How to increase the input and participation of teachers: a few advices
Why more participation?
Participation diminishes stress and increases the motivation; teachers will be more willing to innovate, and the functioning of the school itself will improve too. Decisions will meet less resistance because of more participation.
A few recommendations
1. Organize an election to choose the candidates for a “ pedagogical council”, or depend on volunteers.
2. Consider everyone a candidate
3. Let some of the worst critics join the council too.
4. Make sure the official organs have their representatives in the non- legal indirect participation organs e.g. we chose the representatives for the legal organ, the school council, among the members of the pedagogical council.
5. There should be a central participation organ, members well known so the teachers can participate through these representatives by suggestions and mentioning of problems.
6. If you don’t have such council see to it that the general staff meeting plays that role. Then a report should be made of every staff meeting and spread among the staff.
7. Sometimes you will have to force people to join work groups. This to avoid the fact that often the same people are member of work groups, and of course to stimulate participation.
8. Clear agreement about structures and procedures
The dates and frequency of the meetings
The members
The ways of communicate before and after meetings
The impact these councils have
Their influence on the decision making at school
9. Structure the informal organs too. Agenda 10 days in advance.
10. Combine different communication means e.g. a newsletter in combination with the staff meeting, or even better the newsletter as a preparation before the staff meeting.
11. Consultation of the staff before the council meets, and how to organize this.
12. Invest in completion, and increase the capability of the staff. ( conflict handling, problem solving, communication techniques etc.)
13. Set out the goals every year; choose your priorities.
14. A clear vision and communicate this vision to the staff.
15. Make sure you appreciate the efforts of the members of these organs and let them know it.
16. Guard the boundaries of the participation ( not about personal matters and grievances, and not beyond the limits of participation).
University of Leuven by order of the Ministry of Education.