Taking Responsibility

In Your responsibility preference from Seth Godin's Blog, Seth Godin,

“Like our control preference, responsibility is a learned skill.”

Years ago, when I was the new head of our department, I learned that a teacher sent a letter home with her students that had erroneous information about our special education students staying home during exams. A parent had called to complain and I was called into the principal’s office and asked to investigate the situation. When I reported that the letter was sent home, I expected my principal to try to sweep it under the rug like some administrators of previous schools where I had worked. Since I had little experience with being an administrator, I didn’t know how to handle this situation. Instead, this principal told me to compose a letter of apology for him to send home with those students. He just wanted us to admit it was an error and it would be corrected. He didn’t give excuses or rationals for what happened. Instead, he said what we would do to correct this problem.

He was truly a role model of what I always thought an administrator should be.

Whenever I faced a problem after that, I would ask myself what my principal would do and it was usually the right thing to do. I learned that it was important to accept responsibility and face up to my errors.

As a child, I was taught to face up to my mistakes and do what is right but it is different when you are in the workplace and supervisors above you have a different opinion. New teachers face this dilemma often. How do new teachers reconcile the two different values? My answer is that if your administration doesn’t have the same values as you, it is time to move on.

Every school that I left usually involved a difference of values. My first Principal wanted me to lie so that we could avoid a conflict. My second Principal want me to lie to a group because he was put into a difficult situation and didn’t want to look like the bad guy. The third Principal I had wanted me to lie in court so I could support his disciplinary actions towards a student. I left all of those positions because my values are important to me. My last position was with an administration that had the same values as me and I was extremely happy teaching there.

There is no shame in leaving a position to find a better position. Don’t stay in a place where you are not happy. Life is too short to do this.

Have you left a position that didn’t have the same values as you? Please share.

Photo by krakenimages on Unsplash

Recycling Myself Part 2

This is Part 2 of Recycling Myself and here is another popular post from the past:

What Does Administrative Support Mean?

I still think that teacher’s views and expectations about this are different than an administrator’s views and expectations. Without more communication between the two, there will always be misunderstand and discontent on both sides. But, how do we open up the lines of communication and how do both sides compromise to come to a common understanding? That is up to each individual school and I don’t think there is a specific recipe for solving this problem.

I’d love to know if you agree or disagree and why! Please share!

Image: 'Recycle Logo From Recycling Bin'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34331948@N06/3566044905
Found on flickrcc.net

Empowered by Leadership

In What ways has leadership empowered you to become a better teacher? Dean Shareski asks,

“What ways has leadership empowered you to become a better teacher?”

The principal that I remember the most is the one who influenced me the most. I probably grew the most professionally under him and he was the one that I spent the least amount of years with during my teaching career.

Here are ways that his leadership had empowered me:

He believed in me and never showed any doubt in my ability to be a good teacher.

He made me feel appreciated by what he said to me and the things he noticed that I did. He might mention this at a faculty meeting or even drop a short note in my mailbox.

He asked my opinion about how his decisions might affect my students. This may not have changed his decision but he let me know that my input helped him with his decision making. Sometimes it did change his decision.

He didn’t show favoritism to some teachers over others and tried to be fair and consistent.

His door was always open to teachers and if we had a problem, we knew we could go to him.

He encouraged me to try new things with the philosophy that if it didn’t work, we would just try something else. It never hurt to try.

He expected more of me than I thought I could do and I rose to the occasion. (I think I need to do that more with my students.) I accomplished what he asked and even surprised myself.

He encouraged me to grow professionally and made sure that I had opportunities to do so.

He treated teachers as professionals and expected them to act that way. Sometimes some administrators treat teachers as if they are the students.

This administrator stands out so much in my mind and I will never forget him. I truly believe it is his actions that helped me be a better teacher.

Image: 'Chapter 6: Empowering Self, Empowering Others'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/59217476@N00/6156596701

Dear Principal

When I read What Do Teachers Need From Administrators? (Day 1) by Brian Crosby, it really made me think about how I would respond to this. I thought I would write it in letter form as if a principal asked me this question. First, let me give you some background. I have been a public school teacher for 30 years and now teaching on the university level. In this newest position I am able to be the “principal” of a summer school that we hold for teachers to get experience with working with students who have learning and emotional difficulties. I wish more administrators would ask this question but wish even more that some administrators would listen. Keep in mind that I realize that sometimes as teachers, we need to make sure that our requests are realistic also. So, without further ado, here is my letter.

Dear Principal,

Thank you for asking this question of me. Here are some suggestions that I have for this.

