“Welcome to wherever you areThis is your life, you made it this far
Welcome, you got to believe
That right here, right now
You're exactly where you're supposed to be
Welcome to wherever you are.”
~Jon
Bon Jovi
Welcome!
Put out the welcome mat. You’re welcome. Whether used to greet, to accept, or to
acknowledge gratitude, the sentiment expressed through the word “welcome” is
open and inviting. Coaches affect the
culture of a school and can impact how welcoming the school climate feels.
We
welcome those new to our staff when we send an introductory email and invite
other faculty members to do the same. I
spent some time this week with early-career teachers, and one expressed how the
simple gesture of “welcome” emails before the school year began helped her feel
comfortable and accepted in her new school.
Greetings create a welcoming environment.
Teachers
new to our staff feel welcome when we are curious about their ideas, when we ask what has worked well for them in
the past, when we wonder what they notice as they see our school with new
eyes. They feel welcome when we include
them in the team even before it’s required.
Another teacher this week talked about how valued she felt to be asked
to be part of an interview team – even though she’d just been hired
herself. These gestures don’t take much
effort, but they send the message of welcome.
Teachers
new to your building – and all early-career teachers – are especially
influenced by the attitudes of those around them. Make a list of teachers in this category and consider
who they rub shoulders with: Who is their neighbor? Who is on their team? If it’s not already part of their routine,
make plans that include opportunities for novice teachers to interact regularly
with those who will build them up. Burnout is contagious, but so is enthusiasm!
Teachers,
whether new or veteran, feel welcome when they are listened to, given
productive feedback, and have positive relationships with leadership,
colleagues, and students. A climate that challenges while providing support
generates motivation and empowerment for both teachers and students.
Most
teachers welcome instructional autonomy.
But that doesn’t mean they don’t want to learn from each other. Many will welcome the opportunity to observe
and to be observed as a way to strengthen teaching if a positive culture for
teacher learning has been created.
My
time with early-career teachers this week – hearing stories both disheartening
and encouraging – has caused me to reflect on the important role that coaches
can play in greeting, inviting, and being grateful for the colleagues who share
our space and our students. Coaches can
create community-building experiences that provide a shared vision; one that accepts
and encourages everyone to feel that their school is “exactly where (they're) supposed to be.”
This week, you might want to take
a look at:
Ways to make faculty feel welcome:
The
power of knowing our “why” in achieving goals:
Let them see you struggle:
The A-B-Cs of giving feedback:
Classroom management tips to get the
focus on the learning:
That’s it for this week. Happy Coaching!
No comments:
Post a Comment