The Breakfast Club – #BFC530 – is a 15 minute, 1 question Twitter chat every weekday. We chat in 4 timezones Mon-Fri – 5:30am Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific Times. The mission of BFC is to empower participants to make a difference in education by engaging in consistent reflective practice in a supportive community that inspires and challenges one another.
Good Morning #bfc530 Kevin 7th grade history teacher from NW NJ joining from the diner, wearing the mid 70’s Indians hat to honor the passing of @baseballhall of Famer Frank Robinson who wore it as baseball’s 1st African American manager #bfc530
Teacher morale affects climate and culture. Our students suffer when teachers don't want to be there or don't feel valued. I couldn't imagine being excited to learn from someone who was just going through the motions. #bfc530
Morning #bfc530 Totally Matters! Your attitude is everything:) Sometimes we are the only possitive person in someone's life... Just saying...
Can't stay have grading...
Have a great day!
Absolutely! And what kills morale is gossip; teachers who talk negatively about another teacher, especially to their admins that really doesn't serve to better that teacher or the school #bfc530
When your job is guiding young people, your most important tools include your mindset and your psychic energy. When they are not strong and faithful tools, it shows. It colors everything. #bfc530
Gm. Yes. T morale drives the quality of the product given to the s. Low morale is tangible. Ss know right away if a t is not really about it. That translates into not being about them or their success. Problems, big ones. #BFC530
Teacher morale provides a EQ environment for learning. Invite Ss and others to enter your lifelong learning environ. Allow learning to happen with a positive outlook. #bfc530
Yes, teacher morale totally matters. Teacher morale can change the way a classroom feels, and it can affect (infect?) other teachers. Students will know even if a teacher is faking it, and you can only fake for so long. #bfc530
A few years ago someone in the school community was attempting to attack my character & in my anger I told my principal if he wasn't so supportive that working at the school would suck. Knowing someone is standing with you in the storm helps you to get through it #bfc530
#bfc530#Teacher morale matters more than ever. The responsibilities of an #educator can be overwhelming. If there is no support in that process, it makes a challenging job nearly impossible.
Teacher morale matters more to some then others. If the teachers are happy they are fiercely loyal. Not everyone in the building may be happy. I have seen it happen and sadly been on both sides. #bfc530
We all have the power to be a positive influence in our school's climate, culture and morale.
What are you doing TODAY to help build an agency of happiness and joy?
Be the solution. #bfc530
Teacher morale influences the life-blood of any school community...when it’s up, a community ROCKS...but when it’s down, it can become a ‘daily grind’ that hampers the learning and growth in an otherwise healthy community. #bfc530
If you worked in a school that is micromanaged, it would be difficult to try new and innovative things (which totally keep the students interested) #bfc530
Interesting question. I’d say both matter, but I’m interested to see if it makes sense to parse out the individual vs. the budget culture. Which is more powerful in the end? Hard to be positive in a negative school!#bfc530
Did I suggest this question? From first-hand, authentic, real-life, recent, current, well-documented experience, the answer is an enormous YES. It is enormously difficult to pretend; eventually the truth will be seen/known. Ts are human not robots. #bfc530
So true Christina! When we can be around others who, instead of counting down the days, take time to celebrate the minutes and maximize their impact, we can thrive! #bfc530
Individual vs whole school T morale? Both important! When there is negative climate/culture in a school, it feel like having to go to work. When Ts are positive, you GET to be at work! #bfc530
Teacher morale matters more to some then others. If the teachers are happy they are fiercely loyal. Not everyone in the building may be happy. I have seen it happen and sadly been on both sides. #bfc530
Brian, I had a student say to me last year (at my former school) - “you seem so sad”. Made me feel worse knowing it was so true. Not proud of that #bfc530
Yes, teacher morale totally matters. Teacher morale can change the way a classroom feels, and it can affect (infect?) other teachers. Students will know even if a teacher is faking it, and you can only fake for so long. #bfc530
#bfc530 Teacher morale matters because when teachers feel supported and motivated students are the recipient and thus empowered as a result. Trickle down effect!
