Now that it’s the end of the school year and teachers are packing up their classroom, completing paperwork and getting pumped up for summer, leaving with a sense of fulfillment and joy as one year closes and hope and anticipation for the next school year to begin. Teaching is a profession where one has to do a lot of reflecting in order to grow and improve. Teachers need support to grow as professionals and educators from their colleagues and administrators. And sometimes with the hustle and bustle of the school school year, this gets lost in it all. So what if you had 3 wishes to make next year even more awesome than this past one? What would you wish for? I decided to interview some of my teacher peeps, aka “Teeps,” to find out!
Top 3 Wishes for School Administrators
Be a Leader
Lead us and our colleagues to be our best. Treat us with respect and kindness. Lead by example by being a coach. Know our strengths and praise them. Help us build upon our weaknesses. Lead us to all work as a team for in a school we are one. Acknowledge all, not one. Each success is everyone’s success. So do not lead alone, lead with us.
Be Present
Be present for the sake of all teachers and students. Know your teachers and know your students. Say their names, give them shout outs and be available. Open your door to concerns and challenges and open it to successes and triumphs for none are too small. Appreciate the hard work, time and effort of both your students and teachers for they bring the light into the hallways and classrooms each and every day. Do not treat us as visitors, but more like family. Families stick together and support each other. Please support your teachers and students for they try their hardest to do their personal and professional best.
Help Us Grow
Please provide professional development with our school’s needs in mind. Listen to us and our students. Give all teachers opportunities to grow and lead because we are your lifelong learners. Provide professional development that is relevant and meaningful. Do not waste our time with repetitive material, one and done PD sessions or something that could be delivered in an email. Maximize time for learning and collaboration with each other because it takes a village to grow as professionals and to grow our students.
As I reflected upon these wishes, I thought they were reasonable and fair. I also realized that these wishes are not just for school administrators and are not only from teachers, but these wishes apply to all professions from all employees to administrators in any work place.
Call to Action
So reach out to your boss or administrator and give them a friendly nudge and tell them what you need in order to learn, grow and thrive in the workplace. Sounds like it would be a win-win for both… you would have a happy boss and a happy employer resulting in a happy workplace, which in a teacher’s case would be happy school and classroom where children love coming to learn.
Have a new principal? With high turnover rates, having a new principal could be a challenge. I personally have had my share of this and I always felt like I had to prove myself all over again. But don’t fret, try to connect with your principal and support them in their new role in a new school, with new teachers and new students. It will be worth your while to do so. Check out this article from Edutopia, A Letter to My New Principal.
What are your wishes for your administrator? What support do you need to grow as a professional? I’d love to hear your ideas.
Be sure to visit For The Love of Teachers, a place where teacher collaboration and professional growth is valued. Visit the forums to start collaborating with other teachers today.
Christine Weis is a passionate educator, classroom management coach, wife, and mom of two busy boys. She enjoys teaching, writing, and creating resources for teachers.
I agree completely with all that you have said. Just like our students, as teacher, we thrive on recognition and positive affirmation of our attempts to succeed and “go above and beyond”.
In the classroom, we provide our students with positive recognition. We know, that when you have high expectations of your students and encourage them to meet those expectations they will work hard to meet them! And then we praise them to encourage them to succeed.
The same goes for teachers! We may not be children, but when we are praised for our efforts, we feel inclined to DO MORE! When a principal acknowledges the efforts and strengths of ALL their faculty it only promotes collaboration amongst the teachers! Everyone needs to feel appreciated. 🙂
Thank you for your thoughtful comment Lori! I agree that the way we treat out students with high expectations, positive affirmation and recognition is that same way teachers should be treated by administrators. Teachers go above and beyond to begin with, imagine what a little acknowledgement and appreciation would do for the entire school community and culture. Now that’s the place where I want to work. Just have to find it now! 🙂
Appreciate you reading and commenting!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
I completly agree! Nothing is worse when they dont know the kids names or ever ours!
Absolutely…agree! I worked in a district for 12 years with some administrators not even knowing my name. It was really disheartening! Thanks for your comment!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
Agree! I used to teach and then went into editing. Definitely need feedback in any work environment so that everyone can work well together!
Agreed! Feedback and support is so valuable in any profession. Thanks for your comment!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
I have a few friends who are teachers and they would completely agree. I’m sharing with them! Thanks for the great post and valuable action items.
Thanks Kelsey! I appreciate you sharing this and for leaving a thoughtful comment!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
Great wishes! They can also be applied to MY workplace (retail) as well as teachers and students.
Thanks! I agree that they can be applied to any workplace. Thanks for reading and for your comment!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
Great wishes! This can be applied anywhere in life!
Yes… exactly! Thanks for reading! Appreciate your comment!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
These are amazing goals for anyone!! I love that you’re encouraging administrators to inspire and help people grow!
Thanks Hayley! I agree that these wishes apply to anyone. I think it’s our job as employees to encourage administrators to develop the people that work for them. Thanks for your comment!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
Great post ! All of these wishes are on point 🙂 !
Thanks for reading Kara! Appreciate it!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers