Education Leadership

Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership

How Community Walks Transform Schools

A strong, diverse school should be represented by a strong, diverse community, but this is not always the case. No matter where you live, you should be working to establish relationships with the people around you, but this can be difficult for immigrants who have many concerns other than making friends.

To build a school culture that is successful at improving conditions and solving problems, we must understand other cultures. One excellent way to do this is through a community walk. When the teachers and staff join forces with many cultures, it can bring additional wisdom and insight on how to handle tough problems.

Researcher Anne Henderson said, “Touring the neighborhood will help teachers and staff members appreciate the life and soul of the community where they teach, develop deeper relationships with families, identify community resources to tap, and enrich instruction using what they learn about families’ cultures and backgrounds.”

So, how do we begin to implement community walks?

  • Choose a neighborhood: Any neighborhood where many students live is a great choice.
  • Contact community leaders: Let the community leaders know that you will be walking their neighborhood and that you would love to have an hour to discuss any concerns.
  • Visit a place of worship: Many students attend a place of worship often, so understanding your students’ faith can be a critical way to increase understanding.
  • Include landmarks: If there are buildings that are central to your students’ way of life, visiting those can improve the way you relate to your students.
  • Plan to eat: Eating together is a wonderful way to build relationships, so choose a place to eat within the community.
  • Invite students to walk, too: Walking with your students helps you understand what their lives are truly like. Talk to them as you walk and ask questions.

Many teachers say that the community walks are their favorite part of the year since they get to learn so much in a short time about their students. Along the way, teachers can meet parents, siblings, and grandparents to expand the circle for students.

The model for Community Walks is Oakland International High School in Oakland, California,, a community comprised of newly arrived immigrants to the United States. Typically low income, many students must work to supplement the family income while also attending school. Unique in its structure, Oakland International has only 100 students per grade and the students stay with the same 5 teachers for the first two years of school. As juniors and seniors, the students have opportunities for internships and mentoring in diverse businesses and public offices.

The typical school day consists of “working in small groups, students learn academic content, art, music and technology through exciting, rigorous, hands-on projects as they learn their new language.” One of the ways that the teachers and administration provide support to these students is through the connections made on the community walk. Because students understand that the school wants to work with the community for their success, the network of resources is unlimited.

 

 

 

 

 

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Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership, Higher Education, K-12, School Leadership

Making the Link to Career and Life Success: Can K-12 and Higher Education Get it Right?

The model of the graduate, the vision of the graduate, the portrait of the graduate, the college- and career-ready graduate, and many other catchy phrases are being used to express the importance of making sure our students leave K-12 education prepared for the rigor and challenges of college. Though, are the skills that garner college admissions and earn college degrees, the skills that lead to career and life success?

K-12’s Big Bet

K-12 education systems are collapsing academic levels; eliminating tracking at their schools; adopting no-zero grading practices; opening access to advanced placement courses; providing SAT preparation workshops; eliminating course prerequisites; going one-to-one; and placing community colleges in their high schools—all in an effort to ensure that students have equal access to a high-quality education that prepares them for college success.  K-12’s big bet is that if academic rigor is increased for all; and school and policy barriers are removed, then their graduates will be ready for college success.  Simply improving SAT scores, signing up for advanced placement courses, even if not in an interest area, will improve the student’s college admission opportunities.

The Missing Link

By linking equity and academic processes with climate and culture improvement efforts, school systems are realizing greater student success.  They have secured the missing link.  The Meriden Public Schools’ (MPS) climate suite consists of three support mechanisms; a climate survey for students, staff, and families; a getting to know you survey; and MPS Cares—an online portal tool.  These tools provide us with data trends, district challenges, and individual student needs, which drive district initiatives to impact our students positively.  Most importantly, MPS has given students greater voice and choice, launched student-centered learning environments, and got students excited about their learning.

