 | There is a hierarchy in a school, but it's not like the hierarchy in a business or even in today's version of our government. In a school, things work better in a bottom-up sort of way, with everyone taking their cues from the students. Burgess and Houf, the authors of Lead Like a PIRATE, seem to get this. Teachers, being the first responders in the classroom, must respond to the needs and strengths of the students that have been corralled into their care. |
The primary clients for teachers should be students. Teachers are the ones who have daily contact with the students. As such, they have the opportunity to make the biggest impact on them. They are the ones who create the day-to-day learning environments and plan the daily learning experiences. The decision they make on a regular basis will help determine whether students in their classrooms will flourish and thrive throughout the year...
That makes sense, and it's easy enough to understand, but the statement that follows is where things easily break down.
The primary clients for school leaders should be teachers and staff. You can't teach every child in the school. You can't serve lunch to every child, tend to every scraped knee, answer every phone call, clean every classroom, or supervise every playground and hallway. But as a principal, you can have serious influence and positive impact on how all of these things are done. If you are a school leader, make sure a significant amount of your time focuses on supporting the adults in your schools - helping them to be their best so they, in turn, can effectively serve their primary clients, the students.
If a principal is a servant-leader, he responds to teachers' needs and strengths and does not dictate or mandate every movement of the school. This not only speaks to self-preservation for the administrator, but it serves students in the best possible way.
