students can go and NOT be suspended. This would be a Win-Win situation for all involved.
Staff Member Attitudes
Each and every grade group mentioned that they thought too many staff members have poor attitudes when they come into work. I found this quite hilarious as some of those who brought up this idea, I feel walk into school each day with a defeatist attitude. I guess it's all about perception. With this idea there were no solutions offered. I believe that leadership is responsible for this failing, and I, as a member of the leadership team, accept full responsibility. I have been doing some research into this problem which will be discussed further in this posting. I did make a small step toward boosting staff morale this past week. On our last night of conferences, I walked around to each of the classrooms where teachers were conducting conferences and handed them one of these:
It brought smiles to their faces, and if it was only for a moment, I know they felt appreciated.
Programming
Again, almost all of the teachers harbored the same feelings in this area. Teachers feel as if they have no say when it comes to the school's programming and curriculum. I do understand their point with this. Teachers do not really have input in our programming. For example, three years ago we became a Leader in Me School. Although this is a wonderful teaching tool and we have all "bought in" to the idea of teaching kids the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, it was forced upon us. The decision was made by the highest administration and Board of Education. We are now facing a similar situation where teachers are being forced to buy into a math intervention program. It's not that the FIM model is bad (it's actually quite good and many successful schools have implemented it). It's just that our teachers have had no say. To be quite honest, the leadership team didn't really have a say. And, all of the staff feels that if we don't at least pretend to "buy in", then our heads would be on the chopping block. It's sad that our people feel this way, but it is the truth. I, along with my principal, will be examining how we can have more teacher say in the programming for the school.
Putting Myself in Their Shoes
This was a reality check for me. I have only been out of the classroom for three years now, but as I examine what teachers are required to do, I am a little embarrassed to say that I am glad I am not in their situation.
First of all, our teachers are required to turn in their lesson plans. I think this is absolutely ridiculous. They are professionals and should be treated as such. I can understand if a teacher is brand new or on a plan of improvement requiring them to turn in lesson plans. However, most of our teachers are veterans. Why should we put them through this? I know that they all do their lesson plans - it's a must for any good teacher. I think it to be asinine that they must have a certain format and turn them in to be monitored like they are children turning in homework.
Our teachers only receive 40 minutes of planning each day. Most of those planning times are taken up with meetings of some sort. They are required to meet with me bi-weekly as a whole grade group. If they are a new teacher or a teacher on a plan of improvement, they are required to meet with me bi-weekly as well. Then all IEPs are scheduled during their planning. On top of that they are required to meet with their team once a week, their special education provider once a week, and maybe, just maybe, they actually get one planning period a week to themselves to plan lessons and grade papers. Their time is stressed to the max...so much so that we cannot even get teachers to participate in after school enrichment programs. With all this added stress we put on the teachers during their planning time, how do we expect them to create engaging, meaningful lessons for the children?
Online Research
I have been doing a ton of online research to see what the experts say about raising staff morale. I have turned mostly to what big companies do to keep their employees happy. In an article by MindTool found at Morale they state reasons for low morale and some signs to keep an eye out for:
Why Morale Suffers
There are many things that can cause team morale to dip. For example:
- Layoffs and restructuring.
- Poor leadership.
- Poor communication.
- Lack of empowerment or autonomy.
- Inflexible working conditions.
- Cancellation of team benefits.
- Damage to the organization's reputation or public image.
- Losing a big contract or client.
- Difficult co-workers.
- Heavy workloads or stress, with no reward or gratitude.
- No sense of social value to the work being done, or a negative impact on the wider society.
Signs of Low Morale
Too often, managers don't realize that morale is poor. Whether or not your team or organization is facing any of the scenarios above, watch out for the following clues that morale may be slipping:
- Obvious unhappiness.
- Increased complaints about work, or other team members.
- Increased absenteeism.
- An increase in conflict between team members.
- Insubordination or unruliness.
- Disorganized work environments.
- Increased employee turnover.
- Decreased productivity
- Lack of enthusiasm.
I see all of these things happening in my building. The three that stand out most to me in the Reasons for Low Morale as it applies to our school's situation are Poor Leadership, Poor Communication, and Heavy Workloads. I truly believe that we have poor leadership as our leadership team is not always on the same page, and we do not agree on how to run a school. The communication at our school is horrible. I don't know if it is due to the workload that people face, but many things fall through the cracks, especially when stating expectations and planning events. Our staff, as can be seen in my previous writing in this post, is overworked. Their workload is audacious.
All of the bulleted points under Signs of Low Morale, I see each and every day. There are some days that we can't even get enough guest teachers to fill classrooms when teachers are out. I have had to step in to sub on multiple occasions.
I have come across numerous articles in my research that are linked below. I will continue researching to help myself come up with an answer to fix the low morale at my school.
These are just a few of the articles I have been reading to help boost staff morale. I look forward to sharing more as I find it! I am on a mission to make my school an enjoyable place to work once again!
