New Teacher Survivor Series
Part #7 - Dealing with administrators, other school personnel, and community
Part 7 - Dealing
with administrators, other school personnel, and community.
Introduction:
Dealing and working with other people is a very important part of the Ag
Ed instructor's job.
These relationships will shape how and what you do in your every day
routine. They
will also set the stage for how easy or difficult it will be for you to do
things that are expected of an Ag Ed teacher and FFA advisor. This help pamphlet
will give you some easy to do activities to build positive relationships with
administrators, school personnel, and community.
Remember these suggestions are not to be used as a cookbook; rather, you
should use them as a starting place.
1.
Dealing with the superintendent is relatively easy.
As long as the superintendent is not getting negative calls from the
school board members, parents, or the State Agency about the Ag teacher, he will
more than likely feel that you are doing your job.
Especially if your students are seen in the paper or awards are displayed
in the school.
Remember, the superintendent's job is similar to the CEO of a company;
keep the school financially sound, and the people of the community satisfied
with the daily activities of the school.
2.
The second area of dealing with the superintendent is a little more
delicate. The
Ag Ed program is an expensive program.
You will be responsible for a certain portion of the program's finances
and because of that and the fact the school will receive program money from the
state, you will need to work with the superintendent on money issues. (refer to
part 6 of the series).
Very few superintendents are free with the money.
Because of this, you will need to be organized and prepared when you
address the superintendent with these issues.
Remember, you should already have developed, discussed, and agreed upon a
budget with the superintendent.
This means if you are asking for more money you are in need of something
in addition to your budget or an emergency need has arose.
If you have an agreed upon budget and it is not an emergency situation,
DO NOT ask the superintendent for more money.
If you do have to ask for additional money, approach the superintendent
with the problem and ask for his advice.
Let him/her know the pros and cons concerning the situation.
If he/she does not suggest a money solution, then you can ask if it would
be possible. Once
he/she ahs made the decision, good or bad, live with it.
Once you have put the decision on his/her shoulders, it will be their
responsibility to explain to the board or parents.
However, don't go out saying, "we can't do this because the
superintendent won't let us".
If it was a money issue, budget for it next year.
Note: Don't
fight the superintendent on every issue that doesn't go your way.
Pick your fights carefully.
Sometimes it is necessary; but be careful.
Loyalty to the position of superintendent is a professional attitude that
will take you a long way.
You will have to learn through experience when to tell the superintendent
what you really think, when to let your supporters know that the superintendent
is unwilling to support the program, and when to keep you comments to yourself
and say, "he's the superintendent and we need to respect his
decision".
There is no substitute for common sense when you are dealing with people.
3.
The third area of dealing with the superintendent is communication.
A superintendent is very busy. They are dealing with the entire
community, teachers, principals, parents, government, etc.
Use this knowledge to your advantage.
Step
1 is to keep him/her up-to-date on what is going on in your program.
You can do this through a combination of e-mail and personal visits.
Do not intend on spending a great number of hours visiting. Be
short and sweet.
Give him/her just enough information to be able to talk to a community
supporter of the program.
If he can make that supporter comfortable about his involvement with the
program, he and you will have hit a home run.
You also need to give him/her immediate information on situations where
he might be getting calls from local patrons or parents.
This will help him/her eliminate the problem quickly.
It will also save you a rear chewing…sometimes.
Step
2 is to always send him/her invitations to activities where community supporters
are attending.
Let him know that he does not have to be there the entire time.
Have a place on the agenda, close to the beginning of the activity, where
he/she can speak and then if they need to leave, they can.
Make him/her feel comfortable about having to leave.
Step
3 is to go by sometime after school hours when he/she is still in the office and
ask if there is anything you can do to help.
Don't do this unless you have the time to help.
However, this will get you far with the superintendent.
Step
4 is do school projects if you are asked and some that you are not asked to do.
Be careful not to get all of the maintenance projects.
However, if you will do projects of choice, you can decline on projects
that you can't or don’t want to do.
If you can make your program a vital part of the school, you will be set
for life.
4.
The principal is a horse of a different color.
Because the principal is overwhelmed with way to many duties and way to
many daily problems, he/she will more than likely, seldom come out to your
building. You
will see them during evaluations or if there are calls coming in from
"concerned" parents.
