Becoming Part of The Glue !

Hi Readers,

Well today was the first day back at school after our Christmas holidays, which were even longer for me as I missed the last 3 and a bit weeks of school due to my leg surgery. Things will definitely become more busy in the coming days as I head back into the classroom, and history has shown that my posts become fewer and far between once I'm back at work. However, I just felt a compelling urge to do this post tonight based on how I'm feeling about going back into the classroom after I spent 12 years out of the classroom. 

Some of you who know me will be thinking, "Hang on buddy, you were in the classroom last year, and the year before"! Yes, I was, but I don't count those years as really having done a proper year as in both I was only there for two terms due to some circumstances that I'd never wish upon anyone.

This year feels like I felt when I was first starting out again, and I noticed today that I had a spring in my step that I haven't felt for the last two years. Not much spring, as I'm a bit incapacitated with my leg still, but the spring was in my mind at least !

I haven't felt something like it for the past 18 months, so when it comes I lap it up, no matter how small.

Now Readers,

I'm giving you early warning to check out right now, because some of you may read this and think "This guy has really lost it". Not the first time this week my mental stability has been questioned!!

This post may sound 'gushy', and 'lovey', and the sort of thing that gets discussed by people in kaftans who listen to The Mamas and the Papas and weave oversized cardigans from the fleece of mohair goats. But no, it's just me, and it's just an account of what I've been witnessing for the past 6 months. 

I'd better get to the point of this post, and the title.

We all work in different workplaces and experience all the highs and lows that go with it.

In an ideal world everyone would get on and there'd be no clashes, disagreements or problems. I'm sure you've all experienced different levels of this and would agree with me.

Myself, I've worked in many schools, taught all levels and have experienced every role from Prep teacher to Co-Principal. Every role had its joys and challenges, but the main thing that was prevalent in every situation was that I was dealing with people.

In a few schools the climate was just brilliant. I remember one school where I taught for 9 years, and there was a 5-6 year era there where the staff just got on famously, and the the people from those years still keep in touch as a group. There was just something that binded us together, more than what I experienced in my final years there. It's so hard to put a finger on it, but in that 5 year period we developed such collegiality and support for each other that it has stayed with us 30 years later. The next 5 or so years were still great, but as staff changed so did the dynamics, and we noticed that what we once had was no longer there.

This is not being critical, it's just stating the facts.

It's not surprising that when I catch up with teachers from this school, it's usually the ones who were there during this few years that I mentioned.

Similar experiences in other schools where the staff got on famously, but there were also different cliques and staff members who made others walk around on tiptoes at times.

It's just natural for that to happen and not for a moment am I having a crack at those people.

I know that others probably viewed me in the same light at times, so one just cannot afford to get too far up on their high horse when judging others. It's just natural human dynamics.

As much as I think that others may pee me off at times, I have to know that I too must be peeing off people at the same time. Mostly we probably aren't aware of the extent to how much we are doing this because we are so safe in our own skin and focussing more on the impact others make on us rather than the opposite.

Okay, so in a round about way I'm getting to the point of this post. I wrote the first part last night, slept on it then continued this morning just to make sure I wasn't having a 'moment' !! I'll continue.

When I first started at my current school the staff was fairly big, say 30-40 or so. Just like any workplace there were times when people didn't get on that well and that was not a problem, we just dealt with it.

Fast forward quite a few years and I have done a few stints here interrupted by taking leave to work in another role for a few years, coming back for a few years, then the past two years that have been horribly interrupted.

The staff is now approaching 100 when you count in all the part timers etc.

Yesterday when we were all in the one room there was just so much frivolity, chatter, laughter and genuine joy at being together. The doubters among you could be thinking "Yeah, that always happens on the first day back", and to a point I agree with you.

However, since coming back full time last July I have noticed the same thing whenever we all get together. No longer do I walk into a crowded room and look for someone to sit near or someone to steer away from, as the camaraderie is such that it doesn't matter who you sit with, everyone is so welcoming and prepared to include anyone and everyone.

I know this sounds very gushy and hard to believe, but I'm comparing it to other years when this wasn't so obvious to me. And I'm not for a second being critical of previous years. I could easily be accused of seeing everything through rose coloured glasses, but this is not a spur of the moment observation as I have spoken about this a number of times last year to many staff since I have returned.

The responses I have received when I have shared this with other staff have been varied, particularly from those who have been here for a long time. Eyebrows raised, wide eyes, appreciative smiles, "Tell me more",.... so many reactions and responses.

Having been in the situation where I have come and gone for periods of time over the years I feel that I'm in a good place to notice these changes, and at first I tended to ignore them as I too didn't think it was possible, but it just got to the point where it was too obvious to ignore. Which is why I started to tell others about it. 

