The singer Brian Hyland popularized the song "See You In September" back in the 60's and the first 2 lines of the song summarize my sentiments exactly... "See you in September. See you, when the summer's through." I enjoyed writing this blog and look forward to continuing my posts after what I'm certain will be a very restful and rewarding vacation.
Best of luck to all my colleagues who are retiring. On behalf of children everywhere, thank you for your support throughout your career. Your contributions cannot be measured but their effects are profound and will impact our society forever. I wish you a very fulfilling retirement. For those of us who are continuing their administrative career, make sure you take a break this summer and recharge your batteries.
Lastly, best of luck to all the new graduates. May your life be full of happiness and success.
Sincerely,
The Principal-guy
Monday, June 23, 2008
Thursday, June 5, 2008
A Few Words About Micro Managing Your Staff
Let me begin by saying that some of my best friends are Micro Managers. Having said that, I don't understand! I get the part about wanting to ensure that every task that your staff members undertake is done correctly. I also get the part about being in control. But how are your department supervisors and teachers supposed to take ownership of their little kingdoms when they think that you have them under a microscope and are second guessing them at every turn.
Contrary to popular belief, the opposite of micro managing is not anarchy! A senior administrator once told me "Never give any responsibility away that you don't already know inside and out." If you want your staff to buy into your goals for your school then you have to give them the opportunity to take ownership of their work. Being active participants in the decision making process is critical in turning observers into stakeholders. This will only happen when your staff members are given the chance to try out new techniques and learn from their successes and failures. By your remote monitoring of their activity you can hopefully keep the failures to a minimum.
Another point to consider is that we are supposed to be identifying and training future administrators. I don't see how you can do that if you don't give your staff the opportunity to take a leadership role and make some decisions on their own. Just remember that the title Principal is an abbreviation for Principal Teacher. How successful would a teacher be if they did everything for their students and didn't give them a chance to work on their own?
Contrary to popular belief, the opposite of micro managing is not anarchy! A senior administrator once told me "Never give any responsibility away that you don't already know inside and out." If you want your staff to buy into your goals for your school then you have to give them the opportunity to take ownership of their work. Being active participants in the decision making process is critical in turning observers into stakeholders. This will only happen when your staff members are given the chance to try out new techniques and learn from their successes and failures. By your remote monitoring of their activity you can hopefully keep the failures to a minimum.
Another point to consider is that we are supposed to be identifying and training future administrators. I don't see how you can do that if you don't give your staff the opportunity to take a leadership role and make some decisions on their own. Just remember that the title Principal is an abbreviation for Principal Teacher. How successful would a teacher be if they did everything for their students and didn't give them a chance to work on their own?
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