When we look at the probability of students attending college, the following factors must be considered:  reading, math, critical thinking skills, attendance, school anxiety, and social comfort.  Having an academic skills foundation is no longer enough.  A balance between academic strengths, emotional stability, life, interest, and perseverance/grit will increase the probability of students attending college, and more importantly, once there, experiencing success. But when K-12 and higher education value student engagement and interest, allow students to design and create and recognize unique learners, then K-12 and higher education will have the impact our nation’s economy and society requires.

It Starts with You

School systems have set the stage for student success by embracing digital transformations, creating student-centered learning environments, intentional scheduling practices, and personalizing the learning environments for all students (see attached College for All Card).  More and more colleges are looking for students with unique skills sets, not just high SAT scores and pristine high school transcripts.

The “New” High School Experience

At MPS, students in grade nine now participate in career exploration activities and understand the importance of their high school coursework and transcripts, as well as their passion and interest areas.  One-to-one conferences with adult mentors frame the importance of regular attendance, engagement, academic rigor, and school satisfaction. Freshman homework clubs and family dinners provide venues to review the PSAT process and B’s or better incentives, but also to discuss life goals and career interests.  In addition to the activities in grade nine, tenth-grade students participate in pre-/post-college exploration activities, visit four-year colleges, and tour successful businesses.

Eleventh-grade students participate in small group and individual college and career planning meetings, where parents are invited.  Spring SATs are discussed, and preparation classes provided.  However, as more and more colleges are doing away with this one admission metric, schools are rethinking how they use their time and resources.  The district hosts college and financial literacy fairs, and summer college and career academies in district (launching summer 2019), to ensure all students are prepared for the college application process.

Weekly college readiness and career preparation offerings begin in the senior year.  College application dinners and scholarship workshops are provided weekly.  In addition, military, apprenticeship, and community college roundtables are offered.  The culminating activity is a Senior Signing Day where students walk across the auditorium stage with their college, military branch or company of employment logo presented on the big screen behind them.  With the head football coach as the master of ceremonies of the event and the junior class in the audience, it is time for the seniors and the staff to celebrate their success, to show the world they got it right!

Indicators of Success

When supporting college and career success, schools look to provide rigorous programs, career exploration, life skills, and opportunities for independent thinking.  Most importantly, we must change mindsets to ensure that all team members recognize that the best way to love their students is by ensuring that they realize the skills and training needed to compete in a competitive global economy.  Do we provide opportunities for our students to problem solve, debate, design, and build?  Are we preparing our students for jobs that do not even exist? Are we honest about the reality of jobs that will be lost to machines and other technological advances?

Meriden Public Schools’ Student-Centered Equity Action Plan has led to the following results: a 20 percent increase in grade three students reading on grade level; double-digit increases on the Smarter Balanced Assessments; an 82 percent reduction in suspensions, a greater sense of belonging experienced by students and staff; a 20 percent increase in high school graduation rates; and more students going on to attend college. But, the real success will be defined by our students’ satisfaction with their life and career.

Creating a Lasting Link

Creating a lasting partnership will require K-12 education to strengthen relationships with higher education.  With technology transforming society and our schools, it is even more essential that our school systems and colleges together.  Teachers need to guide and facilitate as we ask our students to be digital citizens who communicate, collaborate, and create.  According to Ted Dintersmith, author of What Schools Could Be, students thrive in classrooms where they develop—purpose, essential skills and mindsets, agency, and deep retained knowledge.  Both entities need to listen to one another; understand each other’s experiences; respect the challenges; validate each other’s work, and believe that it is education that needs to change, not our students.  K-12 education and higher education do not need to be rescued from one another; they need to work together, put students at the center, and realize that their individual success will have a direct impact on our collective growth and the future of our great nation.   Wake up; our students are counting on us to get it right!

 

Mark D. Benigni ([email protected]) is superintendent of Connecticut’s Meriden Public Schools and co-chair of the Connecticut Association of Urban Superintendents.

Thomas W. Giard III ([email protected]) is superintendent of Connecticut’s Waterford Public Schools.

