Comments on: Learning by teaching

By: Scott

Scott — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 03:06:54 +0000

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!

By: ladydiwyo

ladydiwyo — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 15:49:55 +0000

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.

By: Crying inside because of the loss of WAPFChapter.com

Crying inside because of the loss of WAPFChapter.com — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 23:34:13 +0000

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By: Brian Wolcott

Brian Wolcott — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:24:23 +0000

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.

By: Danielle

Danielle — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 23:40:36 +0000

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.

By: Darren Draper

Darren Draper — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 21:46:44 +0000

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.

By: Geir

Geir — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 09:57:54 +0000

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.

By: Scott

Scott — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 04:34:52 +0000

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."

By: Ben

Ben — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 04:03:25 +0000

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?

By: Scott

Scott — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 16:59:25 +0000

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."