Feedback

As I'm deep into my second year as a high school assistant principal, I reflect about what being a leader really means. Now I know what you're thinking...you're thinking about the characteristics of a good leader. It's about being a great communicator, a motivator, a visionary, a professional, a role model, etc. However, what I'm talking about is, how do I impact the people around me? How do I truly impact their lives? As most educators know, being an assistant principal involves having a great deal of tasks to accomplish each and every day. You get radioed constantly for a variety of issues including but not limited to: student discipline, staff needing assistance, a class without a substitute, etc. It's easy to get lost in the daily chaos. In saying that, I know that student safety, student success and supporting teachers are the most vital pieces of my job. At my high school, I oversee an alpha group of students (approximately 500), as well as the Math and Career and Technical Education (CTE) Departments. For students to be successful, they must have great teachers. Most teachers don't just start off as great though. They need guidance and mentorship and that is where I come in. I went through an alternative teacher certification program when I decided to leave the Finance Industry and enter Education. When I walked into my first classroom, I had no idea what to expect. It was one of the most difficult, yet rewarding years on my life. I learned how to be better everyday. Surprisingly, I didn't learn from a great leader though. I learned every day from my student's behaviors and by watching other teachers. As I look back on that time, I think about the kind of leader I am today for my teachers. Teachers have the toughest job out there and I truly want to help them. It's my job! I taught CTE courses for five years before crossing over to the dark side (administration), as some call it. With that said, I can teach the heck out of some Business classes and most CTE classes as well. However, when I was first told that I would be over the Math Department, I had some concerns. My initial concerns were that I had never taught Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, etc. However, I had taught dual credit Accounting classes and so I thought that I could figure it out from that. What I've discovered over the past year and a half is that it doesn't matter about what you've taught in the past, it matters how well you taught it. A good leader should be able to recognize good teaching, no matter what the subject is. There are so many things that you can see, just by spending 10 minutes in a classroom. Are the students engaged (that's broad, but stay with me)? Are there good classroom management procedures in place? What types of questions are being asked? Not only by the teacher but also by the students. Ask yourself, was the lesson designed for the learners? This is what I can offer my teachers. I can provide them with the tools they need to be successful. I do firmly believe that you have to have the right people on the bus. You have to have the right people for the students that you serve. So once I have the right people, how do I continue to grow them and myself at the same time? I think if I knew the exact answer to that question, I'd be rich. However, I tell all of my teachers that I'm going to give them honest feedback. Just be honest. I have also told them that I expect them to give me the same kind of feedback. No one is perfect and we all need to grow. One piece of learning that I missed out on for a while was the student feedback. I tell my teachers all the time to ask their students for feedback constantly and they will definitely give it to you. It's amazing! If you set high standards for your students, your students will set high standards for themselves. Students will tell you what they need differently, how they need it and what it should look like. All you have to do is ask. When I was a teacher, I would modify and adjust based on student needs and feedback. That is how I grew as a teacher. That is how a lot of teachers grow - through feedback. Here's the kicker. As administrators, do we seek that same student feedback? Do we get out in the hallways and talk to our students? I wasn't dong that during my first year. I was just getting my feet wet and trying to figure out all of my responsibilities. However, there was a student at the end of my first school year that told me exactly what she thought about me raising my voice to her. She gave me real feedback and it was at the time, I realized how much I needed it. I had just been radioed that a teacher needed assistance with 2 of her students. I saw this particular student and another student outside in the hall being disrespectful to a substitute teacher. Or, so it appeared that way to me. She didn't respond to me as I had envisioned and so I began to pry for more information once we got back to my office. It was then that she gave me the most real feedback about myself that I received that entire year. And because of that feedback, I was able to change some of the ways that I do things. Feedback - that's what it's all about!