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Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership, School Leadership

Teacher Observation is Good, But Here is How We Can Make It Better

This morning I had a talk with a good friend about their school year and their maturation as a teacher. They shared with me that even though they felt like their pedagogical and classroom management skills were at an all-time high, their principal did not share the same enthusiasm. As a matter of fact, in many ways, the principal believed that my friends’ skills had regressed over the last two years.

What bothered my friend is that without her even asking, her colleagues routinely commented on her growth as a teacher, and she had even been named the teacher of the year for her school district. Where was this discrepancy coming from? Did her principal have some type of vendetta against her or were here teaching skills regressing? Unfortunately, this happens all too often in the field of K-12 education.

What does teacher observation currently look like?

Each year, teachers are observed informally and formally by their principals. Informal observations are impromptu and can be done at any time. Formal observations are planned and have a pre and post observation component.

What I mean by this is that before a formal observation, the teacher and principal sit down and discuss the date and time of the observation, what lesson the teachers will teach, and the criteria upon which teacher will be judged. This is commonly known as a pre-observation conference.

After the formal observation, the teacher and principal sit down for what is known as the post-observation conference. During this time, they discuss the observation, and the principal goes through the teachers assessed performance, letting them know the things that they did well and the things that need improvement. To help facilitate teacher growth, the principal and the teacher work together to develop an improvement plan.

This plan will help the teacher reach their full potential as an educator and correct any pedagogical deficiencies. The plan is then enacted, and informal observations and coaching sessions are used to accelerate growth. In some instances, the principal will take a model lesson to the teacher’s students to demonstrate the pedagogical skills that need improvement.

How can we make the teacher observation process better?

To make the teacher observation process better, all we have to do is make it multifactorial. What do I mean by this? Instead of just being observed by one administrator, maybe teachers should be observed by several people. Of course, their building principal should be one of the observers, and also the district should have its own squadron of observers. Since the districts observers do not work with the teacher on a day to day basis or hold a supervisory position, their observations can be seen as neutral.

Both the principal and the district observers would be trained to use the same observational scale. The pre-observation conference would include the three observers (the principal and two district observers) and the teacher, and subsequently, the observations would be carried out. In cases of widely divergent ratings, the principal and district observers could work together to reconcile the differences in their scores, before facilitating a post-observation conference with the teacher. The end result should theoretically be teacher observational scores that have increased validity and increase teacher quality and efficacy.

What do you think of my proposed changes to the teacher observation process?

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Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership, School Leadership

How Servant Leadership Can Transform Your School District From The Inside Out

How do you lead educators, students and administrators in today’s challenging environment? Does your leadership style help people to grow and become more autonomous?

Of all the different leadership styles, the servant leader is the one that is most likely to achieve this goal. Let’s take a deeper look at this remarkable leadership style.

As the term implies, a servant leader leads by serving others. Servant leaders place the interests and needs of their followers ahead of their own self-interests and needs. These leaders place a high value on the development of their team, work to build a community where members share power.

Professor of human resource management at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, Dr. Dirk van DierenDonck, says his research has found that the best leaders have six key servant leadership characteristics:

Empowering and developing people

This is about allowing everybody to take responsibility for their own actions. The leader recognizes the abilities and talents of those he leads and encourages them to run with it. The idea is to encourage the personal growth of everyone in the team.

Humility

With this basic attitude, the leader acknowledges that he/she doesn’t know everything, that employees also have valuable knowledge and experience to contribute.

According to Dr. Robert Hogan, founder and president of Hogan Assessments, research shows that humility predicts effective leadership. Humility is associated with minimizing status differences, listening to subordinates, soliciting input, admitting mistakes and being willing to change course when a plan seems not to work.

Authenticity

People trust authenticity and they instinctively reject fake behavior. A leader will be seen as authentic if he acts with integrity, follows through on undertakings, and shows consistency in his behavior. The leader must show that she is being true to herself and must encourage her followers to be true to themselves as well.

