If You Don't Feed the Teachers, They Eat the Students!

subtitled "Guide to Success for Administrators and Teachers"
by Neila A. Connors
PRMS paperback 143 pages
genre: professional / morale

This was a re-read for me, and once again I was struck by how much it is geared toward *administrators* and makes me think of Sue Kreuser and all the amazing things she did as our building leader at PRMS. I miss her so much! It doesn't help much that my own morale is low - tiredness and stress can be overwhelming. There are many, many great ideas in this book.

These are the 14 strategies for S.A.N.E. (Self-disciplined And Nurturing Enthusiasts) people. I scanned them here to refer back to, though perhaps I should make cards and display them on my desktop as constant reminders. I certainly don't feel very sane these days . . .

At the end of the book, she lists 150 Fat-free D.E.S.S.E.R.T.S. (Defining Experiences Structured to Support, Encourage, and Reward Teachers' Spirit). I don't want to violate copyright law, but I wanted to make note of some of the ideas here (where I'll look at them again):

1. Faculty Birthday Party Celebrations
2. Secret Pal for the Year and/or Holidays
3. "You Need a Laugh" Awards
4. "Another Great Week" Get-Togethers with Coffee and Snacks
5. Organize Discussion Groups to Look for Solutions to Challenges
6. Suggestions / Questions / Concerns Box
7. T.G.I.T. Refreshments and Luncheons (Thank Goodness It's Today)
8. Spruce Up and Maintain a Pleasing Teachers' Lounge.
9. Monthly Wellness Sessions and Updates
10. "Take a Teacher to Lunch," "No Bus Duty," and "Release Time" Coupons
11. Swap Classrooms and/or Assignments for a Day or a Week
12. Shadow a Colleague for a Day

These titles don't include the blurbs of info. I'm too tired to do anything else with this. The book is on my Professional shelf at 371.2 Con.

From reviews on GoogleBooks:
(these made me laugh . . . )

Review: If You Don't Feed the Teachers They Eat the Students!: Guide to Success for Administrators and Teachers

User Review - Goodreads

Great ideas and advice for administrators and teachers! I just wish it was research based.

Review: If You Don't Feed the Teachers They Eat the Students!: Guide to Success for Administrators and Teachers

User Review - Goodreads

I can't even finish this book. There is absolutely no substance. And for the record, I did read all the way up to the desserts so I'm not basing my dislike of the book on just a chapter. It was so repetitive and made me feel brain-dead.