A Reader Writes... (Yes, I Know the Hours are Long - Part 8)

In response to the post, “Yes, I Know the Hours are Long,” a Principal writes:

Amen to "Yes, I Know the Hours are Long!" I am a principal at a small school. This is my second year, and I have struggled with my teachers to make changes in what they have traditionally done--which is NOT best practice.

You would think I have asked them to sacrifice their first born. Some complain about having to move from one room to the other or about having so many subjects to be responsible for, or having to work long hours, but there is no option. I think many teachers come to false pretense that they cannot be more productive. That is NOT true.

I am pushing them to change. Extend and enrich the curriculum. Get out of the box! Raise the level of expectations. Be teachers and not just facilitators and paper-pushers. It's like pushing a brick wall up hill, but I AM making progress. I am seeing more innovation from some of them. Keep up the good work LYS!

SC Response

Here is what I know. The job that teachers are expected to do now is nothing like the job teachers were expected to do ten years ago. But the tools available to teachers now were unimaginable ten years ago. If teachers are to:

1. Meet the new requirements of the job (which were not invented by Principals or LYS);

2. Implement the new instructional tools that will make them more effective in the classroom;

They have to (even if it is grudgingly) embrace the concept of continuous learning (change).

But as a sought after change agent, I can tell you that the only organizations that willingly embrace meaningful change are the ones that have a history of successfully embracing change. With every other organization, it is an arduous process that fails as often as it succeeds. And in most every case it is the perseverance of leadership (both formal and informal) that is the deciding factor.

Celebrate your progress and keep your shoulder to that brick wall.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...