New standards, new
evaluation systems, new state assessments…. There are so many new things
happening in education today that it can feel quite overwhelming. If we are not
real careful our behaviors will be to jump through the hoops of these new
changes and lose sight of our mission. As a principal, I feel it is up to me to
keep everyone focused on the things that matter most for both students and
staff. However, making things simple can be very difficult. Where there is
growth and change there is complexity. Complexity is the enemy of clarity.
The best leaders
lead people in ways in which their followers can easily understand and follow. Simplicity helps the followers to
focus on the plan (The real work is to get the people to work and follow the plan.) A
good communicator takes something complex and makes it simple for others to understand.
Because of the work
of my staff we have shown really great growth in student achievement the past
few years. I’ve been asked to present to other middle school principals in the
West Georgia area regarding our growth. I know they will come wanting a copy of
the master schedule and a list of programs that we might have used. However,
what I have to give them is much different. Our success comes from focusing on
both the staff and the students. There are no magic schedules or silver bullet
programs. I believe it is people and not programs that make the real difference. See below my attempt to make it “simple.”
If you are a principal and you are reading this, I encourage you to take time this summer to make the path to school improvement "simple" for your staff to understand. You will find that your staff will buy-in to a plan that is clear, concise, and focused on the important work of helping students.
