Nov 13

Thanksgiving break is almost here. You can feel the anticipation in the atmoshpere. As I prepare to take my first week-long break I can't help but think how far I have to go as an administrator and leader. So many things come your way in a day, sometimes you want to just close the doors, shut the windows and meditate. That doesn't sound like a bad idea! As I think back, classroom monitoring still rings as key in managing a school. Some teachers will do their very best no matter who the leader is. Others, well they need a little push every now and then. All in all, I am happy with my school. I would like for our teachers to have a little more initiative when it comes to student acheivement, but they do what they are asked to do.
Student acheivement... That is a big dilemma. How does one go about positively affecting student acheivement? For starters, you have to take much. Take much in the way of naysayers. Take much in the way of un-motivated teachers, parents and community members. You have to take all that and mix it in with all the motivated teachers. Stir it all in one pot and hopefully the finished product is student acheivement.
We have begun utilizing our online lesson planner. An invaluable tool for teacher planning. This tool allows me as an administrator to view and comment on lesson plans. I am able to view certain lessons and actually get an idea of what to expect before I enter the classroom. This is the future of education. We have to get on board with technology and teach our students how to manipulate the latest innovations and apply it in their everyday lessons..

Nov 7

This week will be the first week my teachers utilize the new online lesson planner. It is a very useful tool for teachers. I remember when I was a teacher, I tried several electronic lesson plans, none of which was very user friendly. The current software seems to work well. Teachers are required to post their plans weekly. As an administrator I am able to view plans and send instant emails with my comments. As I am going to visit classrooms, I can view what the teacher should be doing when I walk into their rooms. As I have stated before, visiting classrooms is probably the biggest single indicator or predictor of academic success. Constant monitoring is key if you are to effect the type of change you are looking for. I've heard stories of the administrator staying in their office all day and wondering at the end of the year what went wrong. I am striving not to be that type of principal.
Also this week will be my first carnival. Trying to go on field trips and other items needed for students costs money- and a carnival is probably the single biggest fundraiser you can have.