ERIC EJ792310: What's on Your Principal's Mind?

2006·0.26 MB·English

by  ERIC

your career
WHAT’S ON YOUR
PRINCIPAL INSIGHT #1:
What qualities matter
most in a teacher?
PRINCIPAL’S MIND?
Passion for teaching and compassion
for students topped the list for most
principals. “I’m looking for people who
teach with dedication,” notes Dr. Yvonne
Chan, an award-winning principal at
Vaughn Next Century Learning Center
in Los Angeles, California, and a member
of the State Board of Education. “Skills
can always be learned.”
But, administrators say, this passion
for teaching must be paired with com-
passion—a love of students and the wish
to advocate for them and help them
reach their full potential. Mike Scholz,
who was an assistant principal for 13
years and is now in his first year as prin-
cipal of Mascoutah High School in
Mascoutah, Illinois, says he wants his
teachers to be involved with kids outside
the classroom. “I look for teachers who
give extra of themselves,” he says, noting
that it’s important for teachers to run
extracurricular activities and clubs and
show up at school events to show how
important the kids are to them.
Other key teaching qualities include
an interest in continuing professional
development, commitment to the overall
school community, subject knowledge,
and understanding of the developmental
stages of children.
PRINCIPAL INSIGHT #2:
If you could ask one thing of
teachers, what would it be?
“I would ask teachers to teach and treat
We pose the questions we know you want to ask. You all students as if they were their own
children,” says Sharon I. Byrdsong, of
may be surprised at what you find. By Pamela Wheaton Shorr Azalea Gardens Middle School in
Norfolk, Virginia, who is also National
Association of Secondary School
B
e honest:Sometimes you don’t her what she’s thinking. We’ve been Principal (NASSP) Middle School
understand your principal. Sure, wondering too, so we decided to ask. Principal of the Year. Byrdsong says she
she dressed up like Abe Lincoln We spoke to a dozen principals in a loves seeing the sparkle in children’s
for your unit on the presidents, variety of schools and their attitudes, eyes when they grasp a concept that they
but sometimes you think she’s concerns and priorities werepretty simi- have had difficulty understanding.
forgotten what it’s like to be in the class- lar. So here’s your chance to get inside Barbara Menard of Burrillville High
ME room. Sometimes you just want to ask the head of the head of your school. School says she’d like teachers to
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INSTRUCTOR MAY/JUNE 2006
spend more time sending home positive is an individual. “We’re a small town of
information, like making a call to the 6,000 people and a school of 230 kids,”
homes of kids who are struggling to explains Pat Hould, principal of
tell parents what they are doing well. Lewistown Junior High in Lewistown,
As dean of students, she’d also like Montana, for the past 13 years. “Teachers
teachers to stop using her as their say ‘I had your older brother’ and then
only method of discipline. hold misconceptions based on what
the older sibling did,” Hould explains.
PRINCIPAL INSIGHT #3: “But every child is different.”
What’s the first thing you look
PRINCIPAL INSIGHT #5:
for on a classroom visit?
What is the hardest part
No surprise here—principals want
of teachers’ jobs?
engaged kids. A little classroom chaos is
fine, as long as it’s appropriate for the Lack of time, dealing with parents,
project at hand. Your fearless leaders mountains of paperwork, NCLB pres-
don’t want you to be fearful of trying sures, covering the standards, being
something new. They’d rather see an under the microscope, an increasingly
instructor experimenting with a fresh wide variety of students, helping kids
idea—even if it fails—than droning on. cope with complex social issues, class
Ron Landman, who’s been a middle ratios—principals really do get that
1/3 school principal for the past 28 years, teachers are under the gun, and the
the last 17 at the Swampscott Middle many we interviewed really seemed to
School in Swampscott, Massachusetts, appreciate what you do every single day.
points to a recent attempt by his world “Sometimes, the hardest part of being a
Vertical
languages teacher who used math manip- teacher is just showing up!” rues Bob
ulatives to help his students grasp a for- Cancro, principal of Monmouth County
eign language. “It’s not something we use Academy of Allied Health and Sciences
today,” Landman says, “but it was really in Neptune, New Jersey.
Left
interesting to see how the more visual
kids responded.” PRINCIPAL INSIGHT #6:
The room should be engaging, too. What can teachers do to
Cynthia A. Quezada, who’s headed
improve school morale?
up the Kimberly Elementary School
in Redlands, California, for the past “The attitude a teacher brings to work
five years, says she likes to see an has an effect on the school,” notes Larry
attractive classroom environment that R. Barnes, principal at Milford
welcomes kids. Elementary School in Milford, Utah, for
the past 14 years. Most other administra-
PRINCIPAL INSIGHT #4 tors agree that healthy, happy teachers
What’s your biggest pet are key to good school morale, and they
recognize that their own attitude has a
peeve about teachers?
