#MTBoS30: Teacher Morale

This was not the best year for teacher morale. Personally, I find that it doesn't matter much to me because I really don't notice. {I'm selfishly focused on myself and my classroom and my teaching.} The principal mentioned this at our closing day meetings and took the blame for it. He hopes to address it better next year.

I started to think about what might help boost morale. The only thing I can think of is the only thing that ever affects me: dress code. Our dress code is the same as the students. We can't wear sleeveless. We have to wear skirts that touch the knee. Those two are hard enough. On Fridays, if you want to wear jeans then you have to wear a school t-shirt. This is not a big deal to most people. Over time, most teachers now wear khakis and school t-shirts on a daily basis. I just do not think that is professional attire. What bothers me the most is that I don't feel trusted to dress professionally. I wear clothes to church that I can't wear to school. That's pretty bad. I have dressed modestly my whole life and it's just frustrating to feel like I have strict rules, like otherwise I would come to school dressed inappropriately.

Another thing that teachers used to talk about is monthly potlucks. {We are a really small school}. This has not happened in my seven years there. This year the administration planned a potluck for our teacher's institute day and literally some people were so angry about it that they boycotted. A potluck.

During Teacher Appreciation Week, a lot of neighboring schools were posting how they were treated at their schools...t-shirts, catered meals, gifts. We did not receive similar treatment.

Just overall, we feel micro-managed which leads to feeling not trusted which leads to feeling not valued.

All this to say {I'm not ranting, honestly}, what things does your school do to make teachers feel valued and appreciated?

I can think of one thing from a school where I student taught where they exchanged names with their birthday and favorite cake. So each person gets their favorite cake on their birthday from a surprise colleague. I thought that was so cute!

So not even things that the administration does for teachers but things teachers do for each other...what positive things happen at your school?