As a student teacher, and perhaps as a casual teacher or a new staff member, it can be really daunting entering an unfamiliar school. No matter how big the classrooms are, how great the canteen is or how many resources the school has – the one thing that sticks out is how friendly the staff are – the school culture – ‘the ways things are done around here’.
As a student teacher visiting different schools, the schools I look back on fondly are those with friendly staff. The schools where teachers came up to me and introduced themselves and went out of their way to simply be nice, have been my favourite. I remember being blown away at how nice the staff was and how welcome they made me feel. The staffroom was an inviting place where I never felt left out. Instead of being pointed in the general direction by a cranky office lady, office staff showed me around and other teachers called my supervising teacher to come to the staffroom to meet me. She introduced me to other staff members and showed me around the school. I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face and I felt so excited.
For teachers and other staff, the school is where they go to each day, so why not make it a great place to work? Are you being the best person you can be? Are you being the kind of person you want to be? Are you supportive of other teachers? Are you continually growing in your profession? What kind of culture are you fostering in your school? Think about these simple statements the next time you are at school – you can make a difference!
What are your tips for a great school environment?
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A Primary School Teacher 
School culture is critical for all involved – students included.
But I think aside from the friendly attitude there should be competence and professionalism, both passion-driven. I would often find myself in the company of “friendly” nice teachers but who would not push my thinking and teaching practice further and farther…I felt like an outcast in this “friendly” circle because I always strive to improve and they had a monolithic, conservative view (most were old and resistant to change).
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Thanks for your comment Christina. Passion and striving to constantly better yourself as a professional is very important – but that would be an entire new blog post on its own! I’m sorry that you felt like an outcast – perhaps they weren’t so friendly afterall.
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They were warm and nice. But they were not concerned with improving, keeping an open mind, and ultimately learning. For the benefit of their own students.
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That is a real shame. You bring up some good points and questions for teachers to ask themselves. I consider being “friendly” as being warm and nice, but also to be open minded and listen to what others have to say.
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Good luck Ashley – hope your aspirations pan out. In the meantime, here are a few tips for fitting in to all those potentially unfriendly schools: http://learningspy.edublogs.org/?p=215
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Thanks for sharing! They are great points that I will definitely keep in mind.
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That you also want a culture of constant improvement as well as friendliness!
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Thanks for commenting Stephanie. Christina also brought up that great point. It really is important, especially in the 21st Century with so many changes happening.
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