lot to do with that. Award-winning prin-
You can get on a principal’s bad side, and cipal Roberta M. Ellis of Brawley Middle
one of the easiest ways to do it is to act School in Mooresville, North Carolina,
just like your students! Marcia Parrott, has implemented a program that rewards
who has helmed the Miraloma any teacher who goes beyond the call
Elementary School in San Francisco, for of duty with massages, dinners out,
seven years, says she hates griping and and the like.
whispering between staff members. “I’m Daniel Matthews has been assistant
a problem solver,” Parrott notes. “So principal for the past nine years at
come to me and tell me what’s wrong.” Northview High School in Grand Rapids,
But the biggest pet peeve of all is a Michigan, and is the recipient of the 2005
teacher who doesn’t see that every child NASSP Assistant Principal of the Year
what principals want
Award. Matthews says it’s critical for PRINCIPAL INSIGHT #8:
school leaders to explain exactly why What do you miss most
decisions are being made, and to keep
about teaching?
teachers in the loop. For instance,
Northview recently abolished detention Barbara Menard, dean of students at
and in-school suspensions completely, Burrillville High School in Harrisville,
based on the theory of Perceptual Rhode Island, has been in education for
Control by Ed Ford. “Teachers had to 37 years. A former math teacher who
move away from a punishment model,” spent 25 years in the classroom, Menard
Matthews says, and that was extremely sometimes misses the outright goofiness GIFTS FROM
difficult. To help make the transition, of the classroom, and the joy that comes
the school brought Ford in to work from working with kids.
YOUR PRINCIPAL,
directly with the staff to get into the When principals are jonesing for some
whole theory behind the change. time with the kids, they admit they’ll
WITH LOVE
That has paid off in spades. often go take a walk. “It’s one of the
reasons I go through classes,” says Ron
PRINCIPAL INSIGHT #7: Landman of Swampscott Middle School. Your administrators like you—they
What part of your job would
really do! They’d love to shower you
PRINCIPAL INSIGHT #9:
teachers find most surprising? with gifts. In fact, if they had all the
How do you prepare for
money, power and time in the world, this
The amount of time administrators teacher evaluations? is what they would give you:
spend with parents and community “Hope.” —Pat Hould, Lewistown
members would surprise most teachers, Most principals try to be transparent
Junior High School
say our hardworking principals. “I’m about what the evaluation is all about, “Recognition by parents, community
on the phone, e-mailing, and in meetings giving teachers time to prepare in and local business people that teachers
with parents and community members advance. Some principals prefer a struc- are working on a professional level
every day,” says Roberta M. Ellis of tured approach, using teaching rubrics and have successes with students
Brawley Middle School. and a self-assessment process to aug- every day.” —Ron Landman, Swampscott
Most school leaders average three ment classroom observations. Others
Middle School
or four parent interactions every day. are more laid back. “Money—Utah pays less per student
Marcia Parrott of Miraloma Elementary Larry R. Barnes of Milford Elementary than any other state.” —Larry R. Barnes,
says she thinks teachers would be says he’s in and out of the classroom a
Milford Elementary School
amazed at how much planning and time lot, “taking little snapshots of what’s “I’d ask them individually what would
goes into avoiding nasty surprises, going on.” He’s worked hard to avoid the make their jobs easier, and give them
anticipating problems, and working the tension and punitive feeling that can be that.” —Cynthia A. Quezada, Kimberly
system behind the scenes. part of these observations, and in fact,
Elementary School
Daniel Matthews of Northview High Milford teachers now ask Barnes to “Release time: time to meet and talk
says that teachers might be surprised come into their classrooms when they and reflect and share.” —Marcia Parrott,
at how many gut-wrenching problems need feedback or help with a lesson
Miraloma Elementary School
their students have, and how much time instead of waiting around to be told “Facilities! And a laptop that they could
he spends as a social worker, trying to what they might be doing wrong. take home with them.” —Roberta M. Ellis,
help kids find solutions. Pat Hould, principal of Lewistown Brawley Middle School
And Bob Cancro, principal of the Junior High says he rarely has anything “Six full days of conferences with fami-
Monmouth County Academy, says the big in hand when he comes into a classroom lies a year, rather than two, and six three-
shocker for most teachers would be that to evaluate a teacher. He asks the day weekends off for teachers to spend
he loves his job! “Teachers tell me they teacher what they’re hoping to do in a with their own families.” —Daniel
wouldn’t change jobs with me for any- particular lesson, and looks for evidence
Matthews, Northview High School
thing,” Cancro notes. “What they don’t that it’s working. “I would give my teachers a well-
see is that I’m involved in everything. I’m Mike Scholz, principal at Mascoutah deserved pay raise!” —Sharon I. Byrdsong,
elbow-deep in really exciting ideas every High says principals have a responsibility
Azalea Gardens Middle School
day. I get to see every classroom, I see here too. He says it’s impossible for him “Understanding, compassion and
great teaching. It’s not all drudgery and to be an expert in all subject areas, so he respect.” —Barbara Menard,
paper pushing.” spends a lot of time reading and attending
Burrillville High School
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INSTRUCTOR MAY/JUNE 2006
INST 8 • toughtopic.07 4/14/08 4:07 PM Page 67
(Challenging Behavior... the disability and the need of the child and that can ratchet up burnout,” says
Continued from page 27) because of the disability, then you can Lisa Thomas, assistant director of educa-
“The best thing is to demand access to structure the situation so the child tional issues at the American Federation
student files quickly and get information doesn’t behave poorly.” of Teachers. Advocate for support per-
from the previous educator who had n HAVE A PLAN AND REVIEW IT. The team sonnel, paraprofessionals, and teacher
expertise on what did or didn’t work,” that knows and works with the student mentors to assist yourself and other,
says McIntire. There is an assumption should develop a contingency plan for more novice, teachers.