Interpersonal acceptance

A great leader has the ability to accept others and relate to their feelings and what motivates them. This is also a leadership culture in which empathy and forgiveness are practiced as it is understood that people can and do make mistakes. In spite of that, their behavior must not prevent them from being developed. By accepting everyone in the school, from the janitor, to every teacher and student for their unique perspectives, the leader lets each individual feel that they matter.

Providing direction

This is what leadership is about – providing direction. Everyone should know what is expected from them, what their particular goals are. Ideally, the servant leader will succeed in creating the kind of environment where participation is experienced as meaningful.

Dierendonck explains it like this: “To provide direction, the servant leader must make work dynamic and have it tailored to the abilities and needs of employees.”

Stewardship

Dierendonck sees stewardship as the willingness to take responsibility for the larger institution and to focus on service instead of control and self-interest. A servant leader sets an example for others to follow, and model how to act in the common interest.

This style of leadership is not easy. Those who have tried it, say it’s a difficult leadership style to follow, but it’s one that can transform an institution from the inside-out

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Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership

Forgiveness as a Key Educational Leadership Attribute

All students will make mistakes from time to time. They are young and still learning lots of new things through their errors. So, as an educational leader, you need to ensure that you are forgiving when students make mistakes so that problems can be solved easier. Here are some reasons as to why forgiveness is a key leadership attribute.

Kids Can Learn from Their Mistakes

When a kid makes a mistake or misbehaves in class, instead of getting mad and not letting them forget it, use it as a learning experience. Teach them that mistakes can be fixed and that we can move forward in life if we learn from them. If you forgive kids when they do something wrong, then they will be able to see the positives of mistakes rather than only the negatives. This can help them better learn the right way of doing things.

It will Teach Them to be Forgiving in Their Own Lives

The way we treat kids greatly affects how they treat others. If we show kids that it is okay to forgive and let things go, then they will likely have a kinder, more forgiving attitude in the future. React to their mistakes the same way that you’d like them to react to the mistakes of others. If they do not learn to be forgiving, then they could end up holding unnecessary grudges and upsetting those around them. Kids can learn a lot from our behaviors, so it is important that educational leaders set a good example when it comes to forgiveness.

Your Students will Feel More Comfortable Talking to You

If you are patient with kids and teach them to learn from their mistakes, then they will feel more comfortable approaching you and talking to you if any serious problems arise. If you don’t give them a chance to fix their bad behaviors and you continually punish them for it, then they will learn to fear you. A teacher should be someone that students feel comfortable approaching when needed. So, if you are not forgiving to them, then when they need some advice or help in class, they will not feel comfortable going out of their way to get it.

It Helps Students to Learn Good Behavior

Instead of punishing students for mistakes, make sure you make it clear what the expectations actually are. Make clear rules and show them how to fix their mistakes. If you forgive them when they do things wrong and help them through it along the way, it will help them to learn good behavior in class.

You Can Work Together to Solve the Problem

Forgiveness is also an opportunity to allow students to solve problems on their own. When they do something wrong or make a mistake, encourage them to acknowledge what they did wrong so that they can figure out ways to improve this behavior. Use your forgiveness as a learning experience to help improve their problem-solving skills as well.

Conclusion

Forgiveness is a key leadership skill for educators because it helps students learn from their mistakes and listen better. Students don’t have to get punished every time something goes wrong, but instead, they can work hard to fix these behaviors.

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Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership, Policy & Reform, Teachers

How to Assess Teacher Quality: What We Have Learned Over the Last Decade

There is general agreement that the key to student learning success is the quality of a teacher’s instructional skills, combined with the teacher’s ability to understand their students as individuals with diverse needs, backgrounds, behavioral issues, social skills, and learning styles. But while there is general agreement on the teacher’s role in their student’s success, there is considerable disagreement on how to measure the quality of a teacher’s skills and abilities.  

