This site is a class blog space for new Career and Technical Specializations and Heathcare Science teachers enrolled in the New Teacher Institute (NTI) at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
What I've learned about administrators...
The most important thing I have learned this year about my school administration is that consistency and support are so important. I think we have a great admin team and they are all easy to approach with any issues, concerns, venting, etc. I have taken the same approach as Brandon as far as trying to stand out and support them as much as possible so that when the time comes, they will help/support me. I think a lot of teachers make the mistake of being afraid or not wanting to voice an opinion, concern. I have found that honesty and being straight forward is valuable. Building a relationship with all of them is important because they are in place to support the staff and the school, so why not talk to the people that are on your team? I wish at times that our admin was more consistent with discipline, communication, and just following up on what is said. I also wish our admin - and our staff - would really clamp down on certain issues that would make our school better. I think too many people bend rules, don't enforce them, or don't care about character or teaching life skills. That needs to change. I also think that we as teachers don't always know what goes on in schools - what issues admin have to deal with that can totally make their day hectic or a nightmare compared to our one kid who won't stop talking. I think if more teachers would talk to their admin they would be less hesitant or more understanding as to why they may not have a lot of patience at the moment or seem flustered, etc. Building relationships is what its all about - between you and the staff, custodians, admin, students, parents, etc. Education is a team effort.
I agree on some of the things you talked about, like the part of being a team. I feel teachers and administration should work together. At my school, our administration seems to want to micro-manage every thing. I understand they have a lot to deal with and my one student that will not stop talking is not that important. That one student does not really bother me either, but for some reason, it bothers our administration. They would rather me to have a construction class to appear like a library, quiet and no one walking around. I'm sorry , but there are more important things to worry about.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything you said. Good, strong communication is so vital. Some of our teachers do not enforce the same rules all of us are supposedly required to do. When administrators are not consistant or choose to bend the rules to often, then problems happen. Everyone has to be on the same page.
ReplyDelete