Yes, it can show the overall health of a school and culture. There are also cycles throughout a school year so when fatigue sets in, responsive leaders can intervene and support to improve morale. #bfc530
Does teacher morale matter? ... depends ... Is the job getting done? I am taking the con approach here. We can say we are not interchangeable Parts, but if we leave someone else is right there to take our place. #bfc530
I am not saying that morale is irrelevant but I think we work in a field where there is always a person to replace us and when there is always a supply then demand is low which creates a opportunity to devalue the worker. #BFC530
When I was pushed out of my previous position for calling out the toxic environment they had no problem finding a replacement ... we can say morale matters, but does it matter if the job is getting done? #bfc530
Teacher morale does matter & that is directly connected to the culture of the school. If the school is rocking for the kids it is a direct result of plans created by or bought into and implemented by the teachers who know their WHY & have great morale. #bfc530
Morale matters. If the teachers feel that they are trusted, that they belong and that they can make an impact, this will translate to the students and how they view the school and the world. Culture and climate should be just as important as academics. #BFC530
A few years ago someone in the school community was attempting to attack my character & in my anger I told my principal if he wasn't so supportive that working at the school would suck. Knowing someone is standing with you in the storm helps you to get through it #bfc530
Of course teacher morale matters. Teachers need to be respected for the professionals they are, encouraged to try new things and be reflective and have fun! Otherwise how can we do that for kids? #bfc530
However, ts are human and no worker feels great about their work consistently. It is reality that there are ts who don’t want to be a t and are in classes everyday , for years. Usually, in schools with high s needs. I’ve had some. I know some. . #BFC530
I had wanted to return to an elementary bldg a few years back, but couldn’t bring myself to apply for a transfer because the culture of the staff in that bldg got into my bones when I was there. And it wasn’t a fun. #bfc530
#BFC530 I think I teacher joining forces with another teacher and so forth can make a huge difference.... just keep plugging away at it..... good old PBS works!!!
I know firsthand that morale matters. Been in an environment where teachers felt... well, let's say it is difficult to change in a culture that isn't supported. Sometimes you need to jump ship and swim to the next one. There is someone with a rope to pull you aboard. #bfc530
High teacher morale is what leads to sustainable success in our schools, and it’s a byproduct of teachers being empowered by school leaders and policy makers and respected as skilled professionals at their craft. #bfc530
I believe one teacher can make a difference in so many ways. Just like we can provide a spark in the lives of our students, we can do the same for the colleagues we work with as well. You never know when your spark will ignite a fire in those around you :) #bfc530
Morale matters in our classroom among our students too. If we keep presenting lessons in ways that do not connect with our age group, or teach to us rather than our students, what makes us think our students will be inspired to learn? #bfc530
Teacher morale does matter & that is directly connected to the culture of the school. If the school is rocking for the kids it is a direct result of plans created by or bought into and implemented by the teachers who know their WHY & have great morale. #bfc530
Teacher morale matters. Hard to maintain when you're second guessing everything you do because you're a reflective educator, but also everyone else is second guessing your second guessing. We end up building walls, deteriorating our performance, spiraling moral down. #bfc530
Low teacher morale can also be a bucket of crabs situation. One crab escapes the bucket but if you have lots, they pull each other down. It's hard to work to change culture! #bfc530
100%!! How can we expect our students to be excited about school if we aren't?! Teacher morale is the first thing Ss encounter in their day and it should be a positive one. #bfc530
Teacher morale 100% matters. It has meant night and day between my past and current district. Poor morale isn’t just bad, but harmful as it can make ppl ill. Positive morale makes all the difference #BFC530
I know that I affect the morale of the Ss in my classroom. I know that. I know that part of my job is to get them to want to come to to school. I can control that..so I try my best to do that.. #bfc530
