how to deal with a bad principal

Here are some strategies that you can use to deal with a difficult principal. What makes a great school? I think the wrong way to get buy-in is to, early on, just stand up in front of the staff and say, This is what were going to do, to ignore what already exists, and to just plow forward as if change needs to happen, said Laura Bradley, a 26-year English teacher at Kenilworth Junior High in Petaluma, Calif. For example, when Bradleys first principal started at a new school, the only changes she made in the first year were to the landscaping. You dont know MY principal. Trying to ignore the troubling behavior in hopes that it, or the perpetrator, will just go away. Do you confront your principal about particularly aggressive behaviors? What Is Critical Race Theory, and Why Is It Under Attack? She spends much of his time away from the school in meetings or at conferences. But you dont need to keep repeating your stories of frustration to everyone who will listen. That is meant quite literally. Chicago will phase out mayoral control of its schools by 2027, becoming the latest city to drop the model. Thats how we are sometimes as teachers. And whenyou work for one, it can be hard to know how to deal. Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide elementary, middle, high school and more. Do you go to district admin or your union reps? If I can make my own path, you can do it, too. You'll sense it if and when he steps over the line. Welcome to the Message BoardsJoin the conversation! I really can't help you but came here for advice myself. As with the corporate world, sometimes the only solution to dealing with a bad principal is to leave the schoolquickly. Truly. You need to do that whole-heartedly for many months before you can make the determination about whether its time to go. You may also choose to eventually mentally relinquish the stress over this situation and continue to focus your positive energies on the most important people in the school: your young students who need you! Find out in this virtual event. ET. If it becomes clear that your principal is overstepping his bounds or preventing you from properly performing your teaching duties, consider talking to your union representative. The name changes may mark a turning point in the nationwide campaign to rename schools named for Confederate figures. Principals are people too, and they aren't perfect. Contact someone at the school's district office or contact your state's department of education to file a complaint. The biggest mistake a principal can make when dealing with problem employees? If you have concerns about the principals leadership abilities and you can clearly document those concerns, you should contact the superintendent. There are places where you can love teaching again. Be willing to admit when something is ineffective and make necessary changes. Everyone felt valued, and it set a positive tone for the school year, Baxter said. Real change is most likely to happen when we have a series of experiments, he said. This book will empower you to develop a resilient, flexible, positive mindset. Id love to hear your thoughts below in the comment section! Its often relying on their commitment to adopt new practices for teachers to feel like its worthwhile. Remember why you love to teach and use these tips to deal with your principal. He personally installed a hook by the door in every classroom for teachers to hang their bags. Weve had situations where there was a problem, but it was because a principal had a negative interaction with a person and theyve never gotten over it, Eller said. This is like our students assuming that every test we give them was our idea, and every rule we enforce was something we dreamed up ourselves. Any marriage counselor will tell you that if you want to create new patterns for how you treat one another, you cant sit back and wait for the other person to take the lead, even if they were wrong and you were right. Strong leadership is a key factor. Be succinct. Photos: Courtesy of Stella Nwanguma; Design: Gina Tomko/Education Week via Canva. Like any workplace, schools can be plagued by adult slackers or agitators who, whether intentionally or not, can sabotage morale and campus culture. Inside the Principal-Teacher Relationship. In a classroom setting, you'll often find that the noisemakers and stubborn elements tend to sit at the back of the class, which offers anonymity and gives confidence to misbehave. This post is based on the latest episode of my weekly podcast,Angela Watsons Truth for Teachers. What Is Critical Race Theory, and Why Is It Under Attack? If your principal is flagrantly breaking laws or ethical codes, it may be important to speak up. Here are the 3.5 simple signs of a bully boss. So if you buy something that is overpriced, then you will try and sell it for as much as you can to recover as much as possible. You may not even need to take a public stand, although if youre showing more respect and a better attitude toward your principal lately, she or he is more likely to hear you and compromise, so it could be worth trying. Keep a log of all conversations, the subject matters, dates, times, and duration of his classroom visits. Those veteran teachers have a lot of wisdom and discernment and even sometimes have been there longer than the principal. During those sessions, school leaders should clearly state the problem, and focus on behavior instead of making the conversation solely about the employee and their shortcomings, the former principals said. There may come a time when you have to deal with a difficult principal, and I just want you to be prepared. Know that there isnt any harm in exploring your other options rather than trying to wait out a bad principal in the hopes s/he will transfer or retire. Virginia has renamed more schools that were originally named after Confederate figures than most states. Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more. 2023 Editorial Projects in Education, Inc. Your sense of a looming problem may eventually prove to be incorrect, but in the meantime, it can't hurt to protect yourself. Be diligent and see this through! Directly address the behaviors with the employee by clearly stating the problem and listening closely What happens in the teachers' lounge, during staff meetings, and even during group projects can. I was probably at my lowest point in teaching, wondering if I should continue in this profession. If you really hate working for your principal and you just dont see things ever getting better under his or her leadership, then leave. Create a free account to save your favorite articles, follow important topics, sign up for email newsletters, and more. Instead of looking the other way or addressing the entire staff, principals should go directly to the employee or employees and address the issue early, and, if need be, often. Summer Is the Time to Reverse That, School Shootings This Year: How Many and Where. Beth Lewis has a B.A. How they define success may differ from your definition, Ellspermann said. There are principals who dont want to change with the times, and the bureaucracy of the school system doesnt force them to. Your manager may respond with, "But you already are." A lot of bad ideas may be implemented in your school, but I can guarantee that not all of them (and probably not even most of them) were initiated by your principal. Avoidance can foster an environment where toxic conduct thrives and spreads. Youre not alone. The principal spent the whole first year listening to teachers and observing the schools culture. Or maybe they have a predisposition against a certain type of teacher, but they havent been able to see it., When we work with principals, we really try to help them see, What is it that you bring to the table that could also have some impact? It takes two to fight, so in some cases the leadership has also contributed to the issue.. I can only tell you to make sure you are part of the solution, not the problem. Teachers tend to respect and get on board with a principal whos authentic, rather than someone who is overly ambitious and looking to please the people who are above him or her, he said. After spending a weekend going through your blog, I was able to start seeing things that were withing my control, things that I could actually change. Heres the advice they had to share: And when we say everything, we mean everything. I reminded myself that teaching was my dream job and little by little, I started making those small changes. A good principal would seek to understand and honor that.. Complaining makes you feel like your situation is hopeless because not only areyouupset, buteveryone around youalso sees there is a huge problem and is upset. We had an awful principal and he would lie like crazy when we made complaints, says Alice H. Finally we caught him on tape. PTO Today is not affiliated with the National PTA, 2023 School Family Media, All Rights Reserved. Chicago will phase out mayoral control of its schools by 2027, becoming the latest city to drop the model. "Even the most irate parents often want someone to listen to them more than they want someone to solve their problems," Whitaker said. There is nothing you can do about the principal. Unwilling or unable to see how their behavior affects others. So how can principals foster meaningful buy-in among their schools staff? Unfortunately, sometimes the most difficult person in the building is the principal, she said. What Makes a Great Principal: An Audio Slide Show. If you haven't, say, "I see our situation hasn't been resolved. Copyright 2023. She is proud to lead the award-winning WeAreTeachers in sharing stories about the amazing things happening in schools around the U.S. Hannah holds a B.A. Theres a fine line between being a leader and being a boss, Bosso said. Then you can bring the research and data to your principal, and back up your practices. 1. Whether your principal is a micromanager or seemingly absentee, written proof of what you do on the job will help your case. Solution: Let employees know you are interested in working with them in the long run for the good of the school. Effectively, get his buy in to what you want to do and then you can go from there. Strategies for Mastering the Toughest Job in Schools. I just created a website to share teaching ideas and help other teachers, and let things grow from there. If youre miserable, go. Youve got a serious problem on your hands and you need to put in serious effort to solve it, because your livelihood as an educator is at stake, and so is the education of thousands of children. Sometimes that examination leads to the discovery that they are part of the problem, Watkins said. It's baffling, but I have a few ideas: They're a poor leader. Celebrate the tiniest of victories. I release a new 10-15 minute episode each Sunday and feature it here on the blog to help you get energized and motivated for the week ahead. If teachers are not on board, some might close their doors and stick to business as usual, he said, which could sink a new initiative. It can really siphon the enjoyment from what might otherwise be a rewarding role, leave you feeling undervalued, and wondering whether you should begin searching for something new. Begin there, rather than with the opinion that she or he is a bumbling idiot with no leadership skills, and I think youll find that this move toward empathy lessens some of the frustration you feel. There is always greater power in numbers! The last principal didnt have a problem with ". I really cant thank you enough!!!!! Robin, I am so appreciative of you sharing your story. But school leaders may also need to do more listening than talking during the sit-down. I had a principal who would not even acknowledge me each morning, says Lydia L. So in the most pleasant, non-sarcastic voice I could muster, I would happily say, Good morning, __________! Eventually, she figured out that she