Politics
Ah politics, the bane of every employees life.
The applicable definition is “activities within an organization that are aimed at improving someone’s status or position and are typically considered to be devious or divisive : yet another discussion of office politics and personalities.”
However, they are much easier and simpler to deal with in school setting than you think.
YOUR DEMEANOR
When someone asks how you’re doing – especially an administrator, say ‘Great!’. Even if you’re not, it’s good to be positive plus your brain will start believing it.
Smile!
If you have a problem and need to talk to an administrator about it, have a solution (or two) to present with it. Then you are perceived as a problem solver rather than a problem teacher.
MEETINGS
If you’re in a meeting and you have an issue – unless it affects everyone, talk to the administrator at another time so you don’t waste everyone’s precious time.
THANK YOUS
After recruitment in the beginning of the year I print out small thank you notes (2 per page), cut them in half, tape a piece of chocolate to them and then put them in the teachers mailbox.
I put them in everyone’s mailbox – all grades (even if they can’t sign up for an instrument yet), and of course maintenance and secretaries….
It really does take everyone to support your program. And you never know when a teacher is going to change grade levels.