#bfc530 Good morning!☀️Chiming in because I think teacher moral is perhaps the MOST IMPORTANT thing in #education! Happy teachers/students are willing to learn and grow. If we aren’t learning, we are dying. #KidsDeserveIt#teachersmatter
Micromanaging... isn’t that what schools do to the students ... and teachers? Let’s be honest ... make sure your detailed daily lesson plans are turned in and post the standard on wall being covered so we will know exactly what is happening when we walk in. #bfc530
My admin is trying to implement SEL curric through the RULER model. Very interesting to see the mood and perspective of other staff members but at the end of the day i try to stay positive and leave the absolute best version of myself behind for Ss. #bfc530
But what kind of environment has been created if that is the feeling? Turnover can be ok if the people leaving are ones who don’t believe in the vision that has been laid out. But if the admin has created a toxic environment where people don’t think they can speak up... #bfc530
I know firsthand that morale matters. Been in an environment where teachers felt... well, let's say it is difficult to change in a culture that isn't supported. Sometimes you need to jump ship and swim to the next one. There is someone with a rope to pull you aboard. #bfc530
Morale matters. If the teachers feel that they are trusted, that they belong and that they can make an impact, this will translate to the students and how they view the school and the world. Culture and climate should be just as important as academics. #BFC530
If it's just supervising a room, making sure students are doing their work, and turning in grades... moral doesn't matter. If you want a teacher to inspire students, show them they matter, and make them want to come to school every day, then morale is everything. #bfc530
Morale matters. If the teachers feel that they are trusted, that they belong and that they can make an impact, this will translate to the students and how they view the school and the world. Culture and climate should be just as important as academics. #BFC530
Everything that matters in education is tied to a test score ... we can say it doesn’t but test scores is what makes the newspapers and can get a principal fired. #bfc530
#bfc530 Good morning!☀️Chiming in- Teacher morale is perhaps the MOST IMPORTANT thing in #education! Happy teachers/students are willing to learn and grow. If we aren’t learning, we are dying. #KidsDeserveIt#teachersmatter
IMaybe we can’t change the whole culture, but we can gently reframe things. We can stand up for our Ss when talk becomes negative. In small ways, we can encourage the light to shine. If we don’t think we can make a difference, why even do this work? #bfc530
People talk that way, but when we talk data we don’t even mention the word “inspire” ... it is all about scores and what we can do to raise those scores. #bfc530
Good morning! This is the reason that although I want to give other grades a try and am itching for some change, I am worried about leaving the sixth grade hallway. There is no doubt where the biggest group of positive spirits lie in our building 😜 #BFC530
Teacher morale 100% matters. It has meant night and day between my past and current district. Poor morale isn’t just bad, but harmful as it can make ppl ill. Positive morale makes all the difference #BFC530
Sometimes we need to speak negatively. Not b/c we are downers, but b/c we want to make our school, our classrooms, ourselves, the best! Not sharing critiques may be polite, but could be preventing the school community from going to the next level. #bfc530
Teacher morale matters because every single #SEL thing we teach our Ss applies to us, too. Every tiny pep talk we give is ours to claim as well. Ts deserve everything we preach - why? For all the reasons we proclaim! Take care of yourself and your tribe! #bfc530
Sometimes no PD is the best PD - let us sit with our teams for an hour or two and talk/plan/share... we never get the opportunity to collaborate on school time. And 10 minutes doesn't cut it. #bfc530
My last school ... I was canned for being the voice because every teacher thought I was unfireable ... “They will never fire Dill” until they let me go and it put every other teacher back in line. #bfc530
It is a push and pull. But I come here and to other places to find inspiration and support when I feel irrelevant. You matter to your students, if not to your admin. #bfc530
Feeling appreciated is a core emotional concern for all humans. It’s part of our make-up. A simple verbal thank you, a hand-written note, or a pat on the back can incentivize your team to work harder. #bfc530
Teacher morale is important because healthy teachers who are able to grow and enjoy their schools contribute to a positive school climate, joyful classroom culture, and increased productivity benefits students' experiences and academic outcomes.
