Creating and Supporting a Positive Work Climate

1
Creating and Supporting a Positive Work Climate

• Presented by
• Allegheny Intermediate Unit
• (Adapted from Pattan Training Series)
• I have come to the frightening conclusion that I
  am the decisive element in the classroom. It is
  my personal approach that creates the climate.
  Hiam Ginott

2
Local Policy

• Your local school district, IU, preschool or
  employing agencys policies regarding
  paraeducator job descriptions, duties, and
  responsibilities provide the final word!

3
Learner Outcomes

• Participants will
• Describe characteristics of a positive work
  environment.
• List ways individuals support and maintain a
  positive atmosphere in their workplace.

4
Learner Outcomes (cont.)

• Participants will
• Discuss specific ways to respond to difficult
  people and situations within the work setting.

5
Agenda

• Introduction
• Why a Positive Work Climate is Important
• What Makes a Good Day
• Good Weather Starts With You!

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Agenda (cont.)

• How to Change the Climate
• With Students
• With Other Adults in the Classroom
• In the School

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Agenda (cont.)

• When a Positive Attitude Isnt Enough
• Dealing with Difficult Behaviors
• Resolving Conflict

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Why a Positive Work Climate is Important

• Better place to work
• Better place to be a student
• Better for the educational team

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What Makes a Good Day?

• Think about one especially good day at work
• In a small group
• Share your good day story with your group
• Identify the characteristics that made that a
  good day
• Have a volunteer list your responses
• Share out

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Good Weather Starts With You!
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Good Weather Starts With You!

• Why a positive attitude is important
• How to get and keep a positive attitude

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Why a Positive Attitude Is Important
Good Weather Starts With You!

• What is a positive attitude?
• Good for you
• Physically
• Mentally
• Good for your students

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Why a Positive Attitude Is Important
Good Weather Starts With You!

• What is a positive attitude?
• Good for you
• Physically
• Mentally
• Good for your students

14
Why a Positive Attitude Is Important
Good Weather Starts With You!

• What is a positive attitude?
• Good for you
• Physically
• Mentally
• Good for your students

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How to Get and Keep A Positive Attitude
Good Weather Starts With You!

• Choose your attitude
• Play
• Focus on the positive
• Make someones day

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How to Get and Keep A Positive Attitude
Good Weather Starts With You!

• Choose Your Attitude
• Smile
• Be polite, friendly, helpful
• Practice positive self-talk
• Activity about recognizing negative self-talk

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How to Get and Keep A Positive Attitude
Good Weather Starts With You!

• Choose Your Attitude
• Smile
• Be polite, friendly, helpful
• Practice positive self-talk
• Activity about recognizing negative self-talk

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How to Get and Keep A Positive Attitude (cont.)
Good Weather Starts With You!

• Play
• See the humor
• Laugh
• Plan for fun
• Reward yourself
• Turn to a neighbor and think of three ways to
  make your workplace more fun.

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How to Get and Keep A Positive Attitude (cont.)
Good Weather Starts With You!

• Be focused on the positive
• Keep a record of positive things
• Share positive thoughts
• Change your vocabulary
• STOP negative thoughts

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How to Get and Keep A Positive Attitude (cont.)
Good Weather Starts With You!

• Make Someones Day!
• Another adult at school
• A student
• Turn to a neighbor and think of three ways you
  can improve the day of someone you work with and
  three ways you can make the day for a student.

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How to Get and Keep A Positive Attitude (cont.)
Good Weather Starts With You!

• Make Someones Day!
• Another adult at school
• A student
• Turn to a neighbor and think of three ways you
  can improve the day of someone you work with and
  three ways you can make the day for a student.

