That sense of care

What an age since I have contributed to this blog!! Time to get going again. The start of 2011 has been an interesting one for me as I experienced for the first time a very real health scare. All is well but it certainly was a challenging couple of months.
Looking back now it was a time when I got to actually experience that sense of belonging to a workplace where care and support for each other is valued and lived out in a myriad of small but not insignificant ways. Although at times such as this, it is the love and support of one’s family and closest friends that matters most; it was indeed a heart-warming experience to feel the care of colleagues and work-mates as well.
As a school leader, I have always known that fostering this sense of care within the school staff is important, but in all honesty, I am not sure how high up the priority list I valued it. My own experience has now taught me that actions do speak louder than words and visits, phone calls, texts and emails matter when a staff member is not themselves. Parents under stress, can also appreciate that call that I might once have left justifying to myself that someone else will be implementing the care. In a big institution this can be demanding, however not impossible, where there’s a will there’s a way! Lots of food for thought.