TGIM

September 21, 2012

I am not a morning person. I never have been, and chances are I never will be. There is just something to be said for lying in a comfy bed in complete peacefulness. Most mornings when my alarm goes off, I hit the snooze button a few times before I face the reality that I have to get up and get started for the day. Last Friday, however, I noticed I did not follow my usual routine. My alarm went off, and instead of hitting snooze, I turned off my alarm and got up to get ready. It was Friday and I knew that it was the last work day before the weekend. I was ready to get started for the day so that my weekend could begin.

Does this sound familiar to you? Even if you are a morning person, is your attitude about getting ready for work slightly different on Friday than it is Monday through Thursday? Have you ever gone to work on a Friday thinking "Woo Hoo! It is Friday! I can make it!" On Friday when you enter the school doors, you are often greeted with smiles and at least one or two colleagues remind you, "TGIF!" as you walk to your classroom. Most Fridays, the aura of a school or workplace is different than it is the other days of the week. It is happier, more upbeat; you see more smiles and feel more energy as you walk through the halls. Why is this? What is it about Friday that can change the atmosphere of a building and the attitudes of those inside?

The same example goes for Monday, only it is the reverse. Think about walking into school on a Monday morning. Chances are you will be greeted by someone asking if you had a nice weekend, or others telling you the events of their weekend. However, chances are also likely that someone will say, "It is only Monday!" or "Is it Friday yet?" Some teachers run around Monday mornings getting last minute things together for their class, and others spend time visiting with their colleagues about what the week holds. Hopefully you work in a building where you still see smiles and happy people, but I think many would agree with me that the atmosphere on a Monday is different than it is on Friday.

In reflecting on my "Friday behavior" I came to the conclusion that I need to have this behavior every day. Wouldn't it be nice to go to work and have every day be Friday? Imagine the impact we would have on our students if we had "Friday behavior" every day of the week? Our attitudes and behaviors are contagious and impact our students in ways we don't even realize. If we are able to tell such a difference in atmosphere on Fridays, so can our students.

Think about your building and the colleagues you work with. Who inspires you to do better? Which colleague is always smiling, positive, happy, and truly enjoys their job? I would guess that this colleague is also one of the students' favorites. Why? People gravitate towards positive energy! I would guess that this colleague has the same attitude all week and makes the most of every minute by doing his/her best and seeing the best in everyone else. This colleague has "Friday behavior" every day of the week.

As educators, our attitude impacts students, colleagues, and parents every day. We don't get the choice to only have school on Fridays. We have school five days a week. We do, however, get to choose the attitude we have on the days we are there. Maybe we should try to go on in a Monday with the "TGIM" attitude and see where that gets us. I have a hunch if all of us went by this, our school atmosphere may be a little more welcoming and the effect of this positive energy on students could only help lead to great things.