There is no better time than now to brighten the day of colleagues and staff.

Be the change you wish to see in your school! It starts with YOU. Here are some practical ideas to get you started. 🙂

• Give genuine and specific compliments to other staff.
• Is it a colleague’s birthday? Try surprising them with balloons on their desk, a bunch of flowers or a special birthday message written on their whiteboard.
• Celebrate staff birthdays for the month or term with a special morning tea.
  A handwritten birthday card is always valued.
• Offer to wash up other teachers’ coffee mugs after morning tea.
• Print out inspirational quotes with a gorgeous background and hang them on noticeboards, in staff bathrooms and classroom windows. Be sure to change them often.
• If a teacher is really unwell, offer to do their playground duty for them.
• Clean out the staffroom fridge. It’s a job that no one enjoys doing.
• Leave a bunch of flowers in the staffroom for everyone to enjoy.
• Smile!
• Pop a chocolate or small treat on a teacher’s desk.
• Create a staff shout-out board and encourage staff to write something encouraging on a sticky note with the teacher’s name. Make sure every one is included throughout the year. Alternatively, give staff shout-outs at the beginning of a staff meeting.
• Organise a magazine swap or tie swap day for staff…these have always been popular.
• Hand written notes placed in other staff’s pigeon holes does wonders for morale. It’s even more fun if you remain anonymous.
• If you are in leadership, spend time and engage with your staff. Eat lunch with them, walk around and chat.
• Have students write a heartfelt ‘thank you’ note to ancillary staff e.g. tuckshop volunteers, librarians, specialist staff, teacher aides, cleaners and groundsmen. Have the students personally deliver their notes.
• Organise a joke/funny story competition to get everyone laughing. Have a voucher up for grabs.
• Give employees time off to work on an educational project that they are passionate about. They will be able to share their new found expertise with the school creating a win-win situation.
• Chat to the Home Economics department and organise a cooked breakfast before school.
• Renovate the staffroom! If funds are low, do up one section at a time. Make the staffroom an inviting and relaxing haven for staff. Be creative!
• Leave a thoughtful gift for the cleaners.
• Hold the staff meeting during a morning tea or lunch time so staff can have more time to plan in the afternoons. (Rotate playground duties)   If this is not practical, cancel the staff meeting once a month and email the key points on the agenda to staff. This provides teachers with valuable time to plan in their classrooms.
• Take turns to bring in a cheesecake/cake to share for morning tea.
• Ask open ended questions to staff about topics that they are interested in and really listen to what they are saying, even if it doesn’t really interest you.
• On your way to work, pick up a coffee for someone who needs it.

Remember, it’s the little thoughtful things that mean the most and as the saying goes, “If a person feels appreciated and valued, they will go the extra mile!”

Till next time,

Naomi xx