Teacher Life: Building Professional Relationships at Work
So much educational content focuses on teachers building relationships with students, as it should. However, it’s the relationships with other adults on campus, fellow teachers, administrators, counselors, and other staff members that tend to be the longest lasting, right? That student who drives you up the wall? Gone in less than a year. That teacher who drives you up a wall? You may be working with that person for five, 10, 15, 25 years. We wanted to talk about simple ways you can build relationships at work. Sometimes, and we can be VERY guilty of this ourselves, we get so involved in what’s going on in our classrooms, we forget that part of our teacher life exists in the professional world, and we need to focus on building productive, professional relationships with our colleagues.
#1 Engage someone in a real conversation, even a short one.
It’s relatively easy (most of the time) to smile, say hello, and ask, “How was your weekend?” But we so rarely take the time to ask a question that might mean stopping for a minute to hear the answer. And yet those are the questions that help us show others we care about them as people and build the kinds of connections that will sustain us for decades of working in the trenches together.
#2 Ask someone how they feel about an issue going on at school.
While it’s important to connect on a human level, it’s also important to show your colleagues you value their opinions. In the best case scenarios, this can be the first step toward working together to actually address the issue and make your campus a better place.
#3 Send the perfect GIF to your PLC group text.
When it feels like a long day, week, or month, knowing you’re not alone and someone down the hall also wants to scream or hide under a blanket can give you the energy to keep going for another five minutes.
#4 Pass along something nice you overheard a student say.
We all know how frustrating it is to work hard and feel like your efforts go unnoticed and unappreciated. We also know our students are the least likely people to tell us we’ve done a good job. This is why, when we hear students saying something nice about another teacher, we like to pass along the compliment! Or if our students tell us about a project they did in another class or reference something they learned in a class discussion, we let that teacher know they’re making an impact (or that we think their project sounded like a good one). Don’t feel like this has to be done in person, either. Drop a quick email and you’ll give someone’s day a boost.
#5 Share something helpful with your PLC.
If you created an activity that went really well, share the wealth! Everyone likes getting free stuff, everyone wants an activity that is going to be successful, and everyone is happy to have one less thing they have to prepare.
#6 Make a coffee run on your prep.
You know the days. You have so much to do, but when your prep period arrives, all you can do is sit and stare. Sometimes making a run to Starbucks is the best use of your time, and whether it’s your teacher bestie, a hardworking member of your PLC, or a colleague who looks like they’re having a bad day, you can be a force for good by bringing back a coffee. Bonus: people often return the favor!
#7 Write a kind note.
Say thank you to someone who helped you. Compliment someone who is working hard or did especially well on something. Let someone know you’re glad they work down the hall from you. Email is good, but a handwritten note they are pleasantly surprised to discover in their teacher mailbox is even better!
#8 Give a small but thoughtful or funny gift.
We had a coworker who, from time to time, brought us funny desk decor she found at Paper Source or new lanyards with our favorite Disney characters on them or matching flamingo can holders to celebrate the day our coffee-elitist coworker downloaded the Starbucks app. These always made us laugh and brought us together as a team.
#9 Surprise everyone with copies.
If your PLC is giving a quiz or doing a common activity, make copies for everyone a few days ahead of time and deliver them during your prep period. They’ll be relieved to cross something off their list.
#10 Bring treats to a meeting.
Food always lightens the mood in a tough season or a tedious meeting. Whether you’re sharing cookies you baked the night before or leftover candy from that morning’s Kahoot competition in class, we know very few teachers who won’t happily accept!
Did we miss your favorite strategy for spreading a little joy down the hallway at your school? Email us at [email protected] or DM us on Instagram @threeheads.works. Ready to put these suggestions into action? Pick your favorite and put it into action today. Let us know how it goes!