The teaching profession comes with a long list of joys and challenges… though sometimes it seems the challenges outweigh the joys. It’s probably no surprise to those in the educational field that more than 40% of teachers feel burned out in their jobs. Combatting this burnout is critical to the success of a school.
If you’re an administrator, you can impact how your staff feels about their jobs, their students, and their colleagues. Creating an atmosphere of recognition and appreciation can go a long way toward improving staff culture. When teachers and support staff feel supported, valued, and respected, the challenges of their job feel manageable. As you work to encourage positive student behavior and improve school climate, make teacher recognition a part of your efforts.
Effective Incentives
How your staff feels about their work environment has a direct effect on school climate. An atmosphere of recognition and appreciation for your staff is a big part of positive staff culture. A PBIS initiative lays the groundwork for positive staff culture by promoting positive student culture. An effective rewards program for staff can be a boost for your PBIS initiative. Just as your students benefit from earning incentives through PBIS, your staff will enjoy the opportunity to choose incentives that are meaningful to them.
Consider these incentives:
Recognition
Many times, the best motivation is recognition. Your teachers and support staff pour themselves into their work and acknowledging their dedication is powerful. Let them know you see them, you appreciate them, and you value them. A schoolwide teacher rewards program will allow every member of your staff to recognize their colleagues for their efforts.
PD Opportunities
Professional development allows educators to improve their skills and build knowledge. Enabling them to attend a conference or workshop can reap big rewards, both for them and for your school. Offer up an incentive that helps them to get the PD they need and want. This could include covering their classes while they’re out or paying attendance fees on their behalf.
Flexible Scheduling
Because educators put in a lot of time outside of the classroom, schedule flexibility can be a great incentive. Arrange to cover lunch duty, give them a longer lunch break, or allow them an opportunity to “beat the bus” at the end of a school day. Teachers often love having admin “step into their shoes,” even for a short while.
Grading Assistance
Much of a teacher’s time outside of the classroom is spent in lesson planning and grading. While some teachers might not feel comfortable handing assignments over to someone else to grade, others might welcome the help. In a positive school environment, many would be willing to assist a colleague with grading. It’s also a great way for admins to get more deeply involved with the work their teachers are doing.
Gift Cards
Gift cards are a tried-and-true go-to for a good reason. Just about everyone loves a gift card, and there are so many options! Stock your teacher rewards store with gift cards of all kinds – from restaurants to spa services to teaching supplies and more. Gift cards are a great way to encourage staff to take time for themselves. Self-care is important!
Leadership Opportunities
In every school, there are those individuals who are natural leaders. Coworkers and students alike look up to them. Why not encourage them to take on a larger role? In recognition of their leadership capabilities, give them the opportunity to serve on your school’s PBIS team. Depending on your school’s structure, there could be plenty of options for them to become leaders. Just be sure that they have the time, energy, and desire to take on these roles.
Developing Effective PBIS Incentives for Staff
The most effective PBIS incentives for staff are the ones that make them feel seen, appreciated, and valued. When it comes to recognition and appreciation for your staff, your best source for ideas is your staff themselves. They’re the ones who know your school culture well and can suggest worthwhile incentives.
PBIS Rewards includes a fun feature called Teacher Rewards, which allows you to recognize colleagues without having to log into a separate system. This optional feature lives within PBIS Rewards and allows you to celebrate your staff for all the wonderful things they do. Simply select “Teacher Rewards” from the options within the PBIS Rewards menu to be directed to the Teacher Rewards website. Communicate with everyone via the message wall, a perfect place to note birthdays, anniversaries, and kudos for a job well done. Anyone using the system can give points to a coworker or request them for themselves for meeting stated goals. Points can be redeemed in the Teacher Store for perks that your staff will love.
Teacher Rewards, within PBIS Rewards, is just one more way to encourage staff buy-in for your PBIS initiative. We’d love to demonstrate how the software can make PBIS easier to manage in your school or district. Learn more by contacting us or by scheduling a demo!