| | | | | when you see a stressful co-worker approaching |
| The success of students is a measurement of | | | | your desk. Or excuse yourself to take a quick, |
| productivity in an academic workplace thus the | | | | stress-busting walk outside the building or to |
| success of the teacher is measured in many | | | | another floor and back again. Don't encourage bad |
| instances by the success of the students. | | | | behaviour from a co-worker by demonstrating |
| Teachers must therefore realize that much time | | | | your own bad behaviour. If you do, the bad |
| has to be spent in teaching and in preparation for | | | | co-worker wins, and you lose the control you |
| teaching, if it is to be successful. Specifically, | | | | must assert over your workplace behaviours. |
| teaching is concerned not only with enhancing | | | | 6. Use your emotionally intelligence. This is your |
| students' mastery of the subject matter in | | | | power to respond intelligently to emotional |
| preparation for their future occupations, but also | | | | situations. If a member of your work team is a |
| with their development as moral persons and | | | | chronic procrastinator, take steps to avoid being |
| citizens in a democratic society (Carr, 2006; | | | | on that co-workers team or to assign less-taxing |
| Sockett, 1993). Nothing should be far more | | | | assignments to the slacker. Make and keep a |
| important than marketing the subject or content | | | | record of what you accomplished on a project, |
| area, knowing the subject and teaching it with | | | | and, without resorting to blaming the lazy |
| encouragement. Further, to truly relate to your | | | | co-worker, act positively in really addressing your |
| students you will probably be involved in their | | | | achievements in a report to your superiors. |
| activities; attending sporting activities and school | | | | 7. Turn a negative into a positive. If you find |
| plays, sponsoring a club or a class, or going on | | | | yourself in a workplace that condones or even |
| trips with your students for various reasons. | | | | celebrates bad co-workers, don't focus on what |
| (Kelly, 2000). Meeting expectations among | | | | you cannot change. Change your future by |
| students is a must and this should be taken | | | | actively looking for another position at a positive |
| seriously. This is only fulfilled through the teacher's | | | | workplace. Creating weekly reports tracking your |
| inherent commitment for teaching anchored by | | | | accomplishments in projects involving unproductive |
| deep devotion for success. | | | | co-workers becomes the basis for creating a |
| For productivity to be maintained in the teaching | | | | great resume. Yes, you can turn a negative into a |
| field teachers need support and administrator are | | | | positive and leave negative co-workers or |
| in the chain of support. In having support, | | | | un-productive workers behind as you sail into your |
| teachers must have tension eliminated from the | | | | next success. |
| workplace. This will no doubt help to create an | | | | |
| atmosphere of productivity in teaching for | | | | The teacher's primary professional obligation |
| success. Eliminating the elements that cause such | | | | should be to teach. Teachers need to always |
| tension among teachers can be done by; allowing | | | | remember that they nurture the capacities of all |
| teachers to express themselves, their feelings, | | | | learners to think and act, while developing |
| their fears, and their point of view, affirming each | | | | independence. Hence teachers must strive to |
| other when assignments are done on time and | | | | promote and encourage optimistic response to |
| done well, respecting coworkers regardless of the | | | | the critical values so students will display these |
| differences that may exist especially remember | | | | values in society. They cannot allow workplace |
| that people have different personalities, making | | | | misunderstandings to cause them to lose focus. |
| remunerations match the qualifications, and job | | | | Teachers also need to strive to develop and |
| description of workers, giving incentives, like trips, | | | | maintain professional relationships with learners |
| paid vacations, bonuses, according to performance | | | | based on the best interest of those learners. This |
| appraisals, and giving appraisal on work | | | | can only be done by continuous personal |
| performance which should be done with | | | | professional learning and development. Professional |
| measurements forming specific criteria to | | | | educators should develop themselves as lifelong |
| eliminate any biasness. When workplace tensions | | | | learners, reflective thinkers, and ethical leaders |
| go unresolved it challenges the teaching and | | | | exemplifying the ideals of literacy, scholarship, and |
| learning process. Many teachers tend to exhibit | | | | social justice in a diverse and ever-changing world |
| some unprofessional behaviour at this time and will | | | | (Albee & Piveral, 2003). Teacher must strive |
| not find teaching a rewarding experience at this | | | | to know their subject matter from an informed |
| time. Nevertheless, while these experiences are | | | | and objective perspective, and encourage learners |
| made up of what you bring to the profession it | | | | to think critically about the subject area and then |
| should not be overlooked that negatives | | | | apply these critical aspects of learning to |
| experienced at the workplace will only escalate | | | | significant social issues. Teachers must be able to |
| and spiral into poor work ethic and not improve | | | | provide for the varied learning needs of diverse |
| the teaching profession. Managing workplace | | | | learners, while promoting the physical, emotional, |
| tension must be fixed by supervisors and | | | | social, intellectual and spiritual wellbeing of learners. |
| administrators. This is a critical skill if an | | | | However, the confidentiality of information about |
