Eat, Pray, Love or How a Principal Makes it Through the Day

     I got to do my second observation last week.  Now, I have had the opportunity to observe in a large middle school and a small elementary school.  Both were outstanding schools with great principals and staffs.  I felt lucky to get to observe two high quality administrators.
     There was one thing I noticed about both schools, principals have a LOT to do.  We have all had one of those days when our to-do lists are overwhelming, and as the day goes on it just gets busier.  It seems that this is the norm for principals.  After observing last week, I found another principal with his desk  piled high with paperwork, projects to work on, parents to visit, teachers to check on, and crises to handle.
     On the day I went to visit there was a lot going on in the building.  The principal was busy organizing his paperwork for his accreditation meeting.  The preschoolers, kindergartners, and 6th graders were taking pictures in caps and gowns.  There were students to talk to, parents to greet, teachers and substitutes to check in on, and one graduate student observing from UCO.
     As I observed I noticed he prioritized his to-do list.  He delegated some tasks to his office staff and sent an email to a staff member that could be depended on to handle his request quickly.  It was obvious he had a wonderful staff that he could count on to help out.
     He made time for the things that were important to him.  He got to greet the afternoon preschoolers and kindergartners as they arrived.  He visited each classroom and got to see one group of preschoolers get their pictures made in caps and gowns.  As we walked back to the office to get some more done on the accreditation paperwork we ran into the kindergarten teacher standing in her doorway.  A kindergartner had thrown up in the doorway as they were leaving to take pictures.  The principal called for a custodian and then went around to the back door and led the students to the library for pictures.  This allowed the teacher to take care of the student and meet us there.  He was genuinely happy to be of help.  It was apparent that he loves his job and the students in his school.
     The next time I am overwhelmed with my to-do list I am going to remember the things I learned from this outstanding principal; prioritize, delegate, refocus on the important things, and you can always leave some things for tomorrows to-do list.  I hope you will remember these also.

“Il bel far niente means 'the beauty of doing nothing'... [it] has always been a cherished Italian ideal. The beauty of doing nothing is the goal of all your work, the final accomplishment for which you are most highly congratulated. The more exquisitely and delightfully you can do nothing, the higher your life's achievement. You don't necessarily need to be rich in order to experience this, either.” 
― Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

"The Help" or Getting Parents to Come to Conferences

     I got to do my first principal observation last week and I LOVED it.  I had the opportunity to watch a great administrator during parent-teacher conferences.  This worked out great for me since I didn't have to miss time in my classroom.  I also got to see conferences from another perspective.
     I know that parental involvement is a very important factor in student success.  However, that involvement is often limited to parent-teacher conferences.  It is important to make the most of this opportunity. Administrators can help increase the attendance in many ways.  I had the opportunity to discuss some of those ways with an administrator with real experience.
    Here are some ways principals can help get the word out; they should announce the date repeatedly, at PTA meetings, open-houses, sporting events, and assemblies.  They can publish the date in newsletters, online, and on bulletin boards in the school.  Conferences need to be convenient for parents to attend, with early morning, late afternoon, and evening appointments.
     Teachers should also have the opportunity for in service training so they can make the most of this valuable time with parents.  Principals should be available if teachers need help dealing with parenting related issues.  Principals often attend conferences to provide additional support for their staff.  They are also involved in conferences for any student with an IEP.
     While I was observing I got to see a principal that walked the halls and spoke to parents, students, and staff.  He was busy greeting people, showing people around, and encouraging the staff.  He discussed the various ways that conferences were handled at his school.  Some teachers used a team approach, some held individual conferences, and some had student led conferences.  He encouraged each group to handle conferences in a way that worked for them.  He made sure the teachers were all present and available.  He also helped cover the office during conferences.
     It was a wonderful learning experience to see a principal in action.  It made me feel like I had made a good choice about going back to school when the principal told me how much he loved his job and felt like he had the opportunity to make a difference in so many students lives.

“What you learn today?" I ask even though she ain't in real school, just the pretend kind. Other day, when I ask her, she say, "Pilgrims. They came over and nothing would grow so they ate the Indians." 

Now knew them Pilgrims didn't eat no Indians. But that ain't the point.” 
― Kathryn Stockett, The Help

“You is kind. You is smart. You is important.”
― Kathryn Stockett, The Help

"Catching Fire" or the Importance of Fire Drills

    

 I was busy teaching math in small groups the other day when I heard a loud, sharp, noise.  It took a couple of seconds to realize it was a fire alarm.  My class quickly lined up and we were in our designated spot in minutes.  

     This isn't an unusual thing because we practice fire drills frequently, but no drill was scheduled, the principal was out of the building, and the secretary had a confused look on her face.  You NEVER want to see the secretary with a puzzled look!  Luckily, it all turned out well.   It was just a leak near a sprinkler head and as an added bonus we got to practice a fire drill at an unusual time of day.  

     This got me thinking about the importance of safety drills.  It is usually a principal's responsibility to ensure that drills are done and logged regularly.  But, more importantly they should make sure the staff can carry out a fire drill without the principal on hand giving orders.  You never know what could happen when you are out of the building.  

     When I was student teaching I was fortunate enough to run into the book The First Days of School by Harry Wong.  In this book Mr. Wong shares the importance of procedures and routines.  Since then I have always had procedures and routines for everything in my class.  Safety drills need to be a routine in your school.  They need to be so well rehearsed that they can be carried out even if the school leaders are not there.  When the fire alarm went off each class quickly went outside and quietly waited for further instructions.  Two teachers were on a break so they checked out the situation, notified the office, and passed on information to each teacher.  The students felt calm and were assured they were safe.  They were quiet and well behaved and enjoyed watching the fire trucks come on campus to check out the situation.  

     I learned these important rules for drills in schools:  take every drill seriously, stay calm, know your escape route, prepare ahead of time so students know what is expected of them, have your needed materials posted and ready to go by your door, take roll, and maintain order with your students as you wait for instructions.  

     “A spark could be enough to set them ablaze.” 

― Suzanne Collins, Catching Fire