In a recent April 8th NASSP blog, Mel Riddle proposed steps to take for schools having\u00a0long agendas\u00a0with plans for success. He cited an article in a recent issue of Ed Leadership (April 3, 2013) as the impetus for his remarks.<\/p>\n
The article, “School Leaders: Make Sure Your Teachers Don’t\u00a0Lose Heart” by Lori Barnoski, a retired English teacher,\u00a0(http:\/\/www.edweek.org\/ew\/articles\/2013\/04\/03\/27barnoski.h32.html<\/a>\u00a0) reflects upon her levels of frustration regarding the numerous programs and activities placed upon her and a fellow colleague while high school teachers. Her colleague, still an active classroom teacher, shared with Ms Barnoski a list of 18 initiatives being implemented in her school during the year. Both the author and her colleague are critical of the “overload” of programs\/activities that can and do get in the way of basic teaching goals: connecting with students and helping them understand and learn the content. She\u00a0completes the article with six suggestions to help principals assist teachers with teaching.<\/p>\n Mel Riddle, in his NASSP blog, concurs with Ms Barnoski and adds a slight twist to the title of the\u00a0origional article. Mel’s blog title “Don’t Let Your Teachers Lose Heart – The Activity Syndrome Revisted” which refers to a 1990’s\u00a0education practice of some school divisions\/principals that the more activities designed for learning, the greater the success.\u00a0\u00a0Maybe, but not always necessarily so.<\/p>\n Mel revamped the action steps proposed by Ms Barnoski by reducing it to a simple process:<\/p>\n 1. Meet with your teacher leaders.<\/p>\n 2. List all the initiatives being implemented in your school(old and new).<\/p>\n 3. Categorize them into “must do,” “need to do,” and “nice to do” initiatives.<\/p>\n 4. Limit your “must do” initiatives to 3 but not more than 5.<\/p>\n 5. Remove initiatives from your list.<\/p>\n 6. Make sure that the “must do” items get done before you move on to “need” and “nice” items.<\/p>\n 7. Do not take on any new initiatives without talking with your teachers first.<\/p>\n If you would like to read all of Mel’s blog you may access it: http:\/\/nasspblogs.org\/principaldifference1\/2013\/04\/school-leaders-dont-let-your-teachers-lose-heart-the-activity-syndrome-revisited\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In a recent April 8th NASSP blog, Mel Riddle proposed steps to take for schools having\u00a0long agendas\u00a0with plans for success. He cited an article in a recent issue of Ed Leadership (April 3, 2013) as the impetus for his remarks. The article, “School Leaders: Make Sure Your Teachers Don’t\u00a0Lose Heart” by Lori Barnoski, a retired … <\/p>\n