Staff Trends from Week Ending in November 19th

Possip Reporting Team Lead, Amanda Richards, writes about the top 10 staff trends from the week ending on November 19th pulled from our Possip Pulse Checks™.

This past week, we received over 2,240 responses from staff members through Possip Pulse Checks™! 48% of staff members were happy this week. 

To begin, we wanted to highlight two interesting topics that didn’t make the Top 10:

1. More teacher appreciation- Teachers are feeling high levels of stress and are taking on a lot of extra duties and responsibilities that go above and beyond the call of duty. Teachers are asking to feel more appreciated and recognized through things like verbal affirmations or appreciation events on campus. A few teachers even noted that they feel more appreciation will significantly increase their motivation to finish the year strong. For our Possip partners, here are some easy ways to use Possip quotes for year-long appreciation! 
2. Student violence and safety: Teachers and staff members are sharing concerns about the amount of fighting and unsafe behaviors students are exhibiting on campus. We found this alarming because it directly connects to a family trend we’ve noticed around increased fears of school violence from parents. 

Top 10 Feedback Trends from School Staff

1. Increased Teacher Workloads

   • Our data shows that teachers are asking school leaders and districts to focus on manageable workloads for teachers. We noticed teachers requesting fewer meetings, more evenly distributed duties for all staff members. They also would like increased planning time for new duties, and more substitute teachers to relieve them of subbing duties during the day. 

2. Financial Compensation for Teachers

   • Requests for increased compensation including raises for teacher and school staff.

3. COVID safety measures

   • Some staff members are praising the changes made to COVID safety procedures and some are giving feedback on the updates. Overall, staff members are still focused on safety measures and what COVID prevention looks like in schools. 

4. Student Behavior Disciplinary Support

   • Teachers are asking for more schoolwide behavior initiatives. Essentially, they want more support with students who have shown repeated behavioral concerns, and a focus on combating violence and fighting on campus. 

5. Increased Teacher Retention and Hiring

   • Although teachers recognize the current difficulty in finding and hiring teachers, teachers are sharing how much staff shortages are impacting them. In addition, teachers are sharing worries that if the work doesn’t become more sustainable, great teachers will leave the profession. Read Possip’s blog showing ways to retain teachers.

6. Reviewing Curriculum and Pace

   • Teachers want to be able to have a say in what is taught in their class and the pace they are required to go. Teachers are sharing the curriculum needs to be adjusted to students’ current needs and allow times to close gaps. 

7. Teacher Mental Health Support

   • Mental health is an important part of all of our lives. Teachers want to be provided additional access to counselors, mental health breaks, and overall prioritization of mental health. Find ways to assist teachers during this time here!

8. School Schedule Feedback

   • Teachers, more than anyone, have first-hand experience with school schedules. As such, they can provide insights and ideas to make the day more effective for student learning and teacher mental health.

9. Professional Development Sessions and Teacher Training Reevaluation

   • Teachers are requesting differentiated topics during development sessions. Requests for training on behavior management and discipline best practices, and removing unnecessary training so that teachers can consistently have planning periods. 

10. Increased School Leader Involvement

    • Teachers would like to see school leaders being on campus and present more often. School leaders can and do spread positivity during the school day, but teachers would like to see more. They even request for administration to jump in and substitute for classes. 

Thank you to all staff that participated in Possip Pulse Checks™ recently! Bringing these trends to light would not be possible without you! 

If you have questions about these trends, how to resolve them in your school or have feedback on our trends blog, please reach out to amanda@possip.com!