Above the Noise: New Teacher to Teacher Guide

Ian Snyder 7:55:00 AM
I am heading into my third year as a second grade teacher. The past two years have brought a lot of change in terms of staff. With a lot of people coming and going, it can be hard to build trust in colleagues. The truth is, you can't afford to be an outsider. What I have found is that sometimes it takes putting your neck out a bit to help others before they will trust you. The danger in doing this is worth it. If you think teaching is a solo effort, you are probably in the wrong field. You may work in school district that is full of gossip, and where things seem divided like the Hatfield and McCoys but you have to realize you are there for a reason. Here a few tips to start building some connections:
  1. Avoid building close relationships with those that talk about other people. They are most likely talking about you when you are not there.
  2. Find one or two people that love their job, and invest their best in their student. These people will always bring out the best in you.
  3. Never ever join sides in a battle against another group of teachers. Divisions never lead to a better work environment.
  4. Don't be afraid to spend some time with co-workers outside of work. People are easier to connect with outside of the work place.
  5. Keep your door open.
  6. Eat in the teacher's lounge. Even if it is full of gossip and cheap shots, be the one above the noise. People will notice and eventually you should find a person to connect with.
There are many other things you can do to build connections, but hopefully this will get you started. Got a great idea to add? Leave a comment.

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4 Comments

  1. Wesley FryerAugust 2, 2010 at 8:43 AM

    I think asking for advice is often a good way to open the door to a conversation and a deeper relationship. Experienced teachers possess a great deal of wisdom, and it's vital to find ways to tap into their knowledge.

    Marco Torres suggests faculty create "B side" videos during PD time to share things about which they are passionate, and define them outside of education. This is also a good way to build relationships and collegiality. We did this last month in our Oklahoma Creativity Institute with about 40 teachers.

    http://creativityinstitute.ning.com/video

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  2. bonniemcAugust 3, 2010 at 9:12 PM

    I think a great way to build connections with your staff is to offer up an idea --and more importantly, offer to be the 'idea leader.' Nothing develops connections quicker than team teaching. If you want to collaborate with another grade-like teacher, do a bit of research, plan out the project and then take a leap and ask that teacher or group of teachers if they would like to join you.

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  3. Ian SnyderAugust 4, 2010 at 3:41 AM

    Bonnie,
    This is so true. I experienced this the last year in school. I wanted to do the eIditarod race with my students, but I wanted some other classes involved. I presented the idea, and lead the project. The other two classes jumped on and the kids really loved the project. Nice bit of advice. It works!

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  4. Susan NationsAugust 13, 2010 at 6:53 AM

    These are great tips! Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete

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