It’s been 6 years since I last taught a math class. I can’t believe it’s been that long, but I’m back in the saddle again this year. I’m doing a small “favor” for our math department as we came up a little short on funding and a little long on students. One period per semester, or 90 minutes every other day, I go from being the administrator to being the teacher. My way of lightening the load on the rest of the department.
I’m going to go out on a limb and say that (1) every administrator should do this from time to time, and (2) being an administrator has made me a better teacher. Even a little bit of experience in the admin office can give you a whole new perspective. You see, this is also the second year out of three that I’ve had an administrative intern with me. It’s truly enjoyable to watch their attitudes mature as they see things from an administrative perspective. I’m lead to believe that quality leadership experiences positively affect classroom teaching.
For one, you get a more global perspective. When I was in the classroom I saw things from my perspective. I didn’t fully understand why, as a “floating” (read: cart) teacher that I couldn’t have a certain room during a certain period. It made perfect sense to me so why didn’t the dumb administrators see that? What I failed to understand is that my moving room-to-room one time kept someone newer from moving three times.
Second, and arguably most important, there is no “higher power.” There is no magic that happens in my office. The irony of this kind of struck me as I stood in front of my class this fall for the first time in six years. I’ve never been one to have tons of rules and consequences, choosing instead to rely on humor and respect to get me through, but our school has enacted (yet another) new tardy policy and I felt that since I was teaching I’d better be darn sure I was on board with it.
So I stood there, explaining the policy on the first day to my 12th graders: “OK. So in the unlikely event that you get to five tardies — which you won’t — I’m supposed to write a referral to your administrator. Er — um — me, I guess.” Kind of funny, I thought. After all, what “magic” would I conjure in the office that I couldn’t work here in the classroom? I tried again: “Listen, guys – bottom line? Let’s all be here on time and I promise not to waste yours, K?”
When a kid comes to me for excessive tardies, we shake hands and introduce ourselves (if we don’t already know each other) and sit down at the small, round table in my office. I ask them what’s up, chat about their classes a bit, and finally get down to why they’re there. Is it oversleeping? Is there too much traffic coming back from lunch? What’s the story? As much as I have enjoyed our conversation, I’d like to see you in here next time for something positive – so let’s work through this ’cause, really, you don’t need this hassle, right? What are some things you can do to get here earlier? How can I help you with that? And that’s usually about it. It’s rare that a kid comes back for the same thing. And I’ve got a friend for life!
Without fail, my intern will turn to me when the kid leaves and say, “That’s it?” “Yup. Now you take the next one…”
See – it’s not that I am condoning a kid’s tardiness, but it’s so important that we take the teim to work with kids instead of against them. More often than I’d like, I’ll hear things like, “My mom has to work at 4am and I have to drop my brother off at elementary school before I get here. The traffic is so bad at the drop-off that I’m late every morning. It’s usually only 4 or 5 minutes, though. And I really need this class to graduate.”
So, yeah. I deal with every kid as an individual when they come to my office. Because they’ve got issues that I only ever saw on after-school specials when I was a kid. And that’s a huge lesson that I’ve brought back into the classroom. It’s also a lesson that I try to help my interns understand. I can hire someone who knows math or English or science, but it’s a little harder to find a teacher who is willing to work with kids. To listen to them. To really hear what they’re saying and take it to heart in a way that’s more meaningful than, “What rules do you think we should have in this class?”
I guess standing in front of that room of seniors going over the new rule on tardies I just sort of realized that if every teacher figured out that they could do this on their own, I’d be out of a job. Except for all but the most egregious offenses, it really could start and end in the classroom.
Scott, Wonderful attitude toward your students. Expecting the best from them despite school policy. Now, what can you do about the punitive policies?
That one is much harder because more than reframing things in just my mind, it involves affecting an entire school culture that has functioned this way for years. This admin team is in its second year here, though, and I think we’ve gone a long way toward leading this change through setting our own example.
In the behaviorist tradition, there are a LOT of punitive policies here designed to discourage bad behavior by applying various levels of unpleasantness to kids so they will “learn their lesson.”
I was glad to hear you take each student as an individual when dealing with “negative” meetings. I had a principal that tried doing the same, but was criticized heavily by a group of teachers for not being “consistant.” To me, consistent should be what is best for the student, followed by what is best for the school culture. Any similar experiences in your time as an administrator?
On occasion I’ve heard that. The thing is, though, I can sleep a lot better at night knowing that I’ve done right by a kid.
Also, if there’s a time that I think something like that might come up I will generally make it a point to talk to that teacher directly before they hear about it in the lounge. Overwhelmingly I’ve found that by laying it out for the teacher it goes down easier. Even if they don’t necessarily agree, at least they can see why I made the decision that I did.
Also, I’m fortunate to work for a principal who feels exactly the same. So when I heard a complaint last year and asked for his advice he said, “Don’t change a thing. Keep doing the right thing for kids.”
Just one comment here: I believe every adminsitrator should have at least a couple of hours in the classroom every week. My experience is that the best schools are the ones where the teachers and the administration emphatize with each other.
Hello Scott,
I enjoyed reading your post but would take an alternative stance. In my opinion, I think it would help every teacher to spend a day in your shoes, instead of the other way around.
If teachers had more time to view life from outside of their classrooms, I think they would gain better perspective – enabling them to return with vigor. Like Geir says above, empathy is something that would be nice to possess on all fronts.
Getting to know your students on a personal level instead of just a number in a grade book will greatly help your classroom management. Asking why students are tardy is a great way to get to know them but like you said they also need to meet with the students for a positive reason.
Scott, I am now a principal (5 years) and hav ebeen a former Dean of Students (discipline) and couldn’t agree more with your assertion that administrators need to be in the class at times. You were fortunate to ‘help out’ and I agree with your methodology for handling the tardies. I also was on a cart and now have to assign some to travel….bottom line, I could really relate.
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This is a great posting. I have seen the affect of positive discipline and it is amazing to watch the students transform into the great kids they are. I have also been on the other side where the students have taken advantage of the administrator and their behavior hasn’t changed for the better. I have had some experiences of being the principal and it has been an eye opener. It has been over three principals, during those times, I have learned from each of them. I have found the most effective is the way you explained above is the most rewarding for kids. They realize they are human and we treat them as such. To have an administrator in the classroom teaching is a powerful tool. It helps teachers see they are not above them, we are a team working together to accomplish a goal.
Thanks, Lady Di. I have really enjoyed being in the classroom again. And I’ve found that it has, indeed, earned me some credibility with the faculty that I’m willing to “walk the walk” in my own classroom.
Thanks for reading!