Another power-packed 30-minutes in a series of talks that helps partners maximize use of Possip! Learn all about writing great Bonus Questions for families and staff – what to ask, when, and how to leverage the Bonus Question when facing high-priority decisions and transitions in your district or school.
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Savannah Staley, a Possip reporter, and former English teacher, shares some ideas regarding a trending topic we have seen from Possip Pulse Checks: Teachers are at max capacity.
When many of us think about teachers, we probably imagine them standing in front of the classroom, helping students work through a complicated math equation. Or, perhaps we imagine them working through the letters of the alphabet with their energetic and eager students. Yet, the reality is, teachers are at max capacity because instructional time is only one of the many responsibilities teachers have each day. In order for the instructional time to even happen, there are hours of behind-the-scenes lesson planning, grading, and evaluating data. Additionally, teachers spend time communicating with families, responding to emails, and performing routine duties that allow schools to run smoothly.
These responsibilities can become overwhelming for teachers as is, so teaching during a pandemic only makes things more complicated. Over the course of the last three school years, teachers have had to pivot unexpectedly, reworking the curriculum to meet the needs of their virtual students. They have had to work to fill in learning gaps, and catch up with students who have fallen behind due to the global pandemic. Additionally, teachers are also supporting students’ mental and emotional health as many students navigate returning to school.
While most teachers have designated time during the school day to plan, it is difficult to plan a week’s worth of daily lessons, while thinking about the overarching unit goals, all within five allotted hours. Especially when this time is often consumed by other to-dos such as helping students catch up on missing work, answering emails, or taking meetings. Teachers are expressing that this doesn’t feel sustainable, and are therefore feeling burnt out.
We understand it may be difficult to change the schedule in order to provide more teacher work time. However, you can show your teachers that you respect their time by protecting teacher work time, and by providing them with uninterrupted space to work. Encourage teachers to spend time grading only meaningful assignments and providing intentional feedback. Or consider using designated meeting time as teacher work time.
Create a culture where self-care and mental health are prioritized and validated. Encourage teachers to take mental health days if needed. Limit any additional asks or requests of teachers when possible, and consider what teachers are already doing before asking. Have an “open-door policy” when appropriate to encourage teachers to share feedback and ask for what they need. Encourage open dialogue where teachers and leaders alike can share and support one another. Normalize stepping into classrooms throughout the day for teachers who might need a break, especially those who teach back-to-back classes.
Self-care should not only be practiced when we are already burnt out. We should be practicing self-care and mindfulness throughout the day in order to sustain our energy and care for ourselves and one another. Protect teachers’ planning periods and designated lunchtime. Provide spaces where teachers can connect throughout the day with their colleagues. Support teachers during daily transitions if possible. Or, consider surprising a teacher by alleviating them from one of their additional responsibilities or duties.
Remain in tune with your staff by practicing and prioritizing open communication. Possip was developed for school administrators to assist in bridging the communication gap between parents and staff. Possip provides you with quantitative and qualitative data that can be used to solve problems, spotlight praise comments, and more! Check out our recent staff trends article here to give you some insight into how Possip can benefit your school community!
Teachers enter into this profession because they are passionate about their content, working with students, and helping grow others. It is for this reason that teachers pour themselves into their work. However, it is impossible for every lesson, assignment, or activity to be perfect. In order to be present and take care of ourselves, we have to let go of perfectionism. As Glennon Doyle says, “We are all doing the best we can.” We can approach things with intentionality, but we have to let go of the rest.
Create work boundaries for yourself and honor them. Set aside time to grade papers, then stop when the time is up. Practice telling people no when your plate is full. Practice asking for help when you need it. Clearly communicate to families and students when you are available, and then honor that for yourself. Consider removing school email from your phone, and reminding yourself that you do not need to work on weekends. Teachers respond to many situations every day. So it’s important to set clear boundaries to avoid burnout. Remember, boundaries are self-care!
