Blog Comment of the Week: Who Is To Blame For A Negative School Environment?
Friday November 14, 2008
Last week, our community of educators rallied around a reader named Robby who is a quality teacher leaving the profession due to complaining colleagues. My favorite piece of advice in support of Bobby's dilemma came from CEC, who wrote:
My advise [sic] to this first year teacher is to surround himself with people that generate positive energy. Remove yourself (as much as possible) from the negative forces. Stay focused. We need smart, energetic, and ethusiastic teachers. Stick with it. As John Wayne wrote to Barbara Walters, “Don’t let the bastards get you down.”But another comment got me thinking about who is really responsible for a rotten campus atmosphere? Reader John has a succinct and blunt opinion on the matter:
Remember: “when positiv[ity] goes away negativity rises.” If blame is to be placed it must be put upon the principals of the school. They set the tone for the school.How does negativity take over a school? Does the school's atmosphere (positive or negative) start with the principal and trickle its way down? How can positivity be renewed?
These are all questions that are crossing my mind now, and I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Comments
The principal may not be negative but allowing negative teachers to take over conversations and downplay ideas and not participate or contribute to learning communities sets the tone. I work with a teacher who never heard an idea they like, who downs all ideas yet contributes none, and reads the paper during any and every meeting. The principal is responsible for holding this person accountable but doesn’t, which sets the tone.
I agree that negativity can be reinforced by passive behavior as well as a principal who doesn’t hold all accountable. I don’t think it has to do with one person. We choose our attitudes. I am generally a positive person described by some as being “bubbly”. Now, I am being challenged by teachers who are negative. They want to divide and conquer teachers who are positive. If we positive teachers don’t go the way or believe the way of the negative, we are being seen as traitors. I find this type of bullying throughout my district, mostly from union members who feel threatened by change.
I agree that principals set the tone for a positive learning environments. Many principals demand of teachers to celebrate students’ behavior whenever possible, but these administrators sometimes don’t celebrate positive behavior in all teachers. Sometimes teachers who are not a part of the principal’s clique are ignored.
Additionally, teachers must leave to self-sooth and remain positive even if others are not around them, until they can transfer or find a more positive environment. When teachers refuse to stay positive, they add to negative learning environments.
Many years ago, just after I got out of high school, I was put in the position of department head. An experienced co-worker told me then “It is said that a fish rots from the head first” Most companies (and schools) are the same way. It is the people in charge that either set the tone or choose to allow the tone to continue. If a principal is unable, or unwilling, to create a positive environment then the negativity will spread like cancer and the positive people will find employment elsewhere.
I agree with Veil, the principal really needs to affirm the teachers in his/her school. I don’t know anyone on our staff who isn’t working and giving 200% to the job. It would be life-giving to everyone if the principal went to each teacher and complimented them on their good work once a month. There is always something wonderful about each teacher.
To contend that teachers and principals are resonsible for the “negative” atmosphere in schools appears to me nonsensical.
Students come to school with negative attitudes toward formal education because their parents have not provided them the necessary supervision to approach schooling with positive feelings. When this happens, there virtually is nothing that teachers and principals can do to improve on this situation.
Patrick Groff, Professor of Education Emeritus, San Diego State University.
Teaching is one of the hardest jobs I have ever done in my life and I stayed for 19+ years. The teachers and the principal bring in the positive or negative energies. They are the starting points. Unfortunately, the students bring in their own energies, for better or worse. Some days(many days) it is a struggle to let the positive rule. Everyone needs to keep the positive in power.Good luck!
I work in the transportation department of a public school and teach driver safety. Our bosses are very positive, fair and upbeat. However, upbeat, fair and positive can’t always squelch the negative clique(s) in our department. Being negative or positive seems to be more of a person’s personality. While no boss can please everybody all the time, positive workers seem to accept change with a smile and carry on versus negative workers who just seem to resist change and continue to tray to negatively affect others. It’s not easy to turn negative around. I like to encourage new hires to avoid being negative and tell them that a positive attitude is important to the success (and happiness) of a very stressful job.
I REMEMBR HAVING A BOSS WHO SAID WHEN THE HEAD BAD THE REST OT BODY IS AFFECTED. TRUE BUT ALSO WE HAVE MANY HOMES THAT THERE IS NO POSITIVE INFLUENCE SO WE GET THE FEEDBACK IN THE SCHOOLS .IT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT NOT BE NEGATIVE HENCE THE REASON WE SHOULD LOOK FOR SOMETHING TO CHEER UP OURSELVES FIRST THEN OUR COLLEAGUES IT WILL EVETUALLY RUB OFF ON THE STUDENTS.
In my experience there is a negative group that gripes in the Teacher’s Lounge, and a positive group who plans better teaching. Avoid the former and participate in the latter. I also feel many Principals are to balme. Most that I’ve worked with got out of real teaching as fast as they could for the greater pay & prestige of administration. They don’t know or support good teaching or risk taking. They are often anchored in past practices and engage in favoritism.
agree with Veil and Schooner 1. began teaching career ready willing and able to follow principal’s lead; soon, negative people in principal’s clique falsely badmouthed me. situation got so ugly my mentor/principal turned totally against me despite any best efforts. bad administrators can suck the passion out of teachers. good administrators create excellent synergy.