How Teachers and Principals Should Collaborate to Improve School Cultures

Attention all educators, principals, and assistant principals (APs): 

         Do you want to effect positive change for your school's culture?

         Do you want to improve your relationship with your colleagues-- specifically, your

         boss, or subordinates?

If you answered "yes" to either or both of these questions, read on! As a new teacher who'd personally answer say yes to both queries, I say it's time that unite!
We all need to make concerted efforts to advocate for school improvements. After consulting with teachers, a cute principal, and college professors for school
administration, I've come up with a handy do/don't guide to getting sh*t done together. Let's do this!

Maverick Pictures/Shutterstock

Do:

• Chaperone that school dance (I know, I know...): 

       Nationwide, the teacher leadership movement is in full swing. More than ever, teachers are
being pressured to step up their game in terms of "showing up" for their schools. By joining
        the PTO, school-improvement committee, or helping out  sporting events, we're showing how
much we care about the the students we service. Believe it or not, principals and assistant
principals really do notice. Our actions can make our building admins care about what we
have to say, which can spur positive change on their parts. Principals and APs have the
power, after all.

                                                                                                      "Sometimes even Yoda has a hard time walking the walk."

Don't:

• Be selfish

        It's true that school budgets are shrinking while teachers' and principals' responsibilities are growing (seemingly exponentially). That doesn't mean;
however, that we should take out our stress on one another, or curl into balls and hide out from our workplaces 100% of the time that we're off the
clock. Lest you've forgotten, let me remind you: The problems plaguing our public schools are systemic. That means there's no point in us adding
insult to injury by being petty. 

Don't:

• Take interest in your colleagues' priorities and capabilities.

        In order to successfully strengthen our professional bonds, we need to know where our colleagues stand. Principals' powers can be far-reaching.
Even if they don't seem to have a say on key aspects of what teachers want to target to improve school culture, in actuality, they probably do. For
instance although they may not be actively involved in district curriculum development, charismatic and impassioned principals can indirectly
affect it. If you're tight with your principal and he or she values you, then they just might express your views on what's working and what's not at a
principal meeting. When confident, respectable school administrators act as liaisons for teachers, the  district personnel take notice. This is when
positive change can occur.

Don't:

• Get too close to your partners in school leadership.

 Clearly, there is a strength in numbers when it comes time to make important changes for a school's culture. At this same time, though, there's something to be said for repeating the age-old mantra of cover your ass. In this situation, I am not speaking about lesson plans or grading, but
instead, I am talking about teacher evaluations. In the district that I work in, teachers are frequently evaluated by their principal or AP. This year,
for example, I am being evaluated, and my evaluator is my AP. If I get too close with her and eventually slip up and say or do something that
doesn't reflect well on me, then our relationship will suffer. Our school's culture would suffer, too.

TL;DR?: 

        Don't be a jerk! If we want to improve our school cultures, we need to avoid bs excuses, and
collectively step up our game.