In a recent staff meeting, teachers were asked to fill out a form providing a positive appreciative comment by each colleague's name. This is a good activity to start with as it gets everyone thinking friendly thoughts. But when it was announced that we would be presenting a flower to those teachers we considered our 'marigolds' in the style of The Bachelor, alarm bells starting ringing. Why make this such a public performance? Surely an anonymous approach might be more appropriate. I am a big believer in Jesus' words:
Matthew 6:6, "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen".
This is not the first time I have participated in an administrator's well-meaning attempt at showing appreciation. And I am very aware of how this can be interpreted as something else altogether.
During my first year of teaching in the UK, the government decided to hand out incentive pay and allow each school Head to decide who on staff would receive it. My superintendent gave all the money to two young new teachers with the idea of enticing them to stay instead of moving on to bigger schools with higher salaries. As a result two senior teachers, who had given years of service to the school, resigned on the spot. The message I got was the need for new blood and staff turnover... and I promptly found another job in a bigger school.
The principal in my fancy new school decided to introduce the "Golden Apple of Excellence", a reward that would be passed along from recipient to another deserving teacher each staff meeting. The principal presented it to his wife, who in turn presented it to her teaching partner, who then awarded it to her best friend, who passed it on to his drinking buddy. I'm not sure about the 'excellence' part, but we soon found out who was in the in crowd, and who did not get on with them.
Another school made this show part of a Professional Development day. All the teachers were asked to write warm and fuzzy's which were then read out on stage. Most of us were loyal and wrote about those we worked closely with, to save their feelings. It reminded me of when they give out Valentine Grams in class. There is always one kid who sends themselves a few just so as to not be without. All I remember of that activity was that no one wrote anything about me, a relatively new outsider. It is important to have a social circle for support, until you don't.
When my new principal announced that we would be all emailing each other positive messages the last day before the holidays, I finally spoke out. I pointed out that this would not be a great way to end the semester for those who received no messages, it would only point out how they were often overlooked, forgotten or avoided. Working as part of a school staff can be difficult enough without a dreaded popularity contest.
