Tag: unity

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Staff Unity

As teachers, we often focus on creating a cohesive classroom, with students who can work well together, help each other, and respect one another. For some classes, this happens naturally, with minimal effort on our part. For other classes, however, it takes a lot of work and effort. The end result is always worth the effort it takes, as a cohesive class makes teaching go so much smoother, and the overall feel of the classroom is positive. 

Even as adults, we gravitate toward environments, people, and situations that make us feel welcome and included. It just makes sense— no one wants to be part of something where they feel unwanted. Everyone wants to feel like they belong in all aspects of their life, and this includes in the workplace. 

Have you ever been an employee at a place where none of the employees get along and there is just an overall negative feeling among the staff? Did you find yourself wanting to go to work or dreading it? It’s not a fun situation to be in. Working in an environment that is negative and unwelcoming can really take a toll on the employees, creating low morale, lack of motivation, and toxicity— none of which I care to be around! 

So if a positive, unified staff and work experience is what we gravitate toward, how do we make that happen? Is it by socializing with coworkers outside of school? Perhaps. Is it by communicating with one another to discuss the needs of students? That definitely helps! Maybe it happens through team building games and activities at staff meetings and trainings (does anyone even like those anyway?!). Or, perhaps, unity comes through taking the time to get to know those you work with, supporting them, and learning to understand who they are beyond the role of teacher.  Rather than it coming through just one single method, unity comes through continued effort, time, and dedication to the cause.

Having a unified staff creates more than just a positive feeling at the workplace. Unity fosters relationships. When teachers and employees get along and respect each other, the students notice. The positivity can be felt and can be contagious. There are a lot of things we don’t want to spread through the school— like sickness, rumors, and negativity—but positivity and unity are two things that every school could use a bit more of. 

The next time you find yourself in a staff meeting or training, and find yourself pushing through team building exercises, do your best to make it a positive situation. It’s true that not everyone loves doing team building, but if we can do our best to participate with a positive attitude, we are much more likely to get something out of the exercise and do our part to contribute to an overall feeling of positivity at the school.

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Creating A Unified Classroom

My third period class on A-days was something special. We started off the year a little disorganized and unsure, but by the end of the first term, we had settled into a rhythm and were in a groove. The kids all got along well, supported each other, cared about their learning, and genuinely cared about each other. It was magical. It was a stark contrast to my fourth period on B-days, who quickly became the class that I had to mentally prep myself for the most— the kids didn’t get along very well, didn’t care if their classmates succeeded, and just plain didn’t care about much. 

As a teacher, I did my best to create a classroom community where all of my students felt safe, included, and supported. I taught the same material, assigned the same assignments, and was consistent in my management. The biggest difference between the two classes? The kids. The students in these two classes came to school each day with different attitudes toward learning. One class came ready to learn, ready to be engaged, and ready to help each other. The other rolled into class, counting down the minutes until the bell rang and they were done. It was every man for himself. 

It’s probably not a surprise that the overall success and grades of the first class was higher than that of the second. It’s amazing what can happen when students care about each other and encourage each other, especially in junior high. When an already vulnerable teen feels safe and supported by their peers, they are more willing to take risks and ask for help when they need it. They are more willing to learn from each other and share their knowledge with others. Confidence increases as students work together to learn. 

The question here, then, is how do we as teachers encourage a tight-knit classroom community? Often times, we can do all that we can, and if the kids just aren’t interested, we can only do so much. But sometimes, students can be encouraged and gently nudged into supporting each other. When we provide opportunities for students to work together and cheer each other on, we are working toward that community feeling. When we give kids the chance to feel like they matter and are safe, the walls start to come down, and they begin to build trust in their peers. This usually isn’t an automatic or natural thing for kids to do, but it is worth working toward. 

We can encourage a classroom community by modeling what that looks like. Share and celebrate successes. Demonstrate what it means to show up and support someone in a time of need. Teach your students to invest in each other by asking questions about their lives and interests. Model what it looks like to genuinely listen. Show how students can have a meaningful conversation where they both hear and are heard. Provide them with opportunities to engage with one another and work together. 

It might take some work and practice, but once they get the hang of it, you will see a difference in your students and the way they show up for class and in the way they treat each other. It’ll be worth it, and you won’t regret it!