Teacher education reform, specifically in the area of quality testing for teachers involved in elementary and secondary education systems, has been a subject of interest to educators, politicians, policymakers, and parents in countries around the world for some years. Let’s examine what we have learned over the last decade or so.

For example, in 2011, both the United States (US) and Australia published plans/standards for improving the quality of their nation’s teachers.  Our Future, Our Teachers the Obama Administration’s Plan for Teacher Education Reform and Improvement (Obama’s Plan) was issued by the U.S. Department of Education in September 2011. This comprehensive plan outlined actions to support and encourage effective teaching to ensure every child had the opportunity to have an excellent teacher.

Also in 2011, the Australian government first published standards for teachers under the name National Professional Standards for Teachers. The standards were renamed the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in 2012 and were implemented throughout Australia’s states and territories at different times throughout 2013. The purpose of the standards was similar to Obama’s Plan. They were designed to outline teacher quality standards to improve and ensure success for students.

In 2014, the American Psychological Association (APA) published a report called Assessing and Evaluating Teacher Preparation Programs. Their report summarized three common methods for assessing teacher performance:  “value-added assessments of student achievement, standardized observation protocols, and surveys of teacher performance.” The report suggested that the effectiveness of teacher education programs should be measured by well-established scientific methods that focused on behavior. And, it encouraged quality teaching measures to be developed in partnerships with teacher education programs, school districts, and states. Whether the APA’s recommendations have been put into practice is not clearly known.

However what is known is that about five years after the implementation of standards in the US and Australia to improve and measure teacher quality, “The evidence base for how teaching quality and impact may be defined and demonstrated is weak.” This was the key finding of a report entitled, Review of the Research Literature on Defining and Demonstrating Quality Teaching and Impact in Higher Education. To explain further, the report found the literature contained mostly opinion pieces and concluded there was a lack of empirical evidence.

The report was commissioned by the United Kingdom’s Higher Education Academy (HEA) and published by RAND Europe in 2016. The purpose of the report was to discover how quality teaching was defined and validated at institutions teaching education.

The report reached two main recommendations:

  1. More research is needed to test, measure, and monitor new quality teaching methods.
  2. But first, “…there needs to be more consensus in the discourse on how ‘quality teaching’ may be measured or evaluated.”

Although the HEA is a UK national body, the literature search was comprehensive. The search included literature published since 2012 and was published in ERIC, Education Abstracts, the HEER database, and Web of Science. What the report revealed is that as recent as 3 years ago there was no agreement on how to test for teacher quality. If the search were repeated today, looking at literature published since 2016, I suspect the results would be about the same.

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Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership

What Makes a Great School Superintendent?

Many moons ago, one of my dreams was to become a school superintendent. But, life ended up taking me in a different direction, allowing me to own my own education company, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. However, every once and a while, I think about the school superintendency, and whether or not I would have been a good fit. Because of this, I started to think of all of the characteristics that great superintendents should possess and decided to use my curiosity to fuel this article.

So what does it take?

As it turns out, it takes a breadth of specific and nuanced skills to be a great superintendent. Let’s discuss them.

  1. Watch and listen to the community and school district needs. You don’t have to be a clairvoyant to figure out the needs of your community and school district. However, you must be willing to listen to your constituents and put their needs in front of your own. They will tell you exactly what’s broken and give you some insight into what can be done to fix it. Don’t get seduced by the sound of your ideas and silence the voices of those in the trenches.
  2. Put the interests of kids first. In school districts all over the US, we see superintendents and school boards doing what is in their best interests and forgetting about the kids. To be a great superintendent, all you have to do is make decisions based on what is in the best interests of your students. And if others don’t like it, ask them if they are in education to help kids, or help themselves.
  3. Be transparent. When it comes to running a school district, sometimes it feels like anything can go wrong, and it always happens at the worst possible moment. When it comes to scandals, budget shortfalls, or radical reforms, keeping things secret will only make your constituents question your trustworthiness. That’s why school superintendents and school boards must always be transparent. Let the district’s stakeholders know about problems and issues as soon as possible and allow them to be part of the solution.
  4. Create a grand vision. As an administrator, your subordinates count on you to lead them to success. To accomplish this, you need to know what direction you plan to take your school district in. That’s why great superintendents create a grand vision outlining where the district will be in 5, 10, 15, or even 20 years. This allows your stakeholders to rally around a cause, which makes the arduous grind of teaching and leading more bearable. If you can accomplish this, you will be able to take your district to new heights of success and productivity.
  5. Be a great communicator. To be a great superintendent, you need to be a great communicator. This ensures that all of your school district’s stakeholders have the information that they need to help you make the district a success. When communicating with an individual, small group, a school, or the entire district, make sure you understand your audience. This will help you craft a message that is clear and concise, and if need be, springs your audience into action.