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How to Change the Workplace Climate
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How to Change the Workplace Climate

• With Students
• With Other Adults in the Classroom
• In the Entire School

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With Students
How to Change the Climate

• Treat students with respect
• Look for opportunities to praise students
• Turn a negative into a positive
• Make their day

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With Students
How to Change the Climate

• Treat students with respect
• Look for opportunities to praise students
• Turn a negative into a positive
• Make their day

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With Students (cont.)
How to Change the Climate

• Respond to negative student behaviors in a
  professional manner
• Dont take it personally
• View as a teaching opportunity

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With Students (cont.)
How to Change the Climate

• Respond to negative student behaviors in a
  professional manner
• Dont take it personally
• View as a teaching opportunity

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With Students (cont.)
How to Change the Climate

• Avoid Management Traps
• Passionate discipline
• Preaching
• Questioning

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With Other Adults In the Class
How to Change the Climate

• Use effective communication strategies
• Active listener
• Objective reporting
• Be aware of filters

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With Other Adults In the Class
How to Change the Climate

• Be responsible, honest, loyal and show integrity

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With Other Adults In the Class
How to Change the Climate

• Learn to give and receive compliments

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With Other Adults In the Class
How to Change the Climate

• Learn to give and receive compliments

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In the Entire School
How to Change the Climate

• What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!
• Treat others with respect
• Recognize the levels of authority and sphere of
  influence
• Obey school rules

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In the Entire School
How to Change the Climate

• What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!
• Treat others with respect
• Recognize the levels of authority and sphere of
  influence
• Obey school rules

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When a Positive Attitude Isnt Enough
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When a Positive Attitude Isnt Enough

• Dealing with Negativity and Other Difficult
  Behaviors
• Resolving Conflicts

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Dealing with Negativity and Other Difficult
Behaviors
When a Positive Attitude Isnt Enough
Is it getting to you?
Physical Symptoms
Cant function
Short-tempered
Want revenge
Make mistakes
Feel like quitting
Hold back ideas
Irritable
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Dealing with Negativity and Other Difficult
Behaviors
When a Positive Attitude Isnt Enough

• What you can do about negativity
• Get specific
• Let it go
• Choose to be positive

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Dealing with Negativity and Other Difficult
Behaviors
When a Positive Attitude Isnt Enough

• What you can do about verbal assault
• Silent refocus
• Caring comeback
• Write it down

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Resolving Conflicts
When a Positive Attitude Isnt Enough

• How do you respond to conflict?
• Think of your work setting and people with whom
  you occasionally may have conflict
• Place a check in the box next to each statement
  on the form that best describes how you respond
  when conflicts arise

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Resolving Conflicts (cont.)
When a Positive Attitude Isnt Enough

• Use I messages
• the feeling
• the situation
• the reason
• I feel__________when________ because____________.
  

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Resolving Conflicts (cont.)
When a Positive Attitude Isnt Enough

• With Adults
• Find a good time to talk
• Listen carefully, speak carefully
• Take the time to get at the real problem
• Focus on what you can do to solve the conflict
• Take action and evaluate the situation over time

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Resolving Conflicts (cont.)
When a Positive Attitude Isnt Enough

• With Students
• Give clear directions
• Do not argue with a student
• Bring concerns about non-compliance to your
  partner teacher or supervisor

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Resolving Conflicts (cont.)
When a Positive Attitude Isnt Enough

• Once an issue has been resolved
• LET IT GO
• And help things get back to normal

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Resources and References

• Lundin, S., Paul, H. Christensen, J. Fish A
  Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve
  Results. New York Hyperion, 2000.
• Project Para. University of Nevada Las Vegas
• http//para.unl.edu
• Sprick, R. Garrison, M. Howard, L. ParaPro
  Supporting the Instructional Process. Longmont,
  CO Sopris West, 2000.

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Learner Outcomes

• Participants will
• Describe characteristics of a positive work
  environment.
• List ways individuals support and maintain a
  positive atmosphere in their work.

47
Learner Outcomes (cont.)

• Participants will
• Discuss specific ways to respond to difficult
  people and situations within the work setting.

48
Questions

• para_at_pattan.net