Once we have come to some sort of agreement, regardless of how much each of us agreed or disagreed, every person involved in coming to the decision should abide by it. At the start of the school year, this was something that the leadership team agreed upon.
Unfortunately, it’s not what’s happening.
The question that I ask myself is: when I’m the principal, will I want someone to come to me when he/she is made aware that a group decision is not being abided by everyone?
Of course, I ask this because this is my predicament now, but it’s not an isolated incident so much as it is a recurring pattern. I am the one who is aware that the manner in which information is being disseminated to a specific department is not conducive to where the principal wants our school to go. Up until this point, I have made indirect comments to the principal regarding my observations; however, I have not explicitly stated that this person/group of people are not abiding by the leadership team’s decisions.
Perhaps if I was an AP I’d feel differently about sharing this information with the principal - or an AP - but as someone who is trying to move into administration, I have felt it best to just keep my mouth shut. When I am in a situation in which someone seems to be working counter to what was agreed upon, I do attempt to present to that individual a more positive spin on whatever's being discussed, but this does not always work to my advantage.
In regards to my question, I would want to know. I’m that type of person. I like to know as much as possible about every situation. Also, as a situation like the one mentioned deals with the culture of the school, especially one in which the principal is attempting to move the culture from toxic to healthy, I would want that information; in fact, Kaplan and Owings (2013) characterize a toxic school culture one in which “[a]dministrators and faculty are unwilling to change[, and i]nterpersonal tone is oppositional and prickly” (p.14). I want to know what I’m working up against, not to even the score, but to know what I need to put into place in order to address concerns and/or diffuse situations. On the flip side, I also understand that sometimes those who readily share information, not necessarily in an attempt to stir the figurative pot, are perceived as tattletales.
That being said, what would you want?
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ReplyDeleteJosh,
ReplyDeleteI too am in a similar situation. I feel exactly the same way you do on many occasions. I too feel that I have to tread carefully because I'm not yet in an administrative position. I do talk to my principal. I do share things sometimes that maybe could be perceived as a "tattletale." However, I take care to sugar-coat when I have to and to minimize the situation rather than share everything and have it blown out of proportion. I also try to think about whether or not it's for the "greater good." I do think it is important for principals to get a true idea of what is/is not going on within the school. Do I think I have to run and tell every detail? Absolutely not. Do I think that people, in general, are going to share with their boss how they really feel about something that they may/may not agree with? Probably not. Do I want to my principal to have a clearer understanding from a teacher's perspective? Definitely. Am I careful in how I present information to him, but at the same time give him an honest picture of what I see going on? Yes, all the time. So in answer to your question: Yes, I would want to know, but I would want someone to tactfully share with me things that I would otherwise never know. The tricky part is knowing your boss well enough that you can trust he/she will handle things in the right way and not make it obvious that they heard it from you.
Hi Josh,
ReplyDeleteAs an AP I find myself constantly between a rock (my principal) and a hard place (an angry/disgruntled/insubordinate) teacher. I always encourage the teacher to tell the principal how they feel and be honest about what is going on. I refuse to be a messenger which sometimes can lead to a situation escalating unnecessarily or the message being mixed up in translation. In your position I agree with Kim in saying that you have to tread carefully and think about if telling your principal is for the greater good.