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| How was your day at school? |
| Written by Michelle Christianson | |||||
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Nathan Eklunds book, How Was Your Day at School? Improving Dialogue
about Teacher Job Satisfaction, is a resource for educators,
administrators and school staff. But its also a concise guide for
decent, productive human interaction of all kinds. Eklund grew up in St. Anthony Park and says that his teachers at St. Anthony Park Elementary, Murray Junior High, Minnehaha Academy and St. Olaf College inspired him to become a teacher. After teaching, coaching and chairing the English Department at Orono High School for 11 years, he decided to redirect his passion for education and took a job with Search Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to providing leadership, knowledge and resources to promote healthy children, youth and communities. As Eklund conducted seminars and spoke in schools, he became convinced that for teachers to stay committed to education and bring out the best in their students, they need guidance and support. His book is intended to help provide that. Schools are not just places where children go to learn, says Eklund. Theyre places where adults go to work. If the workplace is unfriendly, unsupportive and negative, teachers cant do their best and may eventually leave the profession. Research shows that 50 percent of new teachers leave within five years, and most say that salary and problem students are not the biggest reasons for leaving. A leading cause is dissatisfaction with the workplace a lack of collegiality and poor working climate. People wont necessarily stay in the newest school, with the best salary, if they dont feel supported, says Eklund. Likewise, people can deal with problem students, in difficult schools, if they feel valued and supported. Ultimately, no amount of money is likely to outweigh a pervasive dissatis-faction with workplace climate. The book, including a CD-ROM with a PowerPoint presentation and reproducible handouts, uses humor, true stories and compassion to help improve the lives of teachers and students. It describes the internal and external assets teachers need to thrive, and includes discussion topics and questions to stimulate action. According to Eklund, teachers need support, a sense of empowerment, clear boundaries and expectations, and constructive use of their time. They also need to develop a strong commitment to learning and teaching, positive values, social competencies, and a strong personal and group identity. Eklund says he can sense the climate of a school workplace within five minutes of entering the building. He knows immediately whether his work there will consist of building on strengths or beginning the hard work of changing a bad environment. Its emotional and intimate work, he says. Eklund started writing the book nine months ago. He says the change from teaching adolescents and working with groups of educators to sitting quietly and writing was an adjustment. He describes his book as a tool for conversation, and to that end he has created a Web site (www.howwasyourdayatschool.org) where teachers can share their stories and learn what others are doing to improve their schools.
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