How to Make Your School a Better Place

Helping Other Students

Stand up to bullies. Do not stay silent when you see another student getting harassed by a bully. Speak up confidently and tell them to stop. This will create a better atmosphere at school and can prevent bullies from picking on other students in the future. When you see someone getting bullied you can say something like “Hey, that's not funny at all. Stop bullying her.” Or you could say, “Cut it out. They didn't do anything to you, stop being mean to them.” You can also ask the bully something like, "How would you like it if someone did that to you? Do you think it's fun to be humiliated?"

Try to resolve conflicts between other kids. When you see other students in an argument, you can intervene and help resolve the issue. Many conflicts in school are just misunderstandings between two people. Encourage your classmates to talk to each other and try to see each other's perspectives. For example, if someone was spreading rumors about someone else, you could say something like, "The only reason Jessica is yelling is because of the rumor you spread, Jack. I think instead of fighting you both should talk about it. Why did you start the rumor, Jack?"

Spread a positive attitude. If other students are constantly complaining about things at school, it can bring down everyone's attitude. If students are talking about how bad something is, try to help them see the positive side of things. Keep a smile on your face and help inspire other students to stay positive. For example, if someone is complaining about how hard physics is, you can say something like “Sure, it's hard, but just imagine how much this is going to prepare us for college. It's better to learn it now than to struggle with it later.”

Tutor other students if you can. If you know that other students are struggling with a subject that you're good at, you can help them by tutoring them in that subject. Helping other students with their academics and improving their grades will help create a positive atmosphere in school. When students struggle in school, there's a chance that they can lash out and disrupt learning for everyone.

Make friends with students that are lonely. If you notice a student who doesn't have many friends, sits alone at lunch, or is bullied regularly, make it a point to become their friend. Making friends with this student will make them less lonely and may encourage other people to become friends with them. If you notice that a student that's sitting alone at lunch, walk up to them and say something like, "Hey, you're in my math class. Mind if I sit with you for lunch?" If you notice a student who doesn't have many friends, walk up to them and ask them "What are you doing this Saturday? I'm going to play basketball. Want to come along?"

Communicate serious issues with teachers and administration. If you know someone who is really struggling in school or has to face serious issues at home, you should report it to the principal. First, make sure that you can't help the student resolve the issue yourself. If you come to a roadblock, go to administration and talk to an adult who can help. For example, if your friend is struggling with getting bullied and the bullies won't stop, report it to the principal before something more serious occurs. EXPERT TIP Joseph Meyer Joseph Meyer Math Teacher Joseph Meyer is a High School Math Teacher based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is an educator at City Charter High School, where he has been teaching for over 7 years. Joseph is also the founder of Sandbox Math, an online learning community dedicated to helping students succeed in Algebra. His site is set apart by its focus on fostering genuine comprehension through step-by-step understanding (instead of just getting the correct final answer), enabling learners to identify and overcome misunderstandings and confidently take on any test they face. He received his MA in Physics from Case Western Reserve University and his BA in Physics from Baldwin Wallace University. Joseph Meyer Joseph Meyer Math Teacher Support social justice practices in your school. Use data to explore social justice issues. Analyze who's enrolling in classes at school by factors like race and gender to identify potential inequalities. Discuss the implications of these findings with others and brainstorm solutions to promote equity.

Participating at School

Run for student government. If you can win a position on student government, you can create strategies and plans to improve different aspects of the school. Wait for election time and run for a position on the student government. Once you become a member of student government, you can raise money for better school facilities or start new clubs that promote positivity.

Become a leader at school. If you're a leader in school, other students will look up to you and try to emulate your behavior. Take opportunities to lead a class or program within your school. Set a good example and treat other students with respect. Try to be friendly to teachers and make everyone's day a little better. You can become a team captain, a club leader, or just be a person that other students look up to. To be a good leader, you need to be responsible, reliable, and willing to collaborate. The best leaders are also fun, know how to have a good time, and don't take themselves too seriously.

Support a sport at school. Supporting a school sport can promote school spirit. If you can't or don't want to participate in sports, go out of your way to promote the sports teams in your school. Tell people about upcoming games, hype up the team, or consider becoming a manager for a sports team. You can go up to students and say something like "Hey, you going to the game this Friday? We are facing our rivals, you should definitely go."

Participate in the arts. Another way to promote school spirit is by supporting the arts in your school. Attend plays, go to art shows, and promote artists and groups in your school. This will give students an outlet for their creativity and will make your school a better place to be. If there is ever a performance or art show, you should let other students know by saying something like, "You gotta make it out to the art show this Thursday. Everyone from Ms. Kenney's class is going to be displaying their best works."

Pick up trash and don't damage things in the school. Treat the school facilities well and go out of your way to throw away trash and make sure that other students aren't destroying things. Even if it isn't your mess, keeping the school clean will create a cleaner and better environment for you.

Making the School Better as Faculty or Staff

Encourage a collaborative atmosphere. Collaborate with other teachers on lesson plans and trips. Think of ways that you can collaborate with administration and other teachers to develop a more positive and meaningful atmosphere for your students.

Become friends with other staff. Socialize with staff outside of school to build stronger and healthier relationships with them. It will create a friendlier, positive attitude among the teachers and faculty in the school. Attend staff and faculty events or organize a night out with other teachers or staff members. You can say something like "Hey a couple of teachers and I are planning on going to Joe's Crab Shack this Friday. Are you interested in coming with us?" EXPERT TIP Joseph Meyer Joseph Meyer Math Teacher Joseph Meyer is a High School Math Teacher based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is an educator at City Charter High School, where he has been teaching for over 7 years. Joseph is also the founder of Sandbox Math, an online learning community dedicated to helping students succeed in Algebra. His site is set apart by its focus on fostering genuine comprehension through step-by-step understanding (instead of just getting the correct final answer), enabling learners to identify and overcome misunderstandings and confidently take on any test they face. He received his MA in Physics from Case Western Reserve University and his BA in Physics from Baldwin Wallace University. Joseph Meyer Joseph Meyer Math Teacher Build strong connections with your fellow teachers. A supportive network of colleagues is essential. They can provide valuable insights, offer encouragement during tough times, and create a sense of community – all crucial for a fulfilling teaching career.

Speak positively about what's going on at your school. Instead of talking negatively about events or plans at the school, stay positive. It's easy to get bogged down in daily complaints and criticisms. Instead of going along with other faculty or teachers' negative outlook on issues in the school, try to look at the positive. For instance, if there is construction happening in the school you can say something like, "Well at least we'll have a bigger and better school once it's done!"

Give the students the ability to make meaningful change. Empowering students to make their own decisions will encourage them to make your school a better place. Give students a certain level of autonomy once you assign a project or task. The more that they can control something, the more invested they will become. You can inspire students by saying something like, "I want the students to have control over where the Poet Society goes. I want to give you the power to dictate what the club will do in the future, and I have full confidence in you."