And it feels so good to tell others what I have noticed and see or hear their responses.

So how has this happened? Has there been a conscious effort to build staff collegiality?

Is there something in the water?

I could begin to throw out lots of possible causes or reasons, but how I am I to know what one is the reason?

And then I read a comment in a book recently ( yep, another one that concentrates on positive thinking!!) and it was mentioned that workplaces that have a very positive vibe obviously have something that unites the staff. Something that makes them gel. Brings them together. Glues them together, so to speak.

This got me thinking. It can't happen with just a few. It needs to be everyone working together, and becoming part of the glue that binds us all together. Everyone is just a small part of what keeps us all together, and the combination of so many small parts adds to a collective group.

This has been just so clear to me whenever I see our large staff gathering together. There is just so much support and care and concern for each person that the group provides the support, not just a certain few. We all know that each person is not 'up' every day and I include myself here, but when surrounded by so many people who look out for each other it is hard not to try and lift your own game.

The past few months have been terribly sad or challenging on a number of fronts for a number of our staff, and to witness the genuine support for them not just during these times, but long afterwards has been nothing short of amazing. Believe me, I have experienced this first hand, and it still goes on. I never really knew how to react to others in their own times of hardship, but through the examples being shown by our group I have been able to try and look out for others more as I know how much our group can support each other. 

It's learning how to become part of the glue!

I'm not suggesting that we all walk around holding hands or giving long hugs whenever we pass in the hallways, it's so much more simple than that.

I notice people always acknowledging each other, through a greeting, smile, whatever.

Too easy!

I know one particular male who pretends that he is going to throw something to me or wrestle me just to see my reaction when he knows I can't respond due to my current ailments. He is not being vindictive at all, I don't take offence as it is just part of the fun that continues to build relationships. Revenge will still be sweet when I am fixed !!!

People just look out for each other.

Yesterday while I was on my leg trolley or crutches, there was just endless help for even the most trivial of tasks. I hate being a burden on others for even just the slightest of things, but it doesn't mean I don't appreciate it.

Of course there was the standard "I'll help you with anything, but I won't help you with....!!!"

(You might need to read my last post to see where I'm going there !!)

This doesn't apply to only me. Staff do these things for each other constantly, and the sum of just so many little things just becomes infectious. People aren't just thinking of doing these things every now and then, it seems like it has become a habit for so many. Once again, refer to a previous post about 'Habits'.

Okay Readers, so you might be thing that there is a permanent rainbow hovering over  my school, but there isn't. Staff will still get peed off with each other. Clashes and disagreements will occur, just as the sun comes up each day. However, I sense that as a group we are much better equipped to deal with them now as we seem to understand the triviality of them when compared to the bigger picture.

Before Jen got sick I tended to be the sort of person who got frustrated with the tiniest of things, and I'd really let them bother me.

After what I witnessed on a day to day basis for a few months last year I really learnt the hard way that so much just does not matter at all. 

What I experienced last year wasn't the worst thing in the world, as others are doing it so, so much tougher.

However, it was the worst thing in the world for me and our boys.

So what if we got sent the wrong pencils?. So what if my sprinkler has a break in it?. So what if I'm so slow at keeping up with my colleagues with our planning or navigating where each document is stored? So what if my leg is in a boot and my hands are bandaged?

All of these things are fixable. At worst, they are inconvenient. Worse has, and could happen. It's such a shame that a lesson like this had to be learnt in such a hard way.

Bringing an attitude to the larger group of "little things won't become big things" can only add to the overall success of the group working together, and to me this appears to be what has been happening.

So, as individuals, it's not really hard to make even the tiniest of changes that benefit ourselves and others.  Think of the one thing that really ticks you off that someone in your workplace does. Now think, "How serious is this really?" Annoying, yes, but in the big picture, is it worth you losing sleep? Could something else be worse? Getting over it is not easy, I've been there myself. But over time when you look back it becomes laughable at what we let ourselves become stressed about.

I really noticed this last week, as I mentioned in my last post. Here I was, plastic bags over both hands and another over my leg as I was using my crutches to try and get into the shower. I caught my reflection and just had to laugh at where I was. It would have been easier to have just got a cotton bud and dipped it into water and wash the remaining exposed bits of my body!!! Rather than lament my situation, I could only laugh at myself, and this has helped me enormously since.

Well Readers, in a convoluted way I have tried to plant the tiniest of seeds with you today. What little things can you do to become part of the glue that brings others together?

You don't have to save the world, what you do might not even get noticed, but that's not the point anyway. Hopefully it becomes a habit and it spreads.

I think it is happening where I work.

Until my next post...

Cheers 😁