The readings for this week really transported me back to my days in business classes with the terminology that was used such as stakeholders and managers. I enjoyed these connections the text and article made because I understood it more due to my past experience. The idea that school districts and education as a whole have stakeholders who are students, teachers, administrators, families, the board of education members, and the community (AMLE, 27). I thought the community was a nice touch to be added to the stakeholders because the schools the students produce are going to go right back into the community. Plus, if there are service learning or give back opportunities the community is even more engrossed within the education of the students.
Perhaps it was a lack of looking ahead or preparation but I was not prepared for this week to be all about principals and their importance. The AMLE text comes right out and says it, "it is the middle school principal who has the central role" (28). In the following pages, they mention "that improving schools is a long-term proposition" (29). I thought this tied nicely within the online article when they mention the low performing schools correlate with high turnover for principals. The article goes on to say that a school must have a principal for five to seven years in order to produce a lasting impact. Five to seven years. I'm not sure if I feel like that's a short amount of time or if that's a long amount of time or if it's simply a sweet spot where I can understand that. I guess if we're looking at a middle school five to seven years is at least one full graduating class and possibly two. That seems fair.
The aspect of principals popping into the classroom is the part of this week's reading that I really identified with. I can see the benefit of this but if it's done properly. The book touches on a few instances of when it is done correctly and when it is not. I enjoy the short, sporadic drop-ins, but I also appreciate feedback after. The feedback doesn't have to happen every time, but once in a while just to know they are doing it for a thoughtful purpose is nice.
Professional development is a piece of the puzzle that I think some schools don't put enough importance on and because of that, it shows what's important to their teachers. I think the pool of professional development is truly endless due to social media and globalization of the world. However, it's up to the schools and administration to allow the teachers the time and finances to go to these great experiences.
Perhaps it was a lack of looking ahead or preparation but I was not prepared for this week to be all about principals and their importance. The AMLE text comes right out and says it, "it is the middle school principal who has the central role" (28). In the following pages, they mention "that improving schools is a long-term proposition" (29). I thought this tied nicely within the online article when they mention the low performing schools correlate with high turnover for principals. The article goes on to say that a school must have a principal for five to seven years in order to produce a lasting impact. Five to seven years. I'm not sure if I feel like that's a short amount of time or if that's a long amount of time or if it's simply a sweet spot where I can understand that. I guess if we're looking at a middle school five to seven years is at least one full graduating class and possibly two. That seems fair.
The aspect of principals popping into the classroom is the part of this week's reading that I really identified with. I can see the benefit of this but if it's done properly. The book touches on a few instances of when it is done correctly and when it is not. I enjoy the short, sporadic drop-ins, but I also appreciate feedback after. The feedback doesn't have to happen every time, but once in a while just to know they are doing it for a thoughtful purpose is nice.
Professional development is a piece of the puzzle that I think some schools don't put enough importance on and because of that, it shows what's important to their teachers. I think the pool of professional development is truly endless due to social media and globalization of the world. However, it's up to the schools and administration to allow the teachers the time and finances to go to these great experiences.
Taylor,
ReplyDeleteThe correlation between teacher turnover and school performance also caught my eye. I have long felt that it takes time to step into a role, get acclimated to what that role entails, and then work to find ways to make improvements. There are a lot of recent college grads who have come through my company and seem to have this notion that if they aren’t promoted every 6 months that they have stagnated and move on to another opportunity. It seemed crazy to me to have that expectation. In my first six months I was still learning so much that to be promoted to a higher level never entered my mind. Granted it is a different structure and level of management, it is nice to have some research that reflects my thoughts on longevity adding to effectiveness .
Taylor,
ReplyDeleteI felt the same way. There are a lot of similarities of how schools are being run when compared to businesses. We try not to look at it as a business because students are not paid employees. But having them produce and perform on tests helps with funding. The principals understand that and try to create an environment toward better learning.
You mentioned that you enjoyed sporadic check-ins, listening to a lot of teachers new and old most do not feel the same. Sporadic check-ins can be good as long as it is understood and treated as a check-in, not a micro-management attempt.
Taylor,
ReplyDeleteI really like your thoughts about the term length for a principal. I am from a lower performing school district that serves K-8 students. In my 9 years there, I had 5 principals. Nothing ever really seemed to get better. Making an impact in a school district that is not performing well takes a lot longer than a couple years. I think the 5-7 years is a good start to make a long-term impact on the school district.
I also like your ideas about principals dropping into the classroom. It really gives them an idea of the dynamic of the school, the teachers, and the students. If they're preplanned, that's nice for a more formal evaluation because the teacher and students have some time to prepare. Shorter spontaneous drop-ins are better for showing the class on a day to day basis. Receiving feedback would be the most important part of these because otherwise, we aren't sure if it is going well or not.