| organization is to survive and if teachers are to | | | | learners obtained in the course of professional |
| deliver maximum productivity.Teachers must | | | | service must be protected, while fulfilling legal |
| however be able to take the best from all | | | | requirements. |
| situations, whether positive or negative and use | | | | The reality is that once student commitment is |
| these opinions and criticisms constructively. It is | | | | upheld, the commitment to the profession and to |
| therefore important that each teacher make a | | | | the society is rarely breeched. In achievement of |
| concerted effort to constantly evaluate him or | | | | their obligations to the teaching profession, |
| herself objectively. | | | | teachers must strive to advance the interests of |
| Since job and workplace stress grow in times of | | | | the teaching profession through responsible ethical |
| economic crisis, it's important to learn new and | | | | practice, respect colleagues, working together to |
| better ways of coping with the pressure (Klein, | | | | promote students' learning, respect private |
| 2008). The teacher has to develop independent | | | | information on colleagues unless disclosure is |
| coping mechanism and manage the tension and | | | | required by the law or serves a influential |
| tress that may exist in the workplace. The ability | | | | professional use, and speak out if the behaviour |
| to manage stress in the workplace can make the | | | | of a colleague is seriously in breach of professional |
| difference between success and failure on the job | | | | conduct. Yet, the ethical /moral dimensions of |
| (Klein, 2008). Teachers need to remember | | | | teaching and the ethical nature of the teacher's |
| though that negative co-workers can abandon | | | | professional responsibilities often seem to be |
| their workloads, right before an important | | | | taken for granted in both the academy and the |
| deadline, for example a research conference. | | | | practitioner communities, overshadowed by |
| Their hostility and negativity towards academia, | | | | cognitive theories connected to teaching and |
| co-workers and or administrators can destroy the | | | | learning, effective approaches to measurement |
| personality of other teachers in the workplace | | | | and assessment, classroom management |
| and this can negatively impact productivity. Bad | | | | strategies, and other aspects that, while naturally |
| co-workers can waste your time, or they can | | | | important, are rarely viewed from a moral or |
| withhold vital information that also hurts your | | | | ethical perspective (Campbell, 1996b). The quality |
| productivity, which reflects on your career (Klein, | | | | of the teaching profession influences the nation |
| 2008). Administrators too can create severe | | | | and its citizens. Teachers must exert every |
| challenges and prevent productivity in the | | | | effort to maintain and raise professional |
| workplace. Klein, (2008) gives seven practical | | | | standards, to promote a climate that encourages |
| steps to take to avoid letting other co-workers | | | | the exercise of professional judgement in the |
| hold you back from workplace success.1. Be | | | | teaching and learning process. |
| honest with yourself first. Are you guilty of being | | | | Many teachers think that teaching is a simple task |
| that unproductive or unpleasant to co-workers? | | | | that can be accomplished with minimal effort. It |
| Stress is contagious when you, not just your | | | | requires hard, consistent work each day. However |
| co-workers, express stressful behaviours at work. | | | | if workplace tension exist, it drains the teachers |
| If you're the bad co-worker, take proactive steps | | | | energy and agitates unprofessional behaviour. |
| to stop your own bad behaviour. | | | | Teachers must emotionally commit to their |
| 2. Identify and isolate bad co-workers. Identify | | | | subject matter and their students (Kelly, 2000). |
| toxic co-workers and develop a plan to avoid | | | | However when workplace tensions go unresolved |
| those areas of the office housing bad co-workers. | | | | it challenges the teaching and learning process. |
| Don't give them the opportunity to ruin your day. | | | | Many teachers will not find teaching a rewarding |
| 3. Do not ignore the situation. If a co-worker is | | | | experience at this time. Nevertheless, while these |
| behaving badly, immediate address the situation | | | | experiences are made up of what you bring to |
| before it becomes a long-term instigator of | | | | the profession it should not be overlooked that |
| stress. Politely ask a co-worker to stop behaviour, | | | | negatives experienced at the workplace will only |
| and include a polite explanation. Example: "I'm very | | | | escalate and spiral into poor work ethic and lead |
| busy between 10 a.m. and noon, so please don't | | | | to unproductiveness in the teaching profession. |
| visit my desk during these hours." | | | | Managing workplace tension must be fixed by |
| 4. Agree to disagree. Respectfully agree to | | | | supervisors and administrators. This is a critical skill |
| disagree with colleagues who insist they are right. | | | | if an organization is to survive and if teachers are |
| Example: "I agree your work is important, but my | | | | to deliver maximum productivity.Teachers must |
| deadline is my top priority right now." Example: "I | | | | however be able to take the best from all |
| respect your perspective, but I have to return to | | | | situations, whether positive or negative and use |
| my desk to finish a project that is important to | | | | these opinions and criticisms constructively. It is |
| me." | | | | therefore important that each teacher make a |
| 5. Do not lose your temper. Like stress, anger is | | | | concerted effort to constantly evaluate him or |
| contagious, too. Practice anger management | | | | herself objectively. |
| exercises such as deep breathing to remain calm | | | | |