Would you want to be a teacher in your district?

I was recently out to dinner at a Mexican restaurant with a friend, and I was asked if I was enjoying my dish (Mexican chicken mole, which was excellent, by the way). I quickly replied something to the effect of, “Yes! I would order it again.” In my mind, whether or not someone would order the same food again is the true litmus test in determining if the food is truly worthwhile. Now, while eating I was thinking about all that has been taking place in my school district, where I am an assistant principal. Then, somehow I managed to make a connection between “Would you order the same food again?” to “Would you want to be a teacher in your district?” The latter question is the litmus test for whether or not an administrator is happy in the district for which he works. (See the connection?)

So, here are some questions (in no particular order) you might want to ask yourself to find out if your district is the place to be. Or, hypothetically, if you are an administrator and for some reason you are considering a move to a teaching position in your very same district, these questions can also be of assistance: (Also, a big “Thank You” to three of my colleagues for contributing questions of their own, Dr. Ziegenfuss , Mrs. Plante, and Mr. Murray!)

1. Are students the focal point of all decisions? Is there a constant power struggle between teachers and administration (and also within these two groups), or is everyone able to put their differences aside for the benefit of the children?
2. Will I be supported? Is there a systematic professional learning community or PLC process in place that will help to familiarize me with the curriculum, current best practices, and how to analyze student data – both quantitative and qualitative – in order to drive my instruction (and not necessarily just standardized test scores).
3. In general, will my administrators stress empowerment more than accountability? Will my co-workers and district administrators constantly try to “catch me being bad” through micromanagement or will they continuously empower me by offering sound advice and moving me in the right direction through quality professional development.
4. Will my unique talents be appreciated? Will co-workers and district administration appreciate the unique and creative ideas that I bring to the table and do what they can to make them a reality, or will they make sure that I fit their mold and blend into the background? Furthermore, will they allow me to leverage my unique talents in order to take on leadership roles within my school and/or district?
5. Are ideas “separated” from their sources? Is everyone allowed to voice their opinions regardless of their position and/or experiences, or do those in charge “have all the answers” simply because they are higher up in the hierarchy. Also, when opinions are voiced, will they actually be considered?
6. Will I be allowed to constructively criticize? This question goes along with the previous, but it is a bit more focused. For example, if someone in administration is doing something with which I disagree, at the very least would I feel comfortable enough to constructively criticize his actions (in a private conversation), or is his word considered the law?
7. Is there a fear of forward thinking technology integration? If I find an engaging tool and I am able to leverage it to enhance my standards-based instruction, would I be able to do so without asking around for permission? If I use the tool, would I end up finding it blocked the very next day? (The same can be said for social media.)
8. Is the culture driven by standardized testing? With more and more accountability (including Educator Effectiveness) being driven by student performance on standardized tests, is the school culture driven to raise test scores to play this game? Or is there a genuine culture to improve student achievement with state test scores as only one indicator?
   – question contributed by Randy Ziegenfuss (@ziegeran)
9. Will I have control over my own professional learning? It seems like more and more directives come from the top of the organization or even the state department of education. Will the school/district react to these by squeezing out time from valuable learning opportunities that happen “on school time”? Or will I have autonomy over my professional learning despite these new mandates?
   – question contributed by Randy Ziegenfuss (@ziegeran)
10. Will administration support the clique or the cultivators? Too many climates support the cool crowd, not the do crowd because it makes them popular on the surface. This over time demeans the efforts of those working to better the learning, the students, and the school as a whole and creates apathy to improve for all constituents for those who could truly make a difference.
    – question contributed by Sharon LePage Plante (@iplante)
11. Am I inspired to a growth mindset, or drawn in by a fixed mindset? To grow takes risks, takes effort, takes drive…is there motivation for educators to strive beyond their comfort zone to make learning, collaboration, and the school as a whole a more engaging environment for all who enter? Does the support (financial and verbal) exist to extend beyond the surface to make the environment more conducive to learning and teaching?
    – question contributed by Sharon LePage Plante (@iplante)
12. Does the district seem to always operate in a top-down, one-size-fits-all approach, or is leadership owned by many? The best organizations have a high octane leader that empowers people, removes roadblocks, and creates a culture of innovation. Recognizing that teachers are learners first and that a one-size-fits-all approach is obsolete is a start to that conversation.
    – question contributed by Tom Murray (@thomascmurray)

I would be interested in hearing if any of the above questions happen to jump out at you as your most important. Or, do you have any questions of your own to contribute?

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Ross Cooper

I'm an administrator in New York and the coauthor of two books on project based learning.

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