Ding, Ding, Ding...Round 5

Ding, Ding, Ding...Round 5. No, I'm not talking about boxing. After living with Robert Burr for the past 20 years, he would say the only sports I should be talking about would be football, girls basketball and golf. Actually, he would say I didn't need to be talking about any sports at all and he's right, so I'll stick to education.  When I say Round 5, I'm referring to the NEE evaluation cycle Mr. Phillps and I are completing this month.  We are in our fifth round. We have jumped into high gear. On an average, the system likes to see 6 or 7 cycles completed in a year, and that's typically what we try to do. This year is different, though. Together, we have completed 129 observations so far. We have been in every teacher's classroom almost weekly and, for us, it's been eye opening. We were having a conversation about our teachers just a few weeks ago. He said, "Everyone is just....". I finished his sentence for him by saying, "Better". We know the teaching is better, because we see it firsthand A LOT. Being in classrooms so often has allowed us to see more, hear more and know more. A presenter years ago, told us all in attendance to be visible, to be in the classrooms, to save your paperwork until after school.  That is often easier said than done, but this year we have made it a priority to be in classrooms observing weekly and we are succeeding.  As I left a classroom the other day, I reflected on how evaluations have changed since I became a principal.

Sixteen years ago, principals were expected to script all of their evaluations.  Alma Stipp showed me how she folded her paper in half and wrote word for word what every teacher had to say.  Her handwriting was so beautiful, too. Mine. Not so much. She was the best, so I did exactly as I was taught.  During those years you stayed for the entire lesson.  If it took an hour, you scripted for an hour.  You also only went 3 times into classrooms all year, unless teachers were tenured, and then you only went one time. It wasn't a true picture of what went on day to day. That seems absurd now. Those were the days we used the Madaline Hunter system. There were aspects of if I loved though, and still expect to see.  Guided practice and independent practice are a must, along with modeling.  Lots and lots of modeling. Madaline had great points, but like everything else, change was inevitable.  I remember our superintendent at the time, Dr. Mark Mitchell, had me speak to his night class students who were working on their administrative degrees. Three of his students were  Melissa Massy,  Lance Massey, and Jim Cummins. I remember Jim asking about evaluations. He asked if I  preferred to stay an hour and only go once or twice a year or if I would prefere to go several times for shorter amounts of time.  Without thinking about it, I immediately answered, "stay for an hour."  I remember him saying, "I would think you would learn more if you went in more often."  I thought he was crazy and look now.  He's a superintendent and hundreds of school districts in Missouri have adopted the NEE. He's a wise man, that Dr. Cummins.   

I honestly don't know how principals can speak about procedures, classroom management, the kids, the curriculum, etc., if they are not in the classrooms watching teaching unfold on a regular basis. I know so much more by being in there. I know Mrs. Miller is using youtube videos to help teach 3-digt subtraction. I know Mrs. Watkins is using the ReadWorks Article-A-Day to teach reading skills. I know Mrs. Allen is setting the stage to engage every week by dressing up on Mondays. I know Mrs. Branscum had her students complete a science experiment with goggles and lab shirts. I know what Moby Max  has to offer because I sit beside students as they work in stations. I know I have heard Turn and Talk and Slant (and know what it means) from every teacher teaching the First 20 days. The list goes on and on and on. I know Mrs. Cook is using sensory tubs in speech.  I know Mrs. Farkas is using Plickers to assess in math. I know Mrs. Buckner likes the audio portion of Storyworks and Mrs. Smith does not. See. I really could go on and on. I know the kids better as well.  I see who might excel and who might struggle.  I know who is quiet and who is outgoing.  The best part, though, is that they see us more in their classrooms.  I don't remember seeing Mr. Dye, my principal in elementary, except in the hallway.  That's just how it was as a principal in the 70's. I prefer being more visible in 2017 and I believe the kids do too. 

As I look back now  on those early years of my principalship,  I don't remember what I spent my time doing each and every day.  Observing is a must on our plate almost EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. It's simply one of our priorities. Everyone is used to it. Well almost everyone.  Mrs. Mittag still wants to run the other way when she sees us coming with our ipad. I always felt like I knew what was happening in the classrooms, but I know so much more now and that is a great feeling.  When I talk to colleagues or parents, I can speak with confidence when asked if I know what our teachers are doing. So ask yourself what are your priorities at work?  Is everyone aware of what those are? Do you make time for what is important? Are you as knowledgeable as you should be? My answers this school year are different than what they would have been in the past.  I love knowing more about the day to day teaching going on at Carver. So this week, we'll be back in the classrooms seeing more teaching and becoming more knowledgeable about every aspect of the teaching process and if you listen closely you might just hear a bell ringing. DING, DING, DING...Round 5.