Navigating Your Administration: Five Tips From a Teacher's Perspective

To the frustrated, tired, spread-too-thin public (and private) school teacher, communicating with and understanding the dynamics of your administrative team--or your single administrator--can be one of the most difficult parts of the job, even in a best-case scenario.

I have worked for excellent administrators and those that... weren't as easy to work with. I will not seek to defend administrators’ actions or styles, but will instead share some advice and experience that has helped me get through the day with most of the administrators in my experience.

1. Remember that administrators are likely spread too thin also. As teachers, we know that we have three times the amount of work that can be done in any given day. Unless your school district is overstaffed at the administrative level, your administrators are likely also stretched way beyond capacity. This doesn't mean that they necessarily manage it all or prioritize the way you would, but keeping this in mind can help when you’re frustrated. In my experience, information and communication isn't often kept from me out of ignorance, spite or because I can’t be trusted, but because administrators only have so many hours in their day.

Click here for #2.