You cannot do it all, all the time. Make a to-do list, and consider completing tasks that are both urgent and important first. As a teacher, there is always more to do. We have to intentionally create boundaries and organize ourselves in order to respect ourselves. Find a system that works best for you and stick to it! Ask a coworker to hold you accountable. Our students are always the priority. Everything else matters, but perhaps it doesn’t always need to be done with urgency. Clearly ask your administrators what is expected of you, and be honest with your own capacity.
We are so grateful for all of our teachers, and we know our Possip partners want to support them. We hope these ideas will help teachers and administrators work together to create a positive culture and sustainable teacher workload! All of these ideas have the possibility of supporting teachers at max capacity!
The post Teacher Capacity During A Pandemic appeared first on Possip | Parent Engagement Platform | School Feedback App.
Possip Reporting Team Lead, Amanda Richards, writes about the top 10 staff trends from week ending in October 15th pulled from our Possip Pulse Checks .
This past week, we received over 3,800 responses from staff members (teachers, admin, etc) through Possip Pulse Checks! 54% of staff members were happy this week.
If you have questions about these trends, how to resolve them in your school or have feedback on our trends blog, please reach out to amanda@possip.com!
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Possip Reporting Team Lead, Amanda Richards, writes about the top 10 parent communication through feedback trends pulled from our Possip Pulse Checks from October 11th through October 15th, 2021.
This past week, over 12,000 family members shared through Possip Pulse Checks! 74% of families were happy this week.
#1: Feedback on mask usage and COVID safety measures on campus. Families shared opinions about what they wanted to see, with some parents wanting more safety measures and others wanting less.
#2: More communication from teachers about how individual students are doing in class, how they are performing academically, and a general increase in the frequency of communication families receive.
#3: Smoother carline logistics and feedback about enhancing the efficiency of carline.
#4: Feedback around cafeteria food, outdoor eating logistics, and the time students get to eat during lunch.
#5: Request for transportation needs and feedback about bus routes, late busses, or bus driver feedback.
#6 Feedback about the homework assignments given to students. Families discussed the amount of homework, how to turn in homework, and the rigor of the assignment skills.
#7: Questions about extracurricular activities and a desire to have more sports or afterschool activities for students.
#8: Questions about how schools are sharing COVID-19 specific information with families. Parents want transparent, timely, and consistent communication.
#9: Feedback about bullying on campus. Families are sharing that their students are getting bullied or that their student sees others getting bullied.
#10: More frequent communication with their school leaders and more general school updates throughout the week.
#1: We’re noticing a lot of comments and feedback about quarantine learning and planning for what students do academically during quarantine periods. Most families aren’t feeling like effective learning plans are ready for this time.
#2: We also saw that families and students are seeing an increase in fighting on campus. So, families want school leaders to address the safety issues and support students with social-emotional learning or increase security.
#3: Restrooms are still another top concern for families. Students don’t feel like they have the ability to use the restroom when they need it and that the restrooms aren’t monitored effectively.
Thanks to all of Possip parent communication for contributing to Possip Pulse Checks to develop the Top 10 Parent Feedback Trends!
If you have questions about these trends, how to resolve them in your school or have feedback on our trends blog, please reach out to amanda@possip.com!
The post Family Trends from Week Ending in October 15th appeared first on Possip | Parent Engagement Platform | School Feedback App.
We interviewed two of our current Possip Reporters and also former principals, Amy Kate Wilkins and Amanda Richards, so they could share their experiences to celebrate National Principal Month 2021.
With October comes cooler weather, Autumn leaves, and cozy mornings. School is now in full swing for most, and there are a lot of reasons to love this time of year. Still, in the midst of the pandemic, there are a lot of challenges students, parents, and educators alike are facing. As the educators in your life experience another year of educating through the pandemic, we want to highlight some ways to celebrate and encourage them. This month is National Principals Month.
