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Back in the Saddle: Why Every School Leader Should Return to the Classroom

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This past school year I had the opportunity to return to the classroom.  Our division wanted to open up a pathway for students interested in becoming educators, but we did not have a teacher available to teach the Teachers for Tomorrow course.  Since I still considered myself a teacher and had been missing the daily interaction with students since moving to the central office level, I eagerly volunteered to take on this new course.

I immediately remembered the joy that comes from planning engaging learning opportunities and building relationships with students as well as how quickly one can accumulate a stack of papers to grade.

This experience had an enormous impact on me as an educational leader so I wanted to share some reasons why I believe every school leader should get back in the saddle: 

Be an instructional model
How best to model the instructional expectations you expect from faculty?  Walk the walk.  

There have been several teachers who have reached out with questions about instruction that I don't believe would have if they didn't know that I was also working with students daily.  We were able to have real conversations about grades, PBAs, and rubrics that were more authentic due to the fact that I was living the same reality they were.

You also see first-hand how easy/difficult it is to implement the division vision and goals.  We began using a new student information system this year and I got to experience the benefits and challenges right along with our teachers.  

Every situation is more authentic because I am going through something similar rather than dictating from an office that is removed from the daily business of the school. That experience has been invaluable.

Connect 
Education is a people business. Being in the classroom regularly allows you to connect with students, on a whole other level than when you just pop in for visits.  

I learned so much about our school and community because of the relationship I built with the students in my class.  Their first-person accounts of issues allowed me a special insight into what drives students to be successful and what they really need from school in 2019.  You can't pay for that kind of information.

The T4T class visiting Radford University

Be reminded of your purpose
I did not get into education to work out of an office.  I love children and am passionate about giving them the best educational opportunities we can.  Returning to the classroom re-ignited this purpose and strengthened my drive to provide the best instruction to the students in our community.  

Make no mistake, this experience was not without its pitfalls.  I often felt pulled in two different directions as I had to miss class to attend division-level meetings or handle leadership issues.  The workload increased as I tried to plan lessons and grade student work all while keeping up with my "regular" job.  But it was so worth it.  

I encourage all of you to take the plunge and get back in touch with your teacher roots.  Whether it is covering a class period, an entire day due to the lack of a substitute, or teaching a class every so often, I think you will find it as beneficial as I did


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