Questions to Assess Staff Morale

In the much-loved book, Caring Spaces, Learning Places, originally written by Jim Greenman and newly revised by Mike Lindstrom, the topic of teacher morale is addressed like this:

"The success of a program depends to a large extent on the morale and the ability to keep talented staff happy. Morale and staff satisfaction in turn are directly affected by the quality of the facility and the manner in which the facility supports or works against staff."

The book encourages program directors to ask questions such as these to assess how well your physical environment supports your staff:

• "Do adults feel safe, secure and competent?
• Is their comfort over the course of the day considered?
• Do adults have some sense of autonomy in relation to the environment? Are they able to adjust time and physical space?...
• Does the setting facilitate the socialization of new staff, substitutes and volunteers?"

The authors also encourage paying attention to details such as the "amount and location of adult seating" which will "influence adult behavior." They provide this example: "In an infant room, there may be spatial encouragement to sit and nurture, and in toddler and preschool settings, the goal may be to encourage moving around."

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