What can we assume about some of our senior teachers working in schools?
During the summer, I have reflected on senior leadership in schools. I write to provoke debate and offer personal reflection.
Below are 10 things you didn’t know about senior teachers.
- Some but not all, will be first on-site and last to leave.
- Some but not all, will place their own lessons at the top of their busy agendas.
- Some but not all, will do all they can to support colleagues who struggle with behaviour.
- Some but not all, will maintain an open door policy, even when they have a looming deadline.
- Some but not all, will get out of their offices at every lesson changeover.
- Some but not all, will continue to grade lesson observations, even though evidence suggests it is unreliable.
- Some but not all, will set cover, despite having a reduced timetable.
- Some but not all, will push ideologies, despite believing they are unsuitable for their students.
- Some but not all, will support school policies, but undermine collegiality behind the scenes.
- Some but not all, will yield their influence and power on others, even though they know the decision to be wrong.
Image: Shutterstock
Whilst we should recognise that senior teachers work very hard in schools, we know we are all not perfect.
TT.
SLT member 1 to 5 is the leadership I would have loved to have seen, unfortunately I have only had to deal with 6 to 10.
Sorry to hear that.
I assume this tendency for pushing ideologies that they don’t believe in comes from not knowing what else to put on performance managagement targets. It doesn’t matter if it works so long as it can be delivered and some kind of proof can be provided that targets have been met.