A Principal's Roadmap to Daily Teacher Growth

As a principal, commitment to teacher growth is key for the advancement of both students and staff. Recently, our Vice President of Education Operational Services Dr. Kim Tunnell hosted Dr. Dianna Whitlock, author of Teacher Evaluation as a Growth Process, and Christina Larsen, former principal and current Executive Director of Human Resources at Highline Public Schools in Burien, WA., to discuss small steps that principals can take to help their teachers achieve their potential.

Q: What are some ideas to create a culture of nurturing teacher growth on your campus?

Christina Larsen: Walking way back, really nurturing teacher growth is dependent upon trust – trust and transparency. What I found in our schools that are most successful in terms of creating a culture of growth are the schools where anyone can observe other teachers to share ideas, take risks, and share challenges with each other.

Dr. Dianna Whitlock: I totally agree. I think back to when I was teaching, and even when I was a principal, feedback was really either punitive in nature or it was a compliance exercise. We really needed to move beyond that. Highline is beyond that. They're doing a fantastic job with moving into more of a growth process. One of my colleagues said it well – the goal is to do teacher evaluation with the teacher, not to the teacher.

Q: What are some ways to boost your own visibility as an administrator to help build trust with students, staff, and parents?

Larsen: It's important to continue to build those relationships by being authentic, consistent, and inviting. When I first became principal at my second school, I let parents and staff know what I'm about, and I asked them to call me out if I was inconsistent. I think it was my fourth year, I had one of my parent-teachers come to me and say it seemed like I wasn't adhering to the things that I said I valued. I thanked her and had to confess to my whole staff that I was called out. I explained how I rationalized my actions but recognized that I hadn't made the right decision.

Whitlock: If you're a principal, you need to know your teachers. You really need to know your staff. I had a similar experience to Christina – I had a young teacher who told me that I really intimidated her. I had to nurture that relationship and make sure she was supported. I really appreciated her sharing that that was her reality.

Q: What are some practical strategies that principals can use on a daily basis to promote teacher growth?

Larsen: Being willing to go in and teach in a classroom while being observed by the teacher can be really helpful. It's not something I could do every day, I probably did it once a month. Also, being in the classroom on a daily basis. I won't necessarily hit every single classroom every single week. You're just popping in. It gives you an opportunity to say something positive.

Whitlock: I think when we go back to thinking about practical strategies, I think transparency is really key. There shouldn't be any secrets as far as what good teaching looks like in the eyes of our district. Whether it's through modeling, or even looking at teaching videos – it keeps everybody on the same page as to what we expect of each other. It's really important for leadership to be prepared, to be looking at the data, and providing the supports needed. At the central office level, you have the data of every teacher in your district. It's the perfect time for partnership and peer coaching.

Q: Induction is really important for new teachers, as well as mentoring and coaching. If you're blessed to have instructional coaches, that's an element of providing daily growth. What about campuses that don't have that funding source? How can the principal serve in that role?

Larsen: I think that planning to partner, whether you have an instructional coach or not, is part of your responsibility as a building leader. You don't always partner with your most struggling teachers – you also want to partner with your teachers who are strong, so you can figure out what you can really do to help. Helping them get comfortable exploring the why behind their decisions is important, and letting them know that you're asking, so you don't make assumptions. Encourage them to ask you for the why behind your decisions as an administrator, too.

Whitlock: I think the partnerships are key, even among teachers. I think it's also important to talk about professional development. I've attended some really good PD sessions off campus, but I think I learned better when my principal would just let me go observe another colleague. We've all gone through PD and thought it would never work in our districts, but when the person down the hall is making it work, we realize that we can too. There's sometimes a little more buy-in when we learn from each other, just like our students. You have to know your staff and build that culture – make it clear that we can learn so much from observing each other and be sure to give your stronger teachers some time to go observe others as well.

Conclusion

Nurturing teacher growth and fostering a culture of trust and transparency within your school community will not only elevate the professional development of educators but also create an environment where students flourish, achievement soars, and the bonds between teachers, students, and parents strengthen, ultimately leading to a brighter future for all stakeholders involved. The insights shared by Dr. Diana Whitlock and Christina Larsen emphasize the importance of collaboration, open communication, and a growth-oriented approach to teacher evaluation.

Take the next step towards a brighter future for your school by exploring Evaluation today. Embrace the power of change and transformation as you embark on a journey of continuous improvement in education. Your students and staff deserve nothing less.

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