wouldnt get away with ignoring me and started greeting me like a normal, respectful person would.. Let them know that you are in charge and that it is your job to discipline them if they make a mistake. Since we are being held accountable for classroom performance based on student satisfaction, it is in our interest to pay attention to the things that can improve satisfaction. What exactly does this mean? I was able to enjoy my students and my profession once again. Ive already done everything I can dothen quite frankly, its probably time to go work somewhere else. If she reverts to "the girly thing to do" of course he'll never give her the same respect he would give her male counterpart!! You cannot possibly see the world as your principal does, because you havent had all the same life experiences as she or he has. [Getting buy-in] is really pivotal for bringing any new practice into schools.. Top 6 Tips for Navigating a Problem Principal. Sure, we have meetings and all-school directives and grade level coordinating and parent conferences and errands to run around campus. Schools might want their students to perform at high levels, but there are more pressing and basic needs that must be addressed first. Create change in your classroom practices and in your attitude and actions toward your principal, and give it time for you to see results. An initiative is sometimes perceived as being critical of what teachers have done and what has worked for them, said David Bosso, a 23-year social studies teacher at Berlin High School in Berlin, Conn. Fairly or unfairly, it calls into question what they know and who they areit gets right into their own perception of professional identity.. Create a free account to save your favorite articles, follow important topics, sign up for email newsletters, and more. Thanks. When you have someone whos your peer actually try something, pilot something, and then they can give you feedback on what the hiccups were, how it helped their students, what the time commitment is if you want to fully implementtheres that trust thats there that may not be with the company thats trying to bring about the new initiative or program, Washington said. Even if the teachers cant keep doing what theyre already doing, Washington said principals could pull out successful elements of an established program and incorporate them into a new initiative. Amid mounting data that bullying is on the rise, there's a glaring absence of statistics on adult school bullies. It makes such a difference for our work in the classroom if we know that administrators know the students, and when we talk to them about a student, for them to say, Yep, I know that kid, Ive seen him in the yard, and I know the kind of support that he needs. . Check in with the student about their perceptions. If you implement these strategies, you should have no problem standing up for yourself. Instead, a principal should be doing the hard work alongside their staff. Ask what you can do to better address your manager's needs. . A good PI helps you stay focused when you might seem derailed from the research question to be answered. Find teaching jobs and other jobs in K-12 education at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair. You can start the turnaround process today. Thu., July 27, 2023, 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Restate what your principal has said. If you are waiting for someone else to do this, you have not taken responsibility for your own actions yet and moved into problem-solving mode. If you really want to do something, youll find a way. Do things that make his or her job easier, and things that make him or her look good. closed Facebook group for PTO and PTA Leaders & Volunteers Puts more energy into justifying and rationalizing their unproductive behavior than it would take to change the habits. Some bad deal things include * Leaving the other party happy . In part, perhaps, because bullying by a teacher or principal is far more complex to identify, address, and rectify. There are too many things competing for your attention as a teacher. If a plan of action is decided on, let the principal know you will contact her in a week or so to find out how the plan is progressing. So the principal issues a reminder via the all-powerful memo. Great wake up call..complaining.. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); If you are a teacher who is interested in contributing to the Truth for Teachers website, please click here for more information. With 11 years of teaching experience and more than a decade of experience as an instructional coach, Angela oversees and contributes regularly to How to deal with a principal who just doesnt get it, Awakened: Change Your Mindset to Transform Your Teaching. Shifting your perspective is the first, most important, and most powerful stepand youve done that. Teaching is difficult enough without feeling like youre not respected.. If the problem does not improve over time with mediation and patience, then you can always request a transfer to another campus. If the problem is that your principal is micromanaging you,mandating extra testing and data collection, and in general making it harder for you to focus on student learning, creating change is evenmoreimperative. Step 2: Stop the activity. An incompetent manager doesn't deal in ideas. John Eller, chairman of the Educational Leadership and Higher Education Department at St. Your sense of a looming problem may eventually prove to be incorrect, but in the meantime, it can't hurt to protect yourself. With Kiddom, teachers gain access to an unlimited library of content, with beautiful, actionable reports. Get the latest education news delivered to your inbox daily. Sign me up for updates relevant to my child's grade. How can schools use AI effectively but avoid problems such as cheating and breakdowns in data privacy? Let your administrator feel your support and that you value him or her. See blog posts/transcripts for all episodes. If