Problem of Practice: Part 2

At an urban school district in Flint, Michigan, a staff is faced with low morale. Teachers feel as if they are not viewed as professionals and have no say in the decisions made for the school. There are many factors that play into this low morale situation. 

1. Teachers have no shared leadership and wish they had a voice when it comes to curricular and programming decisions. 

2. Teachers deal with numerous behavior issues in their classrooms. Once all resources have been exhausted and a student is sent to the Dean of Students, teachers feel as if students are not receiving consequences. This leads to them feeling as if they have no power within their classrooms.  

3.  Teachers are required to give up many of their planning periods for IEPs, grade groups with the instructional coach and building principals, and numerous other meetings. This does not allow teachers the time to create meaningful, engaging lessons for their students which, in turn, brings down teacher morale. 

The root cause of all of these issues comes down to the top rung of the school's leadership. Every staff member (including those on the administrative team) are afraid to stand up and voice concerns. They are afraid that if they voice concerns they will lose their jobs. With the lack of teacher positions in Michigan, they have right to be concerned. 

I see my project developing into a plan for administration and teachers to have shared leadership to increase staff morale. 

Problem of Practice: Part One

Problem of Practice: Toxicity in the School Environment - I don't know of a single teacher at my school who isn't currently looking for another job due to their feelings of mistrust toward administration and not being treated as professionals.

A: 5 Whys? Root-Cause Analysis

Why?: Our Board of Directors and Superintendent push through initiatives where teachers have no say and are therefore not supported by teachers.

Why?: The Superintendent believes she has all of the answers when it comes to changing test scores.

Why?: The Superintendent has very little classroom experience but believes what she did in her classroom was the "right" way to do things.

Why?: She relies on her limited knowledge of what it takes to change the school environment.

Why?: Because that is what she knows and does not want to open up to other ideas.

B: A Why-How Ladder

Link for Clearer Viewing: How-Why Ladder

C: Point of View Activity

MadLib: School needs to improve attitudes and school culture because currently the environment spins out of control with grumpiness as a wolverine on a Tilt-a-Whirl.  

Want Ad: Optimistic instructional coach seeks phenomenal school-wide happiness. Characteristics MUST include collegiality, willingness to share ideas, professionalism, and open-mindedness. Downers and gossips need NOT apply.   

Redefined and Reframed: A New Perspective to a Not So Obvious Solution

At an urban school district, students and staff members entered the building in the mornings and went without smiles, had dull life in their eyes, and roamed the halls with overall grumpiness. Even the most upbeat individuals in the building began to no longer smile or greet students in the halls. This was definitely a problem. School should be a place where adults and children are happy. They are there to learn, and learning should be an enjoyable process...as should the teaching! This problem crept up slowly. It had once been an enjoyable, fun place to be, but now, it was a place most dreaded to enter. The board of directors even decided to send the entire staff (for those who could attend) down to the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia in hopes of providing the staff with new ideas. It was short lived and cost the school around $25,000!

And then...

One staff member noticed how happy students and staff members were as music was played in the gym for a school dance that involved the entire middle grades 5th-8th. Everyone was smiling, engrossed in light-hearted conversations, and having an enjoyable time. This is when the light bulb went off. Music was the key! The school already had a portable sound system. Plenty of staff members already had school-appropriate music downloaded. Everything was set in place for the first day of school to have music playing as students walked in the front doors of the building at 8:00am. From that day forward, music has played each day from 8:00 - 8:30 prior to the start of class. It is amazing how the attitudes have changed in the morning. Staff members and students smile as they enter the building. There are staff members assigned as greeters who often serenade other staff members and students as they are in the halls. Happy and The Eye of the Tiger and I'll Be There are just a few of the songs on the playlist that staff and students often sing as they go to class. Often times you will see a staff member or a group of students dancing down the hall.

This little change cost the school absolutely nothing but has changed the morning environment. Staff members and students now go to class with smiles on their faces.

Sniglets - An Exercise in Thinking, Creating, & Defining

Sniglet...what a great little word that didn't even have meaning until recent years. We have words created all of the time in the English language as we progress with new technologies that have no names and names that must be created. Thinking about my own professional experiences, I have come up with three to share!

Freakabout: This is a word created for when your alarm does not go off and you only have 30 minutes to shower, get ready for, and be at work when your drive is 20 minutes or more.

Whyweariness: Ever had a student ask you over and over again for directions once you have explained them in every way possible that you can think of? Well, this word can be used for that situation as you describe the incident for your colleagues!

Caffless: For many teachers, mornings must start with one thing: COFFEE! However, on those days when you have not had time to make it or have run out of the necessary items to make it in your classroom, there is no singular word to explain your situation. There is now!