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Working TogetherIn The School Community

Misneach Spring 2016

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The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.- Theodore Roosevelt

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• A key asset to any teacher is the support and security of working in a school where there are positive staff and other working relations.

• It is even more important when teachers are working in a changing environment and when society continues to make increased demands on the education sector.

The Benefits

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• Changing nature of society’s expectations of education.

• Increased parental involvement.

• Impact of social change in the classroom.

• Changes in the promotion and management structures within schools.

How have each of these impacted on your leadership role?

Changes in the Primary Sector…

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• It has become increasingly important for teachers and other stakeholders in the school community to support each other and to create a school climate which fosters positive working relations.

• Equally, each teacher must be prepared to operate as part of a team within the authority structures of the school.

“School leadership is a team sport.” (Fullan, 2003)

In that context…

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“The school will be a community, a place full of adults and children who care about, look after and root for one another and who work together for the good of the whole in times of need and in times of celebration.” (Barth, 2002)

Does that describe the school you now lead?

How would a school leader create such a culture as described above?

Begin with the end in mind.

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“…. the skills of individuals can only be realised if the relationships within the school are continuously developing.” (Fullan, 2000)

“…. for staff to be fully motivated and engaged they need to be allowed to rise above detailed control mechanisms.”

“…. key role is to help people become effective in their task.” (Taylor et al, 2007)

Leadership Challenges

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What people want more than anything else is to feel valued and recognised for their contributions.

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”

(William Arthur Ward)

“I can live for two months on a good compliment.” (Mark Twain)

Remember Empathy

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• How can you make children feel valued and important?

• How can you make colleagues feel valued and important?

• How can you make parents feel valued and important?

• How can you make the parent association feel valued and important?

• How can you make the Board of Managementfeel valued and important?

As a leader in your school

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• Communication

“Real communication can only happen when we feel safe.” (Blanchard)

• Processes of decision making and in particular the manner in which they are made.

• Effective School Policies and procedures – both administrative and curricular, approved and adopted by The Board of Management

Key drivers in making people feel valued

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• Mutual respect for roles and boundaries.

• A sense of fairness, tolerance and goodwill.

• Respect for the integrity and dignity of all.

• The airing of conflict without recourse to official procedures.

• A sense of humour.

• Are there others?

Key drivers in making people feel valued

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• The principal management bodies of primary schools and other bodies are of the view that it is incumbent on the staff and management of each school to promote a culture of positive working relations at all times.

• Where such a culture prevails, instances of adult bullying or harassment or staff conflict rarely occur.

Being Proactive

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Two Useful Documents

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Objectives of the document

• To raise awareness among school staff about the importance of fostering positive working relations with one’s colleagues.

• To recommend guidelines for good practice, and

• To set out various procedures to address staff relations difficulties, adult bullying or harassment and grievances.

Working Together

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Section A: Recommended Good Practice.Section B: Key Principles.Section C: The Three Procedures.

Staffs and Board of Management as employer with duty of care to all its employees, should discuss this document vis-à-vis their own working relations and adopt all or relevant aspects of it, in accordance with the needs of the staff and management through school policies and procedures or otherwise.

Working Together

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- Recommended Good Practice

- Internal Communication

- Processes of decision making

- Effective school policies and procedures

- Mutual respect

- A sense of fairness

- Unacceptable behaviour

- Conflict resolution

Working Together - A

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Key Principles

Intrinsic to each procedure in Section C

• Identify the difficulty

• Observe due process

• Keep records

• Set realistic goals and parameters

• Choose the appropriate procedure

(1,2 or 3 in section C)

Working Together - B

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The Three Procedures

C.1. Procedures to Address staff relations difficulties.

C.2. Procedure to Address Adult Bullying / Sexual Harassment or Harassment on other Specified Discriminatory Grounds, arising in the workplace or otherwise in the course of employment.

