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How to get principals and administrators on your side and...

Issue Addressed:

How to get principals and administrators on your side and get them recruiting their collegues' support for your project.

Solution:

Pick a principal at a school where you have successfully worked with teachers who have changed the way they manage their classroom, the curriculum, their student's learning. Visit the teacher, stop to see the principal, praise the teacher, ask for an interview, acknowledging that you recognize they're too busy to fill out another evaluative questionnaire. Explain that you'd like to be able to document the obvious success at her/his school and you only need 15 minutes. If neccessary, make an app't. Formulate one or two at the most comprehensive questions that direct the principal to articulate the effectiveness of the teacher and the impact of your program. Our experience has shown us that once convinced you are really interested in their school, they enjoy telling you what's going on and will even elaborate on what they want to accomplish. Ask them to help set up a meeting of other principals in order to help convince them of the value of the project for their teachers. Teachers are your best sales force for other teachers and the same goes for principals. It just takes time.

Unresolved Issues:

1. Time
2. Convincing them that the right kind of change won't destroy their school.
3. Urban paranoia

Submitted:

Jane McMillan-Brown, 1/13/1998

Themes:

Impact Of LSCs' Progress, Professional Development, Leveraging Support

Comments

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