Tag: administration

Posted on

It Takes A Village

“It takes a village” is a common saying amongst parents who are referring to the many people who, in one way or another, help raise or care for their children. I love that the word “village” is used rather than “city”– “village” has such a different feel and connotation than “city”. When I think of a village, I think of a very close-knit community, full of people looking out for one another, caring for each other, and helping each other. Thoughts of a city bring to mind lots of movement, people going about their own business, every man for himself, and lots of chaos and noise. A village is a much more welcoming idea.

While parents are typically the ones known for using this common saying, the idea can absolutely be applied to schools as well. I mean, just imagine what would happen if one single person was running the show at a school! It would be nearly impossible for one person to be principal, secretary, lunchroom worker, custodian, aide, librarian, and teacher. The thought alone makes my head spin. 

Rather than placing the load on one person, the work and responsibility is spread out, with each person having their own area of responsibility. The school truly becomes a village as the staff work together to make sure the students have the best experience possible. They all have the students’ best interests in mind, are willing to jump in and help however they can, and are truly looking out for each other. 

Within a school, there are many hands to make this village run smoothly and effectively. In no particular order, some of those are:

  • Aides/Technicians/Paraprofessionals: These amazing individuals often work behind the scenes, making student and teacher life easier. They pull students for remediation, administer tests, reteach concepts, make copies, grade papers, and more. 
  • Speech Therapists/OT Therapists/SPED technicians/Other Therapists: They are constantly helping students reach their IEP goals, make progress, all while helping students gain confidence and pride in themselves!
  • Custodians: Where would we be without them?! From keeping the school clean, mowing the playground grass, shoveling walks after a snow storm, fixing things that break, and so much more, these guys and gals do so much for schools.
  • Food Service Staff: Making sure no student goes hungry, these people work tirelessly to ensure that there are enough hot meals prepped and ready for hungry bellies come lunch time. 
  • Specialist Teachers– art, music, library, PE, computers, etc.: Not only do these teachers get to do a lot of the “fun” stuff, they also help teachers by taking classes for a bit so that those teachers can plan, grade, and prepare. Specialist teachers also teach important skills that often get neglected within mainstream classrooms.
  • School Counselors: These amazing school staff members make sure that students have access to the tools and resources they need to successfully manage and navigate emotions, hard things, and frustration. They offer a listening ear, sound words of advice, and a safe place for students to land.
  • Secretaries: Another essential part of a school’s structure, secretaries handle all the “business” of the school. They take and make phone calls, track attendance, handle financial matters, and keep things running smoothly overall. They are usually the first people school visitors and parents see when they come to the school, and are there to offer a smiling face to all who come to the building.
  • Administration: Principals and vice-principals often take on the harder assignments– disciplining students, making hard phone calls to parents, managing staff member issues, and so forth. But, on the flip side, they get the chance to interact with all of the amazing students and staff at their school. They work tirelessly for their staff and students, and are constantly on the go.
  • Teachers: Where would we be without teachers? Day in and day out, they are there, ready to instruct, ready to love, and ready to take on the exhausting work that is teaching. They spend countless hours preparing lessons and activities. Their days are spent cheering their students on, managing tricky student behaviors, teaching and reteaching concepts, comforting sad students, redirecting, and so much more. Their jobs are often thankless, but the work they do is crucial. 

The next time you’re at your child’s school, be sure to take a minute and thank the village members helping to teach, nurture, and guide your child. Or, the next time you are at work, go out of your way to thank the other people in your village for the ways they help you with your students. It truly does take a village, and the village only becomes stronger as the people support and appreciate each other.

Posted on

Bullying: An Epidemic

One of the jobs of a teacher is to make their classroom a safe place for all students— a place where kids can come and feel like they belong, matter, and are heard. Most teachers I know of do a pretty good job at that, or at least trying their best to do so. Unfortunately, there are some kids who are pretty good at taking a safe place and making it feel not so safe by being a bully. And, equally as unfortunate, these kids are usually sneaky in their ways, often getting away with their behaviors until a situation becomes more serious. 

Bullying isn’t a new problem— it’s an issue that has been present in schools as long as schools have been around, and I don’t see it going anywhere anytime soon. As teachers, we have the responsibility to keep our eyes and ears open and to intervene any time we become aware of a bullying situation. We cannot turn a blind eye to this problem. 

So what can we do? To start, we can teach kindness and acceptance in our homes to our own children as well as to our students in our classrooms. We can encourage students to talk to a trusted adult when they see or hear bullying behaviors or when they are the victim of those behaviors. We can make our selves more aware of what is going on around us. Getting to know our students helps in several ways— it creates a relationship of trust and also can help us notice if something seems “off” or different. We need to be active listeners, doers, and watchers within the walls of our classrooms and our schools. 

If we do become aware of a problem, we can involve administration if needed. Beyond discipline, most admins will be willing to come into your classroom and talk about bullying and the problems it can cause— and the consequences that may result. 