#bfc530
I couldn't get out of bed in the morning if I felt that way. I wouldn't have become a teacher. We can use data to support decision making, but for me it is all about the students as individuals, as people. Not about their test scores. #bfc530
I fully agree, but there is a way to critique that is about change and meeting norms we've set for ourselves and students and not just venting, and then DOING something about it, which seems to get lost sometimes. #bfc530
And good morale means that we accept critiques professionally, not personally. It means when someone shares they do not agree w/the direction you think is best for the school, don't get angry, don't cry, it's not about you. #bfc530
Teacher morale is critical to a healthy culture in the school. A negative/distorted morale can impact students and other teachers. Fundamentally, an unhappy workplace is not a recipe to attract and retain talented staff. See: https://t.co/zSppRwUFDs via @careersingov#bfc530
When in a “gotcha” environment, the whole school feels beat down. It’s not good for anyone. Teachers give just enough to get by and the kids suffer for it. It’s just awful. The opposite is amazing. It’s positive despite struggles & make kids want to be there. #bfc530
I get it but what is the morale in that school then? How does it translate to the kids? What “job” is getting done? If everyone just “fell back in line” then is there still a toxic environment? #bfc530
I am totally supported at my school and totally love what I do, but at the same time I am not living in a fantasy world where I think for minute the school collapses if I am not there ... it is a business ... kind of like an NFL team #bfc530
Sense of purpose, passion and self-esteem seem to be strongest when teachers are able to act in accordance with their values, have agency within the environment, and are intrinsically motivated. #bfc530
Agree, there are some people who always seem they are never happy. That is a different issue. I mean that we avoid having needed conversations because we are afraid to hurt another's feelings rather than seeing it as a way to make them and/or the school better #bfc530
Yes! High morale doesn't nec mean everyone is happy, but rather that everyone believes in the general mission, goal, and direction.
Despite interpersonal challenges - Ts-Ss, Ts-Admins, Ts-Ts - positive morale gives us hope & strength & faith. It feeds our purpose. #bfc530
Ts’ sense of efficacy relies on their self-perception of their pedagogical skills, content knowledge, interactions with Ss, perceived levels of autonomy, & other environmental dynamics, & it remains an important element of their morale, motivation & professional identity. #bfc530
Morale matters. If the teachers feel that they are trusted, that they belong and that they can make an impact, this will translate to the students and how they view the school and the world. Culture and climate should be just as important as academics. #BFC530
When the job is creating thinkers, I say it always matters. Getting the job done should be more than going through the motions and checking off boxes. #bfc530
Is state testing all that matters? If so, sure anyone can drill for a test but I want teachers who can inspire a student to go and make a difference in the world. It may not be measurable but it certainly will make a greater impact than a test. #bfc530
We can say that, but test scores are all that truly matters ... no matter how awesome you are with the kids, if you are not doing your part to raise scores or you contribute to lower scores you will be terminated. #bfc530
The thing about #bfc530 that everyone is missing is that we are on the verge of runaway climate change and we need a complete re-think of the global economy to ensure a just society & avoid planetary catastrophe.
Teacher morale absolutely matters. Low morale quickly makes a toxic place to work and learn. High morale makes a place where people can’t wait to get to in the morning. #bfc530
Talking about data before talking about inspiration, at least when referring to teacher morale is concerned, may be putting the cart before the horse. Inspired teachers, or the reverse, affect data. #bfc530
People talk that way, but when we talk data we don’t even mention the word “inspire” ... it is all about scores and what we can do to raise those scores. #bfc530
Absolutely. On any given day, the stresses of teaching a class of young people can be monumental. Positive morale helps teachers maintain belief in the good work that they're doing. That confidence helps ease stress. #bfc530
Even if that is the message coming from admin, that way thinking - that the test is all that matters - should not be brought into a classroom. We want students to be curious, explore their own ideas, have opinions... that requires a positive teacher who wants to be there. #bfc530
Morale is one area where a good #edadmin can make a tremendous impact BUT it is entirely in control of the staff. Entirely.
We talk all day to our Ss about how we own and control our response to our circumstances, but we often fail to practice what we preach.
#bfc530
I respectfully disagree. A truly “inspired” educator is very difficult to replace. They are in high demand, and the supply is beginning to run low. #bfc530
When I was pushed out of my previous position for calling out the toxic environment they had no problem finding a replacement ... we can say morale matters, but does it matter if the job is getting done? #bfc530
We are definitely on the same page! As teachers are in daily contact with the students who potentially form the next generation of teachers, the enthusiasm and morale of the current teacher workforce are important influences on future teacher supply. #bfc530
Yes; domino effect. Like @simonsinek said in “Start with Why,” investing in your employees creates a happy workplace. When we invest in teacher morale, they make the classrooms a better place for students. #bfc530
RT 👋🏾Hey friends! TOMORROW #EduGladiators#BlackHistoryMonth series continues with my friend D4Griffin3pushing our 💭on the impact of Brown vs. BoE.
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