I start many posts with, "I was a teacher for 37 years." So every once in a while I get on a teacher topic.
Over the years I had many different administrators. Most of them were middle of the roaders. One was outstanding and one just terrible.
So I got thinking about hiring a good administrator.
I would suggest that a good place to look for administrators would be in the fine arts section.
Fine arts teachers have to set their classes up so that students work on individual projects or in groups. They also have to organize their program so that the curriculum police are satisfied. So fine arts teachers have many challenges with logistics. And they creative people.
So if I was hiring an administrator I would look in the fine aarts section for candidates for an administrative position.
I would like an administrator to be creative and have a vision as to what he wants for his school. I want somebody who is well organized and can move pieces of the jigsaw puzzle around and make the best use of space, time and talent.
After that look for leadership ability and personal appeal.
So here are the results of my afternoon of daydreaming.
Am I a little biased towards fine arts?
At our school, the Visual Arts department is one of the most dysfunctional! I think getting a lot of creative people together in one room can be a recipe for conflict as much as growth and innovation. It just depends on the personal chemistry of the individuals.
ReplyDeleteYou're right about personal chemistry being important. I just think that the style of teaching I fine arts gives them a better experience to be administrators.
DeleteI think you are! Elementary teachers are generalists, we have to teach everything, essentially MADD, music, art, dance and drama, but also science & tech. and social studies.
ReplyDeleteThe most problems I had were with a female principal who was insecure.
I would pick somebody with kindergarten experience. I think expecting people to teach all these subjects is a recipe for disaster
DeleteI think it is a process of feeling out the personality of the individual. The wrong person in a position of authority can poison the atmosphere of an entire facility.
ReplyDeleteYes, the wrong person means nothing gets done.
DeleteI think a good administrator today has to wear many hats and if they are not creative enough, they won't do a good job. I imagine they have to do a lot of juggling to get everything to work smoothly and efficiently. I would imagine it is more complicated than that in these times.
ReplyDeleteHere administration has had much more added to the job list and much of it does' have much to do with education.
DeleteYes, you are biased towards the fine arts, all right. And I like that you start so many posts reminding me that you were a teacher for 37 years. You still are one, just not in a formal way. :-)
ReplyDeleteYes, they Can't take the teacher out of the boy!
DeleteMakes perfect sense the way your describe it! It's a tough job no matter who gets chosen.
ReplyDeleteIt's tough but some people do a first class job.
Deletebeing creative is a good trait! :)
ReplyDeleteTo be an administrator , I think you have to be creative.
DeleteYou make some interesting points. Good managers are hard to find, my husband tells me.
ReplyDeleteI have a very good manager who likes to micro manage!
DeleteInteresting perspective.
ReplyDeleteSadly not too many fine arts people go into administration.
DeleteI hear what you are saying about administrators Red. Too many are bean counters with their little snouts buried in everyday facts. You want people who can visualise the bigger picture and appreciate the role they play in moving the ship onward to future destinations.
ReplyDeleteYes, I remember when our school was awesome and I remember when it stunk all because of administration.
DeleteYes indeed we had several clinker, a few average, and on really really good one. He was a former high school music teacher.....:)
ReplyDeleteYes, we lost a music teacher to administration and he was a good one.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't begin to know how to choose an administrator but if you were teaching for 37 years you should have some kind of wisdom on the subject. I can see that some kind of visionary would probably be a good thing, so long as they are also capable of attention to detail
ReplyDeleteHi Red, It is always a pleasure to hear fellow teachers talking about their experience. I too had some good administrators and some that were terrible. Remember that I taught high school. One time we had a new Principal. All of her classroom experience and previous administrative experience was at the elementary level. She didn’t last long … a couple of years! I think I’ll agree with you on picking someone from Fine Arts. Like you said, they are more likely to have vision and creative skills.
ReplyDeleteI like your way of thinking Red, it makes a whole lot of sense. My daughter-in-law is a theater arts teacher and from knowing her for several years now, I think she would make a great administrator.
ReplyDeleteBeing an art teacher of for so many years, I really do know I have had some opinions on non creative administrators. One principal that we had wanted to turn our school into a fine arts school as the band, music and my art department was doing so well. It shocked all of the history teachers, but she didm'n't stay lone and ended up out east. I am not sure that I really had an administrator that appreciated me for much than free labor and I fixed things foe one.
ReplyDeleteI had to teach everything except, physical education, music, art and drama. It was still a challenge. I was never a great math student, but I got to be better at math since I had to teach it. I have several art teacher friends who would love what you said.
ReplyDeleteI think it is your right to look for "correct" person for job!
ReplyDeleteteaching is source of more learning and i consider you a very happy man because according to Shakespeare "learning is the only source of pleasure"
I made a comment to your blog but all of a sudden it flew into cyber land. So second time around here. Great blog.
ReplyDeleteMy Granddaughter teaches Physical education, music, French and the list goes on.Teaching is challenging. Kids are very different to what you taught. My Granddaughter second year teaching. Only 24 years young. Her personality is happy her smiles are contagious. Her students like her. She also disciplines them when needed. The Principle likes her and her fellow teachers and parents applaud her. We are proud of her. And she certainly has possibilities and a great Imagination. She can express drama and her own voice singing and playing piano, guitar, keyboard. Means a lot. She too is a source of going up the ladder to better teaching experiences lead by her.