Episode 3: Dear Administrators, please don’t fall into these roles. Sincerely, Teachers

EPISODE 3: DEAR ADMINISTRATORS, PLEASE DON’T FALL INTO THESE ROLES.  SINCERELY, TEACHERS

As we start another school year, it is hard not to spend time worrying about the potential challenges we will face between the administrators and teachers in our buildings.  While it is important to acknowledge that the majority of people in our industry are dedicated professionals who genuinely care about their students' success, there are instances when certain actions or attitudes hinder the learning environment.

So instead of borrowing concerns from the future or gearing up for a fight to start the school year, we thought we might ask teachers and administrators to start this school year with some simple reflection and make a promise to ourselves about who to NOT to be this school year.

 

From The Desk Of A Teacher:

EXAMPLE #1:Dear Administrator, Please don’t be “The Spotlight Stealer” this year.

Leadership at its core is service, not spotlight.  Show me an administrator who wants their picture in the media and I’ll show you a leader who cares more about their own reputation than the success of our students.  The fastest way to ruin any culture is to not give credit to those who have worked tirelessly in the achievement of the organization.  However, some administrators can’t help themselves but step in front of others to accept the trophies, awards, or accolades on behalf of the school district.

In the age of social media, some administrators obsess about using social media to celebrate their students and districts.  I agree with this process because it is a way to build culture and support within our communities.  However, what percentage of the posts are pictures of your school leaders without students?  The answer will clearly tell you if you have a servant leader or a spotlight stealer.

 

EXAMPLE #2: Dear Administrator, Please don’t be “The Innovator” this year.

Don’t be misled by the title, the innovator is actually the exact opposite of innovative.  They are the administrator that discovers a book, reads it over the summer and then tries to “change the culture” of the building by implementing new strategies during the first month of school without any dialogue, collaboration, or buy-in from the staff. It is simply a top down action for everyone to adopt with minimal understanding of why or how. 

Obviously anyone in the education industry would be strong supporters of researching new strategies, collaborating with our educational networks, and reading new books about school culture and leadership.  However, the implementation of these ideas must come from a place of trust where new strategies should address concerns in our buildings and relevant data. I’m sure the “experienced” teachers and administrators reading this article can create a long list of programs that were once presented as “the newest and best” but had a shelf life of 18 months.  The truth is that ALL of those programs had incredible value and were rooted in trying to help students reach their full and well-rounded potential.  What is also true is that most of these concepts failed in schools all across the country because administrators failed to understand that the implementation process must be driven by the teaching staff.  If you want buy-in, spend time frontloading (sorry, I couldn’t resist) the how and why of  these “new” strategies and create a solid collaborative strategic plan.