Well, that’s it for my list. It is not meant to be exhaustive, but we have covered the essential characteristics of a great superintendent. What would you add?

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Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership

How Do I Become A School Superintendent?

Working as a school superintendent can be rewarding in many areas of your life. It delivers a mix of challenge, schedule flexibility, and the chance to engage with both students and teachers. There are many requirements, including certification and years of teaching experience. After you meet all the requirements and fulfill a few other expectations, you’ll be able to achieve your career goals while working as a leader within your school district. 

Education Requirements

There is some variance on education requirements from one state to another. It would be best if you had a Master’s degree in either education, school administration, or a closely related field. This accomplishment should come become before you try to obtain your certification.

The typical education path to become a school superintendent will look like this:

  • Obtain a Bachelor’s degree
  • Obtain a Teaching Credential
  • Obtain a Master’s degree
  • Obtain Superintendent or Administrative Professional Certification

Earning Your Certifications

In some states, the title is a Superintendent Certification in other states it’s referred to as an Administrative Services Credential. Either way, the test covers much of the same material, and it critical to gaining your spot as a school superintendent. There isn’t a way to fast track this credential as you do need the Master’s program or many years in the field. The test is extremely difficult.

These tests are often only available to those with Master’s degrees or with an adequate number of year’s experience teaching as directed by the state. It is also worth noting that some states require you to obtain principal certification and work as a principal before being able to test for superintendent certification.

Obtaining your certification is the start of lifelong education. Each year you will have to meet changing continuing education requirements to sustain your certification.

Necessary Skills for a Superintendent

Superintendents play a much different role within the school environment. They address aspects of safety and specific educational standards. You will need not only a passion for education and the educational system as well. If you’re easily irritated with handling systems and policies, this role may not be for you.

So, what does a superintendent need? In terms of soft skills, a superintendent should possess:

  • Outstanding communication skills, both verbal and written.
  • Charismatic and easy to approach personality.
  • Problem-solving
  • Handling “tough” situations, including topics such as bullying and suicide.
  • Promote an inclusive culture

Other skills include helping promote the professional development of your peers. You’ll need to lean on these skills throughout your career, so it’s best to develop them early. 

An Opportunity for Educators

Many teachers believe that teaching is their career, but if you’re looking for something new or more challenging, you should evaluate your state’s requirements to become a superintendent. The best way to become a superintendent is to work as a teacher, continually pursue advanced education, and to obtain all relevant credentials or certifications.

As a result of your hard work, you will then be in a position to impact teachers, parents, and students while transforming education standards.

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Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership

What Responsibilities Do Principals Have in the Cafeteria?

A principal wears all the hats in the school—provides direction for teachers, students, and staff; assesses curricula; monitor student achievement; evaluates teaching methods; revise policies and standards; connects with parents; oversees the budget…and the list goes on. The responsibilities are never-ending. But, perhaps the most critical task is to relate to the students, and the cafeteria is just the place to do that.

Greet the Students

Saying hello to the students as they come and go from lunch is a wonderful way to build relationships with them. Share a high five, compliment an outfit, ask about an ailing grandmother—these are the conversations that make the principal seem human and relatable to students. A study from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania concluded that The best administrators spend an intense amount of time developing, improving, and investing in relationships. Positive relationships are the heart of what makes a school extraordinary.