Principals are important leaders within our school communities who consider the well-being of our students, teachers, and families alike. Author and thinker Brene Brown says, “A brave leader is someone who says I see you. I hear you. I don’t have all the answers, but I’m going to keep listening and asking questions”. Our principals are brave leaders who as Amy Kate Wilkins states, “need space to rest and recharge too.”
This October, we want to give you a few ideas about how you might celebrate these brave leaders throughout the entire year!
Amy Kate Wilkins states, “A sincere, unexpected “thank you” always meant the most— to feel seen and acknowledged for the work is not expected but was always welcomed and well received! You do not serve in the role of principal for the gratitude, but a genuine expression of thanks made all the difference some days.”
Everyday tasks are easy to overlook, but our principals are always working tirelessly behind the scenes. A simple thank you, or moment of gratitude can go a long way! Challenge yourself to go out of your way to say thank you to your principal this month!
When asked about what communities can do to make principals feel appreciated, Amanda said, “Words of affirmation–like just sending a quick email with a positive note–I kept an email folder that I would save positive emails in that I could open when I needed a “pick-me-up.” Also–cards, drawings, or notes are always a pick-me-ups! Principals don’t always get as many tangible reminders of affirmation to keep on their desks or in their offices. So those are some ways that I always cherished and made me feel appreciated.”
Consider writing your principal an intentional note or sending them an email that shares thoughtful words of affirmation.
Both Amanda and Amy Kate agree on the importance of celebrating their students, teachers, and families while working as principals. Sharing moments of joy made all of their hard work incredibly worth it.
According to Amanda, “School events always feel super memorable when looking back. Things like the science fair, cultural events, graduation ceremonies, school dances, and other events. It’s such a joyful time where students, teachers, and families come together to celebrate all the accomplishments and just have fun together as a community. Especially during this difficult time, the importance of community building can’t be overstated.” However, as much as we love in-person events, we know some of us are still requiring virtual events. Check out the Waverly Belmont story to see a great example of hosting an event in spite of COVID and while keeping to protocols!
Amy Kate adds to this sentiment when she says, “Interactions with students and their hilarious antics made each day! I often got my fill by doing morning duty in the cafeteria to kick off the day. Something about interacting with students and getting to know them as people gave me the fuel I needed for the day.”
Moments of joy fuel your principal! Don’t be afraid to invite your principal into your classroom if you’re a teacher. Or if you’re a family member, try sparking up a conversation with your principal at the next school event!
Principals-we didn’t forget about you! Amy Kate and Amanda have some of their favorite words to share with you from when they were principals themselves.
The post National Principals Month 2021 appeared first on Possip | Parent Engagement Platform | School Feedback App.
Possip Reporting Team Lead, Amanda Richards, writes about the top 10 parent feedback trends pulled from our Possip Pulse Checks from October 4th through October 8th, 2021.
We wanted to share out and summarize what families had to say in terms of feedback and ideas for their school!
This past week, over 9,300 family members shared through Possip! 82% of families were happy this week, with the other families saying they were mostly happy or not happy this week. That’s a 6% increase from last week in terms of families who said they were happy with their child’s school.
The desire for smooth, efficient, and safe carline procedures. (Note: as schools and districts wrestle with bus transportation, carlines are being used more than typical. However, we do see carline and other operational-based needs from families in significant numbers at the beginning of the year).Thanks to all of Possip parents for contributing to Possip Pulse Checks to develop the Top 10 Parent Feedback Trends!
If you have questions about these trends, how to resolve them in your school or have feedback on our trends blog, please reach out to amanda@possip.com!
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For this month’s Real Talk, we’ll get real about teaching in a contentious time. Increasingly school boards and legislators are getting involved in what should or should not be taught. Join Possip CEO and Founder, Shani Dowell, on October 5 from 4-5pm CT, as she facilitates a conversation with a panel and an intimate audience of parents and educators to talk about teaching in a contentious time.
The post Real Talk: Relevant Teaching in a Contentious Time appeared first on Possip | Parent Engagement Platform | School Feedback App.
