"The most important thing I've learned about working with my school administrators in the past term/year is . . . "

The most important thing I've learned about working with my school administrators in the past term/year is that when it comes to the students and teachers you need to do what you say you are going to do. Whether you are holding students and/or teachers accountable or rewarding them for an outstanding job well done, you need to make sure you follow through on what you have said will take place. Adolescents follow more of what we do than what we say. If there are school and county rules that need to be upheld and they are not then that sends a message to the students that rules are meant to be broken. Likewise if you have teachers that have poor classroom management and/or poor teaching habits without any consequence then you continue to invite disorder and conflict into the school. On the other hand, students and teachers that are doing the right thing deserve to be congratulated and not left to bear the blanketed consequences of the few that are upholding the responsibilities and duties.

I have also learned that everything you say and do with a fellow teacher, student or parent needs to be documented. Issues that are represented in black and white are difficult to dispute and protect all parties involved. And when these issues are documentes your administration needs to kept in the loop so that they are not broad-sided by the issue at a later time. I have learned that administrators are not perfect and that it is okay to express your opinions about issues in an effort to resolve them and improve the instructional environment.