Ask Questions

The best principals ask lots of questions and talk as little as possible. And they remember the answers. Take the time to ask students how they are doing, what is concerning them, and how you can help? Even if you try to focus on only 4-5 students per lunch period, be a listener to them. 

Talk to the kids who are sitting alone, and listen well to them. Feeling heard is a powerful motivator for everyone, but especially for students. 

Actually Eat with a Group Every Day

Sit down and eat with a group of students every day. Experience the food, talk about how it tastes, laugh together over the food that is actually yukky tasting. Discuss good nutrition with them and how it affects the mind and body. Show thankfulness that there is healthy food to eat when others don’t have that. Model appreciation of the little things that make a day good. 

Demonstrate Resilience

Students look to adults to see how to deal with stress and setbacks. Model a spirit of positivity and hope to the students. Young people today are dealing with many feelings and circumstances that can be discouraging, and the positive attitude of a leader can help them choose to approach their situations the same way.

Recognize Teachers and Students Regularly

Recognizing the great things your teachers and students do is a special motivator. This breeds comradery among the entire group when they hear you praising the people who contribute to the success of the school. 

Facilitate a Climate of Support

The best principals foster a climate of support for both students and teachers. Be willing to change when necessary and wise. Remember that everyone in the school is human and will make mistakes, including you. Implement suggestions from students whenever you can; this shows them that their voices count in the context of school.

There is no doubt that the job of the school principal is complex and demanding, but creating a culture of caring and interest for your students should be high on the priority list—they are the biggest consumers of your brand of leadership.  And the cafeteria is just the place to start.

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Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership

What Teachers Wish Principals Knew

We all know that successful education requires both skilled, passionate teachers and great leadership from principals, but often there are gaps in understanding between the two. Gaps that can hinder productivity and positive interactions. Following are some thoughts from both teachers and administrators that can change the school day.

Teachers wish you knew…

One of the most consistent problems a teacher faces is time constraints. A teacher is expected to plan and teach relevant lessons, provide grading and feedback to students, keep in regular touch with parents, meet with struggling students after school hours, collaborate with colleagues, maintain a classroom that is engaging and tidy, and the list goes on. So, when a principal does not respect the teachers’ time by scheduling unnecessary meetings or adding yet another administrative task, the work can become overwhelming.

Teachers want to know that you have their backs, they want to know that you will fight for them. Work to create real change for your teaching staff, and not in a one size fits all way.  Actually listen to each teacher and work to help in even one specific area—this is a huge morale booster. 

Trust and professionalism—your teachers want to know that you trust them to make great decisions and instruct as professionals. That belief you communicate in them is a crucial difference maker. 

Principals wish you knew…

No principal wakes up every day with the thought, “How many meetings can I schedule for my teachers today?” Recognize that many times meetings, staff development, and paperwork is mandated at the state level and the principal has no discretion to modify it. 

Making decisions and handling problems for hundreds of teachers and students combined is not an easy road. Often, they must make decisions based on the greater good for all, rather than for one teacher or student.

Frequently data is responsible for our choices—standardized test scores, district assessments, student grades, discipline referrals all impact the decisions that have to be made. Many times the alternatives are out of our control.

Your principal is working to make improvements for you and your students all through the year.  Creating and implementing new policies and programs is an essential part of our job, and not all of them work. But we are trying to make a difference for you.

Here are some tips for improving communication:

  1. Be honest and transparent in communicating change.
  2. View all of the other groups (parents, teachers, and principals) as partners who have a voice in decisions that affect them.
  3. Start a weekly blog to talk about what is going on around the school and to share fun stories from the week.
  4. Principals might have coffee each morning with a different group of teachers to foster open communication and collaboration.

Everyone is working hard for student success, and it’s wise to keep that thought at the forefront. Great communication and a simple thank you can change the environment from frustrating to collaboration to be the best.

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