This past school year was my first year in my current high school, along with my principal, who was moving up from his post as principal of the feeder middle school.
During the first formal meeting with our teachers, I made a promise "to be in their classrooms more than any assistant principal they had ever worked with". I stressed the importance of their instruction to contain rigor and relevance, as well as the maximization of instructional time.
I felt it was crucial for my teachers to feel my presence in the classroom and share the importance of the day-to-day instruction. Since I was "new" to the students, it was crucial for the students to feel my presence in the classroom, as well.
Early on, it was evident that the students were used to administration coming into the classroom primarily if "the teacher was in trouble". To alter this belief, I made sure to interact with the students during my Walk-Through's as much as possible without disrupting the instructional environment.
My consistency in the classrooms allowed me to focus on providing feedback to the teachers, usually via email. I made a personal goal of sharing feedback to at least five teachers per week on the three areas: classroom environment, content, and instructional strategies. I also would include suggestions for improvement or even differentiation ideas based on my experience as an instructional leader.
The teachers were very appreciative on my clear focus to be IN the classroom, and this continued to remain a focus throughout the entire year. I believe my teachers are looking forward to this continuing in the future.
This past school year was my first year in my current high school, along with my principal, who was moving up from his post as principal of the feeder middle school.
ReplyDeleteDuring the first formal meeting with our teachers, I made a promise "to be in their classrooms more than any assistant principal they had ever worked with". I stressed the importance of their instruction to contain rigor and relevance, as well as the maximization of instructional time.
I felt it was crucial for my teachers to feel my presence in the classroom and share the importance of the day-to-day instruction. Since I was "new" to the students, it was crucial for the students to feel my presence in the classroom, as well.
Early on, it was evident that the students were used to administration coming into the classroom primarily if "the teacher was in trouble". To alter this belief, I made sure to interact with the students during my Walk-Through's as much as possible without disrupting the instructional environment.
My consistency in the classrooms allowed me to focus on providing feedback to the teachers, usually via email. I made a personal goal of sharing feedback to at least five teachers per week on the three areas: classroom environment, content, and instructional strategies. I also would include suggestions for improvement or even differentiation ideas based on my experience as an instructional leader.
The teachers were very appreciative on my clear focus to be IN the classroom, and this continued to remain a focus throughout the entire year. I believe my teachers are looking forward to this continuing in the future.