If you see the principal shadowing you, be on alert.
5.
Your principal will have a set of items that he/she will expect from all
teachers. They
are important to your principal. Most are pet peeves.
He/she will let you know what they are.
On the other hand, here are some items that will get you in a bind with
any principal:
a.
No lesson plans
b.
No grades or phantom grades in the grade book
c.
Sending a bunch of kids to the office for discipline
d.
Not turning in grades and/or failing lists on time
e.
Not arranging for a substitute in a timely manner
f.
Being gone way too much
g.
Not being on duty
h.
Being late to school
i.
Not attending faculty meetings
j.
Not attending staff development
k.
Always late on paperwork
l.
Students leaving your class and wondering
m.
Taking
kids to the store during class hours
Keep
these items in mind. Try and be conscious of the principal's goals. They are
just as important to him as your activities are to you.
6.
A principal is, by nature of the job, a reactionary.
If you take care of business and your responsibilities in regard to all
aspects of your job, the principal will never give you a problem.
7.
The other item of priority when dealing with principals is communication.
Communicating with the principal is just as important as communicating
with the superintendent.
Use the same rules of communication with the principal as you do with the
superintendent.
Also, if the superintendent knows more than the principal about a certain
situation, he/she may feel that you are going over his/her head.
You don't have to tell the principal everything that's going on, but use
your common sense to keep him/her up to speed.
Jealousy on the part of the principal could cause problems between you
and the superintendent.
8.
When it comes to evaluations, the more information you can give the
principal about what you are doing in the classroom the better.
The principal is responsible for recommending to the superintendent, who
is responsible for recommending to the school board, all rehiring of teachers.
If there is ever a question from the superintendent or the board about
what's happening in your classroom, they will ask the principal.
So tell him/her all the good things going on and even invite him/her over
when you're doing interesting lessons.
Also be sure to give him/her copies of course syllabi.
9.
Dealing with school board members can be easy or hard.
It depends on how you handle it.
The rule of thumb is that you don't know anything.
If a board member asks you about some other teacher or one of the
administrators, you should say something but don't say anything.
If you know what I mean.
Also, don't go over the administrator's head to the board member unless
it is a life or death situation.
However, if you are asked why you are doing something the way you are
doing it, and it is the result of an administrative decision, let the board
member know at that time.
10.
Be a member of the faculty.
Work with the custodians, cafeteria staff, coaches, and other teachers.
Let them know that you are willing to be a part of all aspects of the
school. This
will only make your program stronger.
11.
Attend and help with other school activities.
If you expect them to attend and support your activities, you must show
them the same support.
12.
Always show your appreciation to the cafeteria staff, bus maintenance
staff and the custodians for all their work.
Provide them with an invitation for them and their spouse to the banquet.
In addition, introduce them along with other faculty attending.
Maybe even give them a Christmas present such as a meat item sold through
the fundraisers.
Also, send the kids down every once in a while to help them if you know
they are setting up for a special event.
13.
Use your shop wisely.
However, use it to help the coaches or other teachers who might need
things for their classrooms or athletic programs.
14.
Dealing with the community is easy.
Dealing with parents is another pamphlet.
The trick to having community support is through community activities.
You and your chapter should plan at least 2 or 3 community based help
activities. Examples:
community landscaping project, elementary school playground equipment,
town holiday celebrations (set-up or clean-up), help the Lion's or Kiwanis' with
an activity, most of all be seen in your FFA attire.
Put up signs at the entrance to town.
Provide a free horticulture or livestock seminar.
They need to know and see you out and about.
15.
One rule of thumb.
Never get too close in relationships with the people you work for.
This includes administration, parents, community members, etc.
It will always come back to haunt you.
Sooner or later, there will be an issue that you will have to deal with.
When you do, you will make someone mad.
It is easier to deal with a patron than it is with a good friend.
Sorry.
Final
Word: People
are whom we deal with in Agricultural Education.
The success of our programs depends on the support we get from those
people. You
must always be the professional, you must be involved in all aspects of the
school and community (don't live in your own world), and you must be looked upon
as a resource.
It may sound time consuming.
However, you will find that if you have a strong support base and the
school and community patrons feel comfortable with the job you are doing, it
will actually make you time.