Two Heads are Better Than One

Today's post is brought to you by Jaimie Howe.

I’m a unique case.  I have taught in the same building for all eight years of my teaching career and have only worked for two principals.  Although they are the only two principals I have ever worked for, I would have to say, they must be the two best principals out there.  They get people.  They get education. They get kids.  They get life.  I have been very fortunate to have had the chance to work for both of them.

My current principal is the former district Literacy Coordinator. She has a strong background with classroom experience. She taught  Reading Recovery and just has a solid background with literacy in general.  My task in building a relationship with her was half done before I even started. She already understood and supported everything my job entailed.

Although this may seem like I had it made, I still had A LOT to learn about what my relationship between my principal and myself SHOULD look like.

I have learned more about people and relationships in the last two years in my job as a literacy coach than in my whole life all together. I am working on strengthening and building relationships EVERYDAY.  The top three fundamentals I’ve learned over the past two years as a literacy coach that I feel are crucial in building a positive and effective relationship with an administrator are:

LEARN THE INS AND OUTS OF THE ADMINISTRATOR'S ROLE

• Ask questions.
• Ask to try out some new leadership roles (i.e. facilitating a meeting).

Learning about my administrator's job actually helped me out more than I could have imagined.  My first year as a literacy coach I spent my time asking A LOT of questions.  I needed to know about the “systems” that helped our school run. In doing that, I learned a great deal about the role of the administrator. Understanding the magnitude of an administrator's position and the responsibility they have in creating a successful school for students and staff has helped me build such a stronger relationship with her. I’ve come to know which aspects of her position I can offer more of my assistance and where I know she wants to be the lead.  I’ve realized how crucial it is for us to be a TEAM.

TRUST: Administrators are BUSY People.

• Do what you say you’re going to do . . . and more.
• Have it done and ready on time.

My administrator can trust me to do many important tasks in our building because she knows I am reliable.  I recognize that I need to be that person that she can turn to and not have to worry about the outcome.  Administrators need LESS stress.  Help them in any way you can.  Be their support, colleague, and friend.

COLLABORATION and COMMUNICATION

• Talk to your administrator.  
• Schedule a weekly meeting.
• Ask for help.
• Plan together rather than alone.

My principal and I are very much alike. . . almost too much alike.  We tend to just do everything ourselves. In our first years together, we each spent countless hours planning meetings, sorting through data, etc. It really hit us at the beginning of this year when we sat down one day to talk about what would be happening at our Lead Team meeting that week.  Within fifteen minutes our ideas flowed off of each other’s and our meeting was planned.  My principal looked at me, sighed, and said, “I have been sitting for hours trying to come up with a plan for this meeting and now we just sat down and it took fifteen minutes and we’re done. Amazing!”

My oh my.  It is so true that “Two heads are MUCH better than one.”