you wait and let the problem fester, it becomes a really major kind of conversation. Creating a space for . Server Issue: Please try again later. With legitimate concerns brought up, they should listen. Most of the time, we teachers live within the bubble of our individual classrooms. Complainers. Dont fool yourself into thinking that youre providing a sounding board for your frustrated colleagues; in reality, you are dragging them down. Terms of Service apply. But, they certainly are powerful on an elementary school campus. As an administrator, you never want a reputation for being . I have seen strong relationships between teachers and principals devolve into toxic ones within the blink of an eye. Former principals Stephanie D.B. Baxter, who was the 2014 Kansas Teacher of the Year, said one of the best principals he had encouraged an open dialogue among teachers and students at the school. If the principal does not return your phone calls or if you are dissatisfied with the response of the principal, then you should contact the superintendent. If teachers are going to be asked to do new things and take risks and be innovative, there has to be a level of trust, and that trust can only be developed in a culture where relationships are nurtured, said Bosso, who was the 2012 Connecticut Teacher of the Year. Youre able to have a genuine understanding or their position. Discuss the Budget for the rest of the year. Get advice, ideas, and support from other parent group leaders just like youjoin our, Helping Parent Leaders Make Schools Great, Fundraising templates (forms, letters, etc. The best foundation of perception is reality. No one likes it when someone goes over their head without a heads up and if he is truely as bad as you make it sound he will make life more demeaning if he's hit blind sided. When I can recognize and reinforce that, then sometimes I can get them to see another perspective.. The same way that students say to usThats not fairorWhy cant we just do it this waybecause theyre so sure they have the same information we do and were clearly making the wrong decision about how things should be done? Get the latest education news delivered to your inbox daily. Its important to have a good sense of that: The same thing doesnt fit every place., Everything isnt broken, said Monica Washington, an instructional coach at BetterLesson, an online lesson-sharing site, who taught for 19 years in Tennessee and Texas. Somewhere in there, theres a grain of truth that needs to be heard, Ellspermann said. But if you take that as a helpful comment, then it doesnt become a big issue, it becomes information.. 1. So, an administrator may appear to be oblivious or to oppose something that seems like common sense, but people always have reasons for doing the things they do. Now I know that finding another teaching position is easier said than done but remember, this is your LIFE were talking about. Theres no freedom for the teachers to be creative or exercise their professional judgment, and theres no freedom for kids to be kids. Get advice, ideas, and support from other parent group leaders just like youjoin our The following are identifications and accounts of these bad administrators. Whether your principal is a micromanager or seemingly absentee, written proof of what you do on the job will help your case. 101 John F Kennedy Pkwy | Short Hills | NJ | 07078 | (973) 921-5500, Protected: Classroom Talk-to-Text Project. They will be much easier to deal with after they are calm. Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide elementary, middle, high school and more. It seems like a little thing, but teachers can lose their minds over the little things that are not functioning well, Bradley said. Working with difficult and resistant staff members is unavoidable if you want to make long-lasting school changes. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff. Create an account. Youve got to move into problem-solving mode as soon as you possibly can. Along with all the others waiting. Kids Aren't Reading for Pleasure as Much. I know my own worth and I believe that I deserve to work in a place where Im appreciated and supported. Dont assume that its terrible everywhere else so you might as well stay where youre at. Whenever I have a bad principal I keep communication to a minimum and focus on my class and team (the other teachers I work close with). How to deal with it: Have a policy on lateness in place. If your principal goes on the attack and you start to feel victimized, stay calm, remain focused and polite, and work with him to create a plan to solve any problems. If you dont, youll find an excuse. Give them everything you have and before you know it, your problem administrator will likely be moving on to another assignment or the tensions will naturally dissipate as he moves on to a new target. Shift from thinking,This is ridiculous, I cant believe I have to deal with this!toWhat are we going to do about it?Funnel the anger and frustration into something productive. Instead, you can work to understand and appreciate one anothers separate realities, those unique viewpoints, and realize that other peoples choices do make sense within the context of their separate reality. Find out in this virtual event. The Good PI: The good PI provides their students a perfect balance between independence and management; students may explore their ideas while staying within the scope of the overall lab goal. Im proud of you. I got tired of the restrictions and I wanted to carve out my own path. Step 1: Observe. But ducking difficult conversations is often the default move, Whitaker said. Ive seen close friends of mine go that route and lose years of their lives working for a boss they hate just because the school is close to their house or they didnt want to start over somewhere else. Remember, its not your fault, and everyone, even principals, must face the consequences of their actions.

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