View from the conference table

I'm away from home at the moment, in sunny Rotorua at a 3-day teachers' conference.  It's been a fantastic first day, with a good keynote speaker this afternoon and a couple of great workshops.  We've had some very interesting conversations and some of the speakers have challenged our understandings and practices.

In amongst all the reflection time, I found myself feeling extremely fortunate to be working at an establishment that values the teaching staff enough to invest so heavily in their professional development.  Not only have they paid for 5 of us to attend this conference, but the Board of Trustees has also rented a house for us to stay in for the three nights away  And it's totally true that people who feel appreciated often go over and above what's expected of them.

And it's amazing the affect that feeling valued has.  I go to work in the morning now, feeling happy and excited for the day ahead.  I have a better work/life balance now, yet am quite happy to give days of my "school holiday" time to the evaluation of my programme and the planning of the next term.

So there's a message or two here for all walks of life, not just for the teaching profession.

• People need to feel valued in order to perform to their best.
• If you invest in people, you get more in return than the financial value of your investment.
• If you want people to behave professionally, then you need to treat them professionally

I'm very thankful that I've found my niche in this supportive environment now.

I can't wait for conference day 2 tomorrow - bring it on!