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Tips for Leadership

Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2018 11:52 am
by zenteach
What are your best tips for when you enter a new school in a leadership role? What are things to be certain to do? What should you steer clear off? I would love to hear from both those in teaching and leadership roles.

Re: Tips for Leadership

Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2018 3:42 pm
by mysharona
Don't try to remake the school in your own image during the first month or even year of leadership. Sit back and observe what's working and what's not before making changes. Listen to your teachers, they can have a very good feel of the pulse of the school. If you are implementing a new initiative, make sure you aren't just padding your resume and thinking of your next job.

Re: Tips for Leadership

Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2018 8:05 pm
by expatscot
Don't go in saying "I don't like this, that and the other."
Don't go in saying "So-and-so's not really great, are they?"
Don't go in with all the initiatives you ran in your last school so successfully.
Don't start tramping on other peoples' toes because you want to be in control.
Don't go claiming other peoples' ideas as your own.
Don't p*** off other members of staff.

(There is at least one new manager I know of managing to do all of these things and more - and he's only been in the school two weeks!)

Re: Tips for Leadership

Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2018 10:12 pm
by Lastname_Z
expatscot wrote:

> Don't go in with all the initiatives you ran in your last school so successfully.

This is probably the biggest make that even well-intentioned good admin do.

Re: Tips for Leadership

Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2018 11:20 pm
by alexout
Out of the dozen or so principals I've worked with, I would describe only two as outstanding. One had years of experience and the other was new at the job, but both approached their work the same way. The more experienced principal put it in words. At her first faculty meeting with us, she told us simply and clearly that she came with no agenda for change at the school. In conversations with individual teachers, she would regularly ask, "What can I do to help you?" Both principals, one male, one female, one in an international school and one in a domestic school, made it very clear they were there to support us and were not planning any surprises.

Obviously, this works best at schools that are already running well, but knowing that an administrator is there to support and help you do your best work, not just make you change everything you do according to the latest fad or obsession (been through that, too), goes a long way.

The worst administrator I've worked with insulted people to their faces, accused teachers of actions they did not do, gossiped and lied about teachers, and yelled at the faculty. The best never criticize anyone on the staff behind their back but work on helping a bad situation get better. They also don't punish the whole faculty for the mistakes of a few.

Re: Tips for Leadership

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2018 1:39 pm
by sid
I disagree about waiting and seeing. Sometimes yes, but other times there are things going on that are plain and simple bad for kids and need to change. I will not wait on those. Nor am I here to do things for teachers. I’m here to do things for kids. I want teachers to be happy and supported too, but first come the kids.
No apologies.
There is plenty I can and will do for teachers. Lots. Teachers need a fair shake, resources to do their jobs, support in balancing work and life and family, a listening ear, decent contracts, good working conditions, faith that they will be treated right, and I do my best to give that. But I’m here, first and foremost, for the kids.

Re: Tips for Leadership

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2018 2:52 pm
by mamava
It's a fine line--those admin (new or experienced) that roll in, see problems, and say "I'm here to fix you" bring an attitude that doesn't bode well. The best ones I've seen are those that take time to listen, look, and learn about the culture--of the school, of the country, teacher attitudes, institutional memory, etc. They also spot small, important ways where they can jump in and start to make their mark with issues that show a noticeable change quickly and help set that administrator's tone. Admin can't afford a year of just observing, but they have to be careful to not charge in without understanding the school and its culture well.

Re: Tips for Leadership

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2018 11:49 pm
by sid
True dat.

Re: Tips for Leadership

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2018 11:50 pm
by mysharona
sid wrote:
> I disagree about waiting and seeing.

and I wasn't implying that if there is poor teaching practice that it should be ignored by a new administrator. However, I have seen two new administrators come into our school in the past five years and try to remake the school in their image by making institution wide changes without understanding the culture of the institution. Those changes had nothing to do with what was happening in an individual classroom and their actions caused far more harm than they helped. If those two admins could have waited to see what worked and what wasn't working their reputation wouldn't have taken such a hit.

Re: Tips for Leadership

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2018 2:05 am
by sid
It also often happens that an incoming leader has been brought in for a specific reason, set by the board. Implement the IB, add a STEAM program, improve the level of English, whatever it might be that the board wants. Best case, that purpose is clearly communicated and everyone knows something will be changing. But it can also look as if the new guy is just redoing what she’s done before, since probably she was hired based on her experience in doing what the board wants done.

Re: Tips for Leadership

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2018 2:33 am
by cms989
To say it's all "for the kids" can be a catch all for any type of admin overreach, though. Frankly it would be a red flag to hear something like that in an interview. It's the teachers job to work with the kids, it's the admin's job to work with (and support) the teachers and parents and to a lesser degree the kids. So by saying that it's a warning that you are going to be micromanaging or otherwise overstepping with some kind of my way or the highway approach to doing what's best "for the kids."

Of course I don't know anything about sid so that's not personal but it sets alarm bells ringing when I hear that kind of stuff.

Re: Tips for Leadership

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2018 4:09 am
by sid
And I don’t know you either. Nothing personal either. We see the purpose of leadership differently.
From my perspective, the school exists for the purpose of educating kids. Therefore everyone is there to support that purpose. Cooks make food to support healthy development and learning. Cleaners maintain space that is conducive to health and learning. Leaders create/support the environment and structures that make learning possible.

Re: Tips for Leadership

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2018 11:55 am
by fine dude
When the admin says they are there for the kids, that's fine as long as the former doesn't side with parents and students without knowing the facts or the other perspective. The kids will have meaningful learning experiences only when the faculty is happy, respected, and provided for, not the other way around.

Re: Tips for Leadership

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2018 5:18 pm
by mysharona
sid wrote:
> It also often happens that an incoming leader has been brought in for a specific
> reason, set by the board. Implement the IB, add a STEAM program, improve the level
> of English, whatever it might be that the board wants.

Trust me, these aren't the kind of changes I've seen new principals make, in fact the need for structural kinds of changes are obvious to almost everyone. It's the processes that are put in place that are literally just put in place without explanation, or obvious board support, that I'm talking about. A recent MS principal tried to do some visioning, hoping to change the MS within his first year, it blew up in his face and after hours spent by his teachers in countless meetings he just quietly dropped the whole thing. Another principal decided we needed a whole new grading policy, we ended up with a bunch of shiny A4 brochures after a year of study and the whole thing was gutted within a couple of years (which is an entirely different story). Teaching is a full time and busy profession without having to take on the whims of a principal who is trying to make their mark within their first year without knowing what the school really needs to do to improve.

Re: Tips for Leadership

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2018 11:40 pm
by Mike
Get out of the meetings and get in the hall!!!!!

My last couple principals have been AWOL!!