that there is an efficient exchange of when aggressive behavior happens, says n SEEK TRAINING. “The behaviors I see
information, but in fact the level of com- Rosemarie Young, a principal in are more challenging than in the past
munication varies from case to case. Louisville, Kentucky, and past president and teachers need training,” says
n KEEP EVERYONE IN THE LOOP. of the NAESP. She advocates monthly Masterson. “They need to know how to
“Make sure everyone who works with team meetings to give progress reports de-escalate a potentially volatile situa-
the child is included in decisions,” says and discuss the roles in serving some of tion.” This means training on body pos-
Sue Masterson, a principal in Janesville, the most challenging students. ture, choice of words, and more, she says.
Wisconsin, and president of the National “Suspension and expulsion should be n WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS.
Association of Elementary School our last resorts,” says Skiba. “Schools Today’s parents are more educated and
Principals. It’s crucial that the parents should have the right to remove children equipped with information to lobby for
agree with the plan and that they keep who are dangerous to themselves or the rights of their children with disabili-
you informed about the behavior chal- others. But it can be a crutch used in ties. “When you deal with our children,
lenges of their child. the absence of clear expectations, well- you are dealing with our hearts. Schools
Nelson suggests that teachers need to trained staff, school-wide rules, and need to know that,” says Sherri Trapp,
identify and address the child’s underly- preventive options.” whose 12-year-old son Tyler is autistic.
ing problems. McIntire adds: “In most n ASKFORHELP. “Often the most diffi- “Our children are just as special as all
cases, if you understand the nature of cult kids are put with the best teachers the other kids.” nn
(What’s on Your Principal’s Mind? ... principal to the cafeteria workers, hear his or her side of things and
Continued from page 35) everyone takes part. The caveat is that respond to the complaint. Finally, she
seminars to prepare for his own staff members receive extra money for brings both parties together. She gives
job of evaluator. the skills that they themselves demon- them options as to how to proceed and
strate. “It’s not tied to student out- lets them decide. “It’s my job to resolve
PRINCIPAL INSIGHT #10: comes,” notes Chan, “and only a very problems,” she says, “but I don’t believe
How do you view merit pay? small portion is even tied to school per- there’s just one solution to anything.”
formance.” Merit pay aside, principals
Bob Cancro of Monmouth County wish they could pay teachers more PRINCIPAL INSIGHT #12:
Academy says there’s no way to be across the board, though many would What are your ultimate
objective about merit pay, and that’s the also like to ditch the tenure system.
goals as principal?
problem. “You can’t control who comes
into a classroom,” he explains. “How do PRINCIPAL INSIGHT #11: Raising student achievement, providing
you equalize the roster and compare a What do you do when a parent a safe and exciting learning environment,
teacher of AP calculus to a teacher who offering teachers all the resources possi-
complains about a teacher?
has eight special education students?” ble to teach students – these top the
The hardest thing about merit pay, The first step in dealing with parental list of goals for most of our principals.
says Ron Landman of Swampscott complaints is usually to ask whether the But they also point to a ‘higher goal’,
Middle School, is that education is a con- parent has spoken to the teacher yet. one that drives them and is the reason
tinuum, and a second-grade teacher may Most principals want the two to meet many went into education in the first
be reaping the benefits of what the child before taking any action. Dr. Yvonne place. “When I leave, of course I want
learned the year before. How is it fair Chan does things a little differently, to leave the school in better shape than
that a teacher gets a bonus for that? though. She says she’ll meet alone with when I arrived,” explains Larry R.
But Yvonne Chan is a fan of these the parent to help him or her frame the Barnes of Milford Elementary. “But
bonuses—to a point. She says Vaughn issues so that they are less emotionally what I really want is to have made a
Next Century Learning Center has a fraught. She’ll investigate the problem, difference to students.”There’s some-
performance pay system, and from the then meet with the teacher privately to thing you two have in common! nn
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INSTRUCTOR MAY/JUNE 2006