Staff rooms are specially designed professional rooms that must be havens of solace. They are where staff members meet to re-energize and socialise with colleagues.
Members obtain advice and support, and as such, staffroom etiquette has to be upheld. Inspirational staff bases must be created to make a world of difference in that institution.
Etiquette is, therefore, a set of sound norms and rules that dictate how to behave in society and how it should apply in a school setting. It means being a good listener, practising sound table manners, respecting personal space, dressing appropriately, and even greeting people with a smile.
All school managers must invest massively in their staffrooms to ensure comfortable and spacious seats. Calming colours, soft furnishings, and some soft music or digital entertainment must be present to soothe staff members and help them fully relax when performing their duties.
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But that is easier said than done because this ambience can only be achieved depending on the school’s financial strength. Well-to-do schools can go the whole hog to display modernity in their staffrooms.
Smaller schools that cannot afford such lavishness can still improve their teacher offices to ensure they appear good and reflect well on the struggling institution’s image. Many people wouldn’t notice much, as they can see the school’s status right from the gates.
A staffroom is a unique environment that attracts teachers from different cultures and backgrounds. Some may be easy-going, others critical and rarely align with school thinking, others quite supportive of the institution, and so on.
All head teachers have to embrace the fact that, despite being bosses, some of the teachers’ views may not necessarily align with theirs. As such, there are certain conversations that they would prefer not to hear by all at the staffroom sanctuary.
A good staffroom is a product of the school principal and the board of management. The principal’s role should include effective management of both material and human resources.
Nurturing professionalism
A staffroom is the ultimate platform for nurturing professionalism and ethical behaviour. It has to be a place of inclusivity, where even the voiceless are given a chance to speak.
A school has to be a place of solace. Such an environment has to be full of encouragement, ideas, friendliness, and openness. All members have to deal with conflict well before it escalates and ensure that the staffroom is clean and well-kept.
It’s the role of all members to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, equality, and diversity. All the laws have to be clearly spelt out, and new members must be properly inducted.
Members have to respect time and use it for self- and learner growth. The phone has to have a soft ringing tone and, if possible, be in a vibration mode.
Learners should not be allowed to enter the staffroom anyhow, and all the seats, tables, windows and floors have to be tidy to reflect well before visitors, students or arriving new teachers.
In a staffroom setting, one must maintain a smile and eye contact, keep a distance of at least two feet while speaking softly and avoid strange gestures. One must also feel comfortable around others and reciprocate by making others comfortable.
By our reporter
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