With such a strong focus on education and educators, whether due to the teacher shortage or the low professional pay throughout the country, one area that is constantly discussed deals with teacher morale and the school climate.
And morale can go either way for people: groups of people can build it themselves or blame others, which ultimately feeds into toxicity. But there are avenues to be taken by teachers, students, and especially administrators to build toward a positive climate and a good change in culture.
How to Create a Positive School Climate: Understanding Positive Versus Negative Climates
So, what consists of a negative climate? While it may be easy to create imagery pertaining to educators sitting around in faculty rooms complaining about schedules and students, it is far more than that concept. This is not to be confused with having a bad day because who doesn’t every once in a while?
Research shows that negative environments affect students’ and teachers’ mental and emotional health. Often, graduation rates are lower, standardized testing shows decreased rates of achievement, and even more importantly, declining growth from year to year. Motivation decreases in all areas and feelings of hopelessness shortly follow.
Negative school climates create harmful situations of bullying, violence, and suicidal ideations due to damage to mental health. Students expect to be safe when they enter schools, but these types of environments do not promote the elements of a safe atmosphere. As well, in the categories of students with disabilities, higher depression exists due to alienation and disrespect that can easily build in students.
On the opposite end of that spectrum, a positive climate focuses on eliminating the negative aspects previously mentioned. Students are confident in their abilities, promote equality and equity among all stakeholders, and show improvement in achievement and growth. A lower amount of disciplines is recorded, and substance abuse is minimal.
Beyond the fact that this isn’t something that can be fixed immediately and because it is a massive system of ideas to identify and develop, what can administrators do to help build a positive culture among teachers?
Generating a Positive Climate in Collaboration With Teachers
The key to changing a climate is collaboration among teachers and administrators. Committees comprised of stakeholders, from the toughest critic to the most optimistic member, must be involved in order to narrow down the frustrations potentially causing issues. It becomes a root cause analysis, in which every member has a voice. When teachers feel heard by their administrators, only then can there be a buy-in that allows schools to move forward with change.
With the administrator being the school leader, they must be able to delegate responsibilities for a shared leadership among teachers. This fosters collaborative leadership, which stems from a shared vision and mission. It also develops from the root cause review; this can generate the different perspectives upon which the group would like to focus on changing. Allowing teachers to have the ability to facilitate change will be a significant step toward improving the culture.
Setting goals is another key aspect toward fixing a negative culture. But along with setting goals, administrators and teachers must also model the behaviors necessary to reach those goals. Teachers must set the standards and administrators must hold professionals accountable. Once teachers know they have a strong stake in equality with their peers, the quickest way to lose that momentum is not to hold others accountable for not meeting the standards.
Another integral component in building a positive climate for teachers is to allow them to take risks in order to grow. Too often our educators are limited by politics, parents, and legislation. Knowing they have a supportive administrator who will back them when they gamble on new lessons or experiments will enhance the attitudes of an entire group of teachers. As long as teachers and administrators also don’t lose their sense of humor when things don’t work out!
Ideas for Short Term Climate Improvement
Now, what are some fun and creative ideas that can help with short-term climate improvement?
Food and Treats
Any time a school administration can bring in something like a walking taco bar will be a success. Individual bags of cheesy tortillas with all the toppings will get any staff walking around with smiles.
Pushing around the “Woot, Woot” Wagon with goodies, such as sweet treats and/or hot cocoa or coffee and tea will ease the pain of a long day and build an excitement in culture. Random and planned trips throughout the halls will support teachers and not require an immense amount of money to supply.
Giveaways
How about random giveaways? There is nothing quite like the feeling of winning something, while producing a win for the administration in teacher attitudes. Putting together themed baskets or raffling off gifts throughout the year for no specific reason can build feelings of goodwill and excitement. Never knowing what could happen at school might lead to improved absence rates among teachers or at least help lessen the burnout rates.
Updated Professional Development Days
Another change in culture can arise from updated professional development days. Rather than the same old presentations (forgiving that several forms of legislation require certain professional development, there is still time that can be found), work on collaboration days by providing escape rooms or off-campus collaborative activities. Maybe there is a nearby ropes course or climbing wall in which teams can challenge each other. Possibly offer a whole school staff golf outing, with a final dinner at the end of the day.
For those not physically inclined, how about a video game tournament or old-school checkers/chess tournament? Any form of friendly competition can help soothe the soul.
Depending on the types of leaders that people want to become, there are always ways to build positive atmospheres within a school. It takes motivation, dedication, and the willingness to try new opportunities. Ranging from small, short-term activities to long-term modeling and accountability, a positive school climate is what we decide it should be every day.
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