Ten Things I Have Learned As A School Administrator
Teaching is tough. Really tough. Having made the switch from teaching after 12 years in the classroom to becoming an administrator – four years as an assistant principal and one as assistant director of special education, there is much that I have learned during my tenure as an administrator.
1. People are your priority
We are in the people business. The business of educating children. The business of educating the next generation of pilots, doctors, lawyers, chefs, teachers, carpenters, plumbers etc. Our teachers are at the forefront of this. Every person in a school is important. Every person has a role to play in the school. The custodians who work tirelessly from cleaning when a child has been ill in a classroom to make sure the school is spick and span when the new school year begins in September to ensure the students’ desks are at the right height! The secretaries who work all summer and during the year manage the day-to-day administration. The lunch monitors give teachers that much-needed break at lunch and watch over our students during recess. The nurses who mend the boo-boos and have dealt with the Covid pandemic and of course our teachers. Our teachers, who not only teach, but often also take on many other roles including surrogate mom and dad, nutritionists, and so on. And our mental health teams, who work with some of our most challenged students in need of support. What I have learned is to respect and value each and every member of the school community. Each has its own important role to play, and each is vital to the success of every child in the school. As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child.
2. Be Kind
This does not take much but is so important. All of us are like icebergs. We often only see the tip of the iceberg but most of what makes up a person is under the surface which we don’t see. Teachers come to work, day after day, and put on a brave face. Maybe they don’t feel well that day or had a fight with their partner. We all have the stresses and strains of everyday life and often we can hide in our office, go for a walk or simply be by ourselves. Teachers cannot do that. They have to “keep calm and carry on,” when the last thing they feel like doing sometimes is ‘keeping calm and carrying on.” Be kind to our students too. That child in your office who has been caught in a fight or not completing their homework may have not had a meal last night. That child’s parents may be going through a horrible divorce or have lost their jobs. It does not take much to be kind, but it makes a whole world of difference to the person you are being kind to.
3. Look after yourself
Being an administrator is tough. You must be all things to all people. Their boss, their confidant, their psychologist, and their educational leader all at the same time. The same with our students. Often it is us, the administrators, who must deliver bad news to a parent or a student. It is vital that we as administrators take time for ourselves and do something that makes us happy. For me, it is flying. I have been a pilot for nearly 35 years and being in an airplane is my happy place. Being at a small local airport is my happy place. Whatever it is that you like to do, take time, and look after yourself both physically and mentally.
4. Listen more than you speak
If you are not already, learn to be an active listener. Sometimes people need to be able to just vent. They are not looking for you as an administrator to solve an issue. They just want to be heard. Show you are listening. Show you care. It pays huge dividends down the line. This article/website explores some ways you can increase your active listening skills. https://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/ActiveListening.htm
5. You cannot plan for everything
As administrators, we try and plan for every eventuality. That is a great and important part of being a school administrator. That said, there are times when we can’t plan, such as when unexpected things happen. I used to be a Commissioned Officer in the Royal Air Force reserve in a “previous life.” I remember, during my Officer training, that it was instilled in us that when something doesn’t go to plan – improvise, adapt, and overcome. That adage remains the same in school. If a situation happens that you were not expecting or planning for – improvise, adapt, and overcome. In Bruna Martinuzzi’s article, “The Agile Leader: Adaptability,” she describes how mental scripts can often create rigid ways of thinking, resulting in us overlooking new opportunities. The ability to improvise your plans and adapt your ideas when facing changing circumstances will enable you to transcend challenges. The bottom line is that we cannot expect yesterday’s thinking to bring success today.
6. Sometimes you must be the “bad” guy
One of the competencies of being a leader is sometimes having to be the “bad guy.” Whether this is delivering bad news to a parent, a student or a teacher, it never ever gets easier. Telling a teacher that they are being excessed or telling a parent that their child’s team is recommending retention is tough. Giving a teacher a disciplinary letter is never easy either. My advice, (and I was in HR before I became a teacher and delivered bad news on a regular basis) is to depersonalize the news and most importantly – do it with empathy and compassion. This is an interesting article from the Harvard Business Review on how to deliver bad news. https://hbr.org/2002/09/a-better-way-to-deliver-bad-news
7. Don’t let parents walk all over you
Maybe this is a little controversial, but I think it makes it into my top 10. There are those parents, and we have all had them, that think their child’s teacher is failing their child, who think that we are doing a bad job, who think that we should be running our school “their way”, who tell you “my child never does that at home.” Sometimes parents are in denial about a problem or an issue. So how have I dealt with these parents over the years? I listen, I empathize, but ultimately, I do what I believe is right for the student. Ultimately, we are the leaders of our buildings and run our schools the best way possible. Communicate with parents, but always remember the important job you have.
8. Support, support, support
Teachers have so much on their plates right now. From learning Google Classroom to wearing masks all day to having to learn new curricula – this is where our leadership skills must shine. Yes, we have directives given to us from our district. It is up to us to implement these with fidelity. So, support, support, support. Be the leader who is prepared to help with lesson planning, extrapolate data, and facilitate meaningful meetings. If a teacher has a challenging student – help. Maybe take that child for a period to give the teacher a break. Help with technology. Leaders lead from the front. You want your teachers using Plickers or Flipgrid, know Plickers or Flipgrid. During the pandemic, I learned Google Classroom – not because I needed to use it, but because I wanted to ensure I could support those who I supervise who had to use it.
9. Go into classrooms and help, not just observe
Way too often, when I have walked into a classroom, I have seen the teacher stiffen up. Their immediate reaction was, “can I help you?” It shouldn’t be like that. Just because an administrator walks into a classroom, doesn’t mean anything bad! I used to walk in and ask how I could help. I remember one class was reading Harry Potter. I am English by birth. I offered to sit and read a few pages to the kids and emulate Harry Potter’s accent – I could do it better than anyone else in the room!!! I went into a classroom once and could see the teacher was having a rough day. I love teaching math, so I offered to teach a math lesson. I am sure it was “effective”, perhaps not “highly effective” but it gave the teacher a break. My principal did the same for me when I was having a rough day and I for her. She wanted to go and get a coffee and some fresh air. Ultimately, we need to have each other’s backs.
10. Have fun
Being an educator can be the most rewarding, as well as difficult, job there is. The bottom line is, we all spend 182+ days at school with hundreds of students. Have fun with it. In my experience, no one will look down on us for having fun at work. If we have fun, the kids will have fun. If the kids have fun, they will learn. The other lesson I have learned both in the military and in education is not to take ourselves so seriously. We all want the best for students but we can have a lot of fun along the way. I think teachers will respect us for that!.
These are the top ten things that I have learned. What are yours?