Last school year, my second grader came home one day and told us that a classmate had been mean to him verbally and physically. We talked through the situation and discussed how he can handle it if it happened again. Unfortunately, it did continue happening. My son said he had told the recess aid whenever it would happen, but nothing changed. At this point, I emailed his teacher and explained what had been happening. I was so impressed with how she handled it; it was immediate and firm. She set up new class guidelines and made sure her students knew that she would not tolerate any kind of mean behavior in her classroom. She let them know that if she heard or saw anything happening, there would be immediate consequences and that the principal would become involved. She instituted a kindness challenge where students were given a grid of kind things to do for others. Once they had completed all the tasks on the grid, they could bring their paper back for a prize. Not only did she address the issue of bullying, she went a step further and encouraged all her students to be kinder and more patient with one another. Thankfully the problems my son was experiencing stopped, and the rest of the school year was just fine.

I know not all bullying situations are resolved as quickly and easily as my son’s was. I know for some students, it goes on for weeks, months, or even years, slowly eating away at the victim’s mental health and self esteem. It takes a toll. 

Cyber bullying is becoming more prevalent as technology continues to evolve. Kids (and sadly, even adults) can hide behind a screen and target individuals. Information spreads quickly via the internet, and can be done without the victim ever knowing who the bully is. This kind of bullying is dangerous and scary. It is also cowardly, as the bully doesn’t even have to come face to face with their targets. They can hide in the comfort of their own homes while slowly destroying someone else’s life. 

I don’t know that there are any easy or sure fire solutions to this epidemic happening in our schools. But I do know that we as teachers can make a difference by being alert, attentive, and aware of what is happening around us. We can be proactive by teaching and encouraging kindness. We can be assertive when we notice something happening and get those involved the help they need. While we may not be able to rid the world of bullying, we can certainly start a change within our own classrooms.

Posted on

Teacher to Admin: Mike’s Story

The administrative team in a school makes a big impact on the teachers and students in the building. Every administrator is different, and every administrator leads in a unique way. The role of a principal or assistant principal is to support, lead, and teach their students and teachers, among other things that would fall under these three categories. In order for an administrator to fully understand what their teachers need, I believe it is crucial that they have spent some time actually teaching in and managing their own classroom. It’s one of those “you don’t understand it until you’ve actually done it” kind of things. I had the chance to talk to Mike, a teacher-turned-administrator, and was able to get his insight on the shift from a classroom teacher to a vice principal. Let’s see what he had to say!

What grade(s) and subject(s) did you teach while you were in the classroom?

6-12

Social Studies – Utah History, U.S. History, Geography, World History, Government, History of Pop Culture, History of Food, Positive Psychology

Financial Literacy

Interior Design

Drama

I was also a school counselor for a year.

What is something you miss about being in the classroom on a daily basis?

The thing that I miss most about being in the classroom is the deeper, more individualized connection I was able to develop with students. I was able to see them on a regular basis, get to know them, understand what strengths they had and what needs they had.

What influenced your decision to leave the classroom and become an administrator?

I went into teaching to advocate and support students. I went into administration to advocate and support teachers. I realized if I could support teachers in a building, I could actually have a broader impact on the larger school population. I also had some situations where I felt like I wasn’t being supported by administrators and wanted to be part of the change. Furthermore, I’ve always been one who wants to learn systems from every angle. Experiencing the public school system from a teaching perspective is much different than experiencing it from an administrative perspective.

What is your favorite thing about being an admin?

My favorite thing about being an admin is problem solving. Every single day is different, and every day requires me to access different parts of my brain, my experiences, to come up with solutions to very unique problems. I step into the building with no idea what will happen that day, and that is exciting to me.

I also love watching them navigate “firsts”  on a regular basis. First locker, first break up, first death of a loved one, first failing grade, first passing grade, first solo in a concert, first place in a race, etc. Being able to help them navigate through these firsts is so rewarding.

What would you tell someone who is considering becoming an admin, but isn’t quite sure they want to make the switch?

I would tell them to make sure to cherish the time they have in the classroom. It’s one of those “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone” situations. Classroom teaching is difficult, but there’s just something about it that you don’t quite get to experience once you leave it. You still get to interact with students as an administrator but it’s just different. I would also encourage them to ask if they can shadow an administrator for a week. I think it’s easy for a teacher to view administration as something that it’s actually not. I was completely blindsided by the amount and scope of work that I had to deal with as an administrator, and that’s partially because I have worked for some great administrators that made the job seem easy, even though it wasn’t.

What do you love most about the students you work with?

I am inspired on a daily basis by my student’s resiliency. The fact that students get up every morning, get on the bus, come to school (something many of them don’t love), and face many unknowns and challenges every single day is inspiring. Students have very little control over what is happening in the world around them, yet they still show up. Every. Single. Day. I have seen students experience some of the most horrific things one could imagine, and yet, there they are in 1st period, learning about the pythagorean theorem. I also see this resiliency watching them navigate “firsts”  on a regular basis. First locker, first break up, first death of a loved one, first failing grade, first passing grade, first solo in a concert, first place in a race, etc. Being able to help them navigate through these firsts is so rewarding.

What great insight; thanks, Mike! From his answers, you can tell what an excellent administrator Mike is. Administrators like Mike, who lead with kindness, understanding, and love, are the kind we need in schools today. Students face so many hard things in their lives, and school should be a place they can come and feel safe and taken care of by the teachers and administration at their schools. The next time you see the administrator of your own school or of your children’s school, take a minute and thank them for their hard work!