Taking that first step out of the classroom and into an administrative role inevitably moves us further away from the regular daily contact classroom teachers have with students. Those of us who previously taught know, the relationships built out of this consistent contact is the most rewarding aspect about being in education. It’s all about the kids! So how do we maintain that relational aspect of education as we become further removed from the classroom with constantly increasing amounts of mandated tasks that aren’t solely focused on time with students? We need to engineer ways to make time to stay connected.
Here are several strategies that have worked for trusted colleagues or myself over the years. If after reading this you have your own spin on these strategies or something unique that works for you, please take the time to share them on the MASSP website Forum under the topic heading Climate & Culture.
Traditions: Keep an old tradition alive or start a new one. Traditions are a fun way to build community pride and focus on positive relationships. Trusted colleague, MASSP Past President and Sandusky Jr./Sr. High School principal Steve Carlson instituted Rock-Paper-Scissors (RPS) tournaments as a time filler during school assemblies. He admittedly got the idea from Tammy Jackson, another MASSP Past President and retired principal of East Jordan Middle/High School. In the RPS Tournament, students compete head-to-head with the top 30 facing off on the gym floor. Winner takes possession of the RPS Championship Belt and has bragging rights until the next tournament. Best of all, every student can participate equally regardless of ability. This has become a popular tradition at SHS that also allows Steve to connect with his students in a fun way. It takes courage to let our students see us in a different light, officiating and announcing a school wide RPS tournament, but what a cool opportunity to connect!
Scheduled Non-Observation Classroom Time: After three years working with my principal and mentor Dan Mesyar, we decided it was time to reinvest ourselves in the classroom. Our idea to do this was one day per week where one or the other of us would pledge to be out of the office and in classrooms the entire day. While we would schedule which classes to visit on these days, it would not be for formal teacher observations, but rather time to improve relationships with students and staff. This was an ambitious goal, and we weren’t successful every week, but the days we were able to get out of the office were great! No laptop keyboards. No evaluation rubrics. Just dedicated time spent in specific classrooms to be with students and staff. What made it most successful for us was that we covered for each other so we knew things wouldn’t go crazy while we were out of the office and we held each other accountable to spend our time in classrooms.
Student Activity Clubs: In my first year as Assistant Principal, I jumped on board with our newly formed Fishing Club. While I grew up fishing, I’m not as avid a fisherman as the other mentors. However, there was a cross section of students in the club that I was struggling to connect with and who also occasionally crossed the threshold of my office. The Fishing Club was an opportunity to form positive relationships with students in a setting where they could actually teach me something. Clubs mirror the classroom. They offer somewhat consistent, structured time with students who have chosen to be there. So even if you’re not an expert in the club focus, take advantage of the opportunity to spend more time with students.
Avoid Getting Stuck in the Office: Todd Simmons principal at Pewamo-Westphalia Jr./Sr. High School, a valued colleague and MASSP Board member, exemplifies this strategy. He wrote a two part article for Headlines titled A Day in the Life of Modern Educators where he detailed his daily routine. The main goal he has for himself each day is to spend the entire day out of his office and in the classroom “where the magic happens.” Reading his piece, one can see how passionately he has dedicated himself to this task. I aspire to rise to this level of integration with students and staff. Admittedly this would be a hard thing to accomplish, but what a way to stay connected!
The increasing responsibilities and mandates put on school administrators take us farther away from the classroom and students. In spite of this, we need to support each other and hold ourselves accountable to maintaining connections with kids. We all know the importance of staying focused on our “why.” The reason we got into education was to connect with and help kids. So don’t feel bad about dedicating time to keep that connection strong. Get out of the office. Spend more time with students and staff. It will lead to a healthier, happier and longer career in education and in turn many more positive outcomes for students.
Written by Steve Forsberg, Assistant Principal at Ludington High School and MASSP Board of Directors Representative