I need to be treated like a professional. I spend all day with students and sometimes their behavior rubs off on me and it shows. I’m sorry for that. But I need to know that you see me as a professional and treat me this way. If I need to leave the campus during my free time, allow me this opportunity because I spend tons of my own time doing things for my classroom. For those teachers that abuse this opportunity, take that privilege away from them but don’t punish me for their faults.

Be supportive and back me up in front of students and parents. If there is any question about the situation, announce that it will be investigated but don’t humiliate me in front of students or parents, even if I am wrong. Later, I can come back and apologize or take necessary steps to fix the problem but we all make mistakes at one time or another and deserve to be treated with respect.

Ask for my input when making a decision that will affect me. Let me give reasons why I think we should do something. Open up the dialogue for discussion. Even if the decision isn’t made in my favor, I will feel more in control because I was able to give my opinion.

Before we start something new, make sure that we all have the appropriate training necessary to succeed at our new task.

Make sure that I have the tools necessary to do all that you require of me.

Give me a chance to try something new if I think it would work. Your trust in me helps me succeed. Believing in me is a forward step towards my success.

Encourage me to collaborate with other teachers at my school, district, state, or globally. More brains are better than one.

Understand that I have a life outside my job and that my family comes first. Do not make me feel guilty when I have to choose my family over my job if I have the days available to me.

When you send for me to come to your office, please give me a hint about why you want to see me. Nothing is worse than my imagination running wild until I can meet with you. I also will be able to come to your office better prepared to answer any questions you might have if I know in advance what you need from me.

Be fair. Everyone knows when someone else is treated differently than someone else even if no one says it aloud. It really hurts morale.

Recognize me when I have done something good for my students, or received positive feedback from parents. I know you have no control over my paycheck but appreciation and acknowledgement goes a long way.

Thank you for listening to me! Asking me this question already shows what a caring principal you are!

Now what would you tell your principal if you were asked this question?

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original image: 'Letterwriting'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/51035734296@N01/65917688 by: Gene Han

Getting Requests Granted

In Who doesn't get it? from Blue Skunk Blog by Doug Johnson, he states,

“We can offer the very best hammer in the world, but if your principal really needs is a saw, having a great hammer is immaterial. They get ‘it’ that you have a good hammer - it just isn't relevant.

Please stop saying, ‘They just don't get it.’ It may reflect on your lack of empathy and understanding, not your principal's.”

I remember as being head of the department, many times my department would have many requests. At the times, they felt their requests should be met because they were important to their classroom. When department heads met with the principal, we all would share our department requests but not all of them were granted. I learned a lot from these meetings because it gave me an idea of the bigger picture. The principal is gathering information from each department and is making decisions that will have the most positive impact on the greatest number of people. I’m not sure many teachers realize this because they tend to have tunnel vision about their own situation. It was really hard for me to go back to my department and let them know that their requests were denied. In fact, some teachers felt like I was not doing my job because of this and were quite upset. Thankfully the administration supported me and met with these teachers.

I think the way we need to convince administrators or anyone else in fact, is to show how our request can help a great number of people. If we can support our requests with data and examples, an administrator may be more agreeable to granting a request. As a taxpayer, I would want to get more bang for my buck so I’m glad that an administrator is watching out for my tax money in this way.

If I had a request, I would seek out people in other departments and see if I could find a way that they could benefit from my request being granted. It would also let me see how my request would affect them and see it from a different perspective. In fact, it might help make my request even stronger. By collaborating with others, I would be able to add things to my request that might make it seem more advantageous for the whole school.

After I wrote up my request, I would show some data or evidence of how many students it would impact. Maybe I would show the numbers according to grade levels or by classes or even by departments. Whichever I use, I would be able to show the administrator the bigger picture.

If my request gets denied, I would ask the administrator if there was anything that I could have adjusted or added to make it better for the next time I submit it. This feedback would help me with this request as well as others that I might make in the future.

I know that all of this will take time but I believe it would be worth it in the long run. A well thought out plan will be evident when the administrator is trying to make a decision. If a plan has too many unknowns, it is less likely to be granted. Covering all possible avenues would show that this is important to me and that I put a lot of hard work into preparing this proposal. This is not a request submitted impulsively.

Do you have any other suggestions that could help someone requesting something? Please share.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original image: '3D Character and Question Mark'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40780016@N02/3915514014

Customer Service

In Hands Up, not Hands Out. from PrincipalsPage The Blog by Michael Smith, he says,

“In this age of cutbacks, I think you will see teachers, administrators, and school employees doing even more than usual.”

When I went to an office today, I also saw a wonderful poster about customer service. It said “Always give the customer more than they expect.”

Both of these made me reflect on how much we do in the classroom. We are not just teachers but many times we act as a nurturer, nurse, mediator, and entertainer, just to mention a few things. I used to always complain that the more I do, the more people expect from me.

Customer service is the hardest thing I tried to teach my high school students before they went to a jobsite. It is hard to explain how sometimes, the simplest things you do for others can really go a long way.

The same thing goes for the classroom too. Sometimes it isn’t our job to do things but when I go out of the way, seeing the pleasure on a student’s face or the look of gratitude on a colleague’s face makes it all worthwhile. Many times I have been the lucky recipient of nice things back and I truly believe that what goes around comes around. Often, I have to ask for help or a favor from others and it is much easier if I know that I have done things for others.

I’m not saying that everyone is grateful for my help all of the time or if they even notice that I’ve gone out of my way. Sometimes I feel bitter and resentful when I feel as if I’m the one doing all the giving and others seem to do all of the taking. Yes, I get discouraged like others about this but in the long run, the scale has been on the positive side than the other.

You might disagree but I also believe that it is okay to toot your own horn when necessary. How will people know all of the things that you do if you don’t tell them. I don’t mean to brag about it in a snarky kind of way but it is okay for others to know about your actions and how much you accomplished. This may pay off later when you are asking for something or if you need something. Somewhere in the conversation you can bring up things you have done to benefit this person or the people that this person serves.

I feel like if we all had this attitude of giving, we would be a better place. And what a wonderful role model we could be for our students. It seems like I spend a lot of time telling my students about the things they should do but I wonder if I am showing them with my actions as well as my words.

I have called students’ homes in order to share with parents about all the wonderful activities we are doing in the classroom. Monthly newsletters are a great way to share this information with families as well and I make sure my administration gets a copy of this newsletter too. This information is also listed on my web page in case family or friends of the family are interested in these activities. If something special is happening with my class, I may invite the school board to the event and even if they don’t come to it, they are aware of something happening. Some of them might even email a special note to my class about it. If I’ve had an elected official speak to the class, I always invite my administrators to stop in and welcome them which seem to be appreciated by both parties.

These may seem like little things to you but I find it is the little things that matter. I don’t have to have some great big declaration or gala to let others know about the extra things that I do. Yet, I don’t have to let them go unnoticed. If it ever comes down to choosing me over someone else for possible job cuts, I think the extra things I do will help sway the decision making process to my side. The extra things may be what it takes for me to be successful in my career as well as helping my students be successful.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original image: 'I wanna hold your hand'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10488545@N05/1865482908 by: Josep Mª Rosell

Getting Your Administration On Board

In 7 steps to success when working with administrators from Dangerously Irrelevant by dr.scott.mcleod@gmail.com (Scott McLeod), he gives a list of things that technology integrationists can do to assist their principals and superintendents. This made me think that about actual ways to show how technology actually works in the classroom. I think if people can see real life examples of the way things work, it is easier for them to understand how this might work in their particular situation. Suppose you had some software that you think the entire school should know about and use because it will enhance instruction and improve student achievement. Here are ways you can go about getting your administration on board.

1. Plan your presentation. Practice it in front of someone who can play the devil’s advocate. Note their opposition so that you can come up with answers to counter these negative thoughts.

2. Keep in mind that administrators are busy people and that the world doesn’t revolve around just you. This means that you might have to make an appointment with them and give them a estimate of how much time you need to meet with them. If you need them to come to your classroom to see how something works, make sure you have everything set up before hand and that it all works. If they have to sit there to watch you set it up, you might lose their support. Once you get their support on the actual thing you want them to see, then you can discuss set up and logistics.


3. Give them short examples that show evidence of how things work. As busy people, their attention may wander to other thoughts if you take too long or the presentation is boring.

4. Let them see how this might help more than just in your class. If they can see how it will help more students or teachers, they will feel more justified in helping you.

5. Offer to be the “to go” person if this is implemented. Someone will need to spearhead the training and installation of a program or software that you are trying to implement. Offer to do a presentation to the faculty too. If the administration knows that you will take care of this, it will go a long way to getting it accepted.

6. When the administrator has questions, be prepared to answer them. If you can’t answer them, be honest and do not make up an answer. Offer to get back with them with an answer. Don’t tell them to go somewhere for the answer. If this is a demo piece of software, you might be able to get someone from the company on a Skype call during your presentation to answer any questions that might come up.

7. Make sure you send an email later to thank them for taking the time to hear your presentation.

I think by following these steps, an attempt to persuade the administration to get on board with your ideas would be successful. They might not approve this request immediately, but you will have your foot in the door for future attempts. After seeing the time and effort you put into this presentation, they will know that you are serious about implementing technology in the classroom. A presentation like this might encourage them to think more about the possibilities rather than immediately turning you down.

Original image: '3D Team Leadership Arrow Concept'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22177648@N06/2137729430 by: Scott Maxwell