C.3. Grievance Procedure (revised)

Working Together - C

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Each provides for:

• Directly addressing matters

• Informal and formal stages

• An emphasis on constructive engagement and

• An emphasis on early resolution

Parallels between each of the procedures

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This places the emphasis on addressing staff relations difficulties in a consensus and voluntary type approach and it includes a mediation facility.

Four Steps

1. Informally address matters between the parties.

2. Role of the principal teacher.

3. Extreme Interventions. (Mediation)

4. Formally address matters with Board of Management.

1. Procedure to Address Staff Relations Difficulties

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This is specific to the matter of allegations of bullying, sexual harassment or other specific discriminatory harassment which may occur in the work place or otherwise in the course of employment.

Four Steps

1. Decide to address the matter.

2. Informally address the problem.

3. Principal Teacher or Chairperson, Board of Management.

4. Board of Management.

2. Procedures to address Adult Bullying, Harassment, Discrimination

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This places emphasis on processing specific grievances which usually relate to school rules, policies, procedures or practices and it provides that an independent tribunal may be established, which is empowered to issue a decision that is final and binding on all parties.

Four Steps1. Aggrieved Teacher gives notice in writing to the

Principal that procedure is being invoked and then meet to resolve the matter.

2. The Chairperson.

3. The Board of Management.

4. An Independent Tribunal.

3. Grievance Procedure (revised)

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.ieCode of Professional Conduct for

Teachers

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Purpose of Code

1. …a guiding compass as teachers seek to steer an ethical and respectful course through their career in teaching …uphold the honour and dignity of the teaching profession

2. …may be used by the education community and the wider public to inform their understanding and expectations of the teaching profession in Ireland

3. … has an important legal standing and will be used by the Council as a reference point in exercising its investigative and disciplinary functions under Part 5 of the Teaching Council Act, 2011, dealing with fitness to teach.

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Ethical Foundation

Core values that underpin the

work of the teacher in the practice

of his / her profession and are

reflected throughout the Code

Respect

Care

Integrity

Trust

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.ie6 sets of standards central to the practice of teaching and expected of registered teachers

1. Professional Values and Relationships

2. Professional Integrity

3. Professional Conduct

4. Professional Practice

5. Professional Development

6. Professional Collegiality and Collaboration

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School Based

Scenarios1-5

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• Consult the relevant circular (if appropriate)

• Is there a school policy in place?

• Keep contemporaneous notes.

• Get advice with a view to resolving any difficulty at the earliest opportunity.

• Follow through.

Key Messages

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Working with Parent Associations

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• Parents as Partners.

• Parental Involvement in Schools.

• Rights and Responsibilities.

• Roles and Boundaries.

• Rules regarding finances of the Parents Association and Fund Raising.

• Most Common Activities.

In relation to each of the above what is it like in your school?

Supporting Each Other

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Scenarios

6 & 7

Individual Parents – Colleagues Contentious or Challenging Meeting

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• Prepare well in advance and be prepared to listen without interruption.

• Ensure that due process and procedures are followed. Get advice or help in advance if necessary.

• If something arises and the answer is not to hand promise to get back to them and do.

• School’s complaints policy should be circulated at the start of each school year so that everybody is clear on steps to follow.

Contentious / Challenging Meetings

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• Never allow matter to get personal or engage in conversation about another child or party.

• Always begin such a meeting with the end in mind. What do you need to get out of this meeting? Do you have a fall back position as in what’s the next best alternative?

• Make notes after the meeting or, if during the meeting, clarify first with the other party.

• Follow up with parties afterwards to see how things are.

Contentious / Challenging Meetings

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Do you feel valued and important as a leader of Teaching and Learning in your school

community?

Remember too…

“Unless we first look after ourselves as leaders, we will be of little value to others.”

(Bates 2012)

And Finally - You

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Do not think of

yourself so big

that other

people look small. - Confucius

Parting Thought

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.ieEnjoy Your

OnwardLeadership

Journey

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In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: It goes on.

- Robert Frost