Why it matters that teaching staff have good relationships with one another

It's been eons since I used this blog, and I have been thinking about it's value as a place to write my thoughts about teaching and learning. This idea was inspired by my graduate work when I realized that my culminating portfolio for my degree really requested very little of my actual thoughts on the subject. My recent experience of having someone else hired for a position I had applied for was the tipping point to get me to actually begin writing what I want to say.

So here's the beginning related to the information I have about why an outside person was hired rather than either of the two known entities who applied for the position (the new guy has more years of experience teaching than I do and said the right buzz words during the interview process):

I believe that students’ needs are actually best served when the adults in the building are in positive relationships with one another. The value of strong bonds between staff members cannot be overstated. When staff are not busy trying to build new relationships with colleagues because they already have ones that work well, their energy is available to focus on the students. The curriculum is what it is – we are relearning it anyway with Common Core and AVID and we are all learning something new about the curriculum.

In the case of families, when parents have their needs for connection and support met they are better parents and can be there for their offspring more fully. In the same way, when teachers and other staff that support students have their needs met, they can provide for students’ needs in a more resourceful manner.

There is much more to say on this particular topic, but it's late (or early, depending on one's point of view) so I am going to try returning to sleep. Writing this down has helped me to empty it out of my head so I can get some sleep.