Craft the Perfect Holiday Message
December 3, 2019Martin Luther King Jr. Education Poster
December 31, 2019“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.”
- Tony Robbins, Motivational Speaker
- Tony Robbins, Motivational Speaker
It’s that time where we reflect on the past twelve months and begin to look forward to the new year. If you already know where you’d like to improve, we hope that you can set and achieve your 2019 goals.
If you need a little inspiration, check out these five resolutions you can implement to improve your school.
If you need a little inspiration, check out these five resolutions you can implement to improve your school.
School Administrator’s Resolutions for the New Year
1| Creating a Positive School Climate
There is strong evidence between school climate and student achievement. Creating a safe and supportive learning environment begins in the classroom.You can create a positive school climate by focusing on the overall needs of students and faculty. Students should feel safe everywhere on campus. It is a school-wide initiative to create a positive school climate and here are some things you can do to kickstart this goal:
- Establish a culture of inclusion and respect
- Take opportunities to model kindness in and outside the classroom
- Practice safety drills with students, faculty, and staff
- Promote the education of diversity and different cultures
- Encourage students to seek out help for emotional support from a trusted adult
Take a look at Edutopia's 20 Tips for Creating a Safe Learning Environment.
2| Supporting Teachers
Teachers are your number one asset in the classroom. Support teachers by providing the right resources and tools so they feel prepared throughout the year. Resources can be as simple as links to lesson plans ideas or valuable tips for classroom management. There isn’t a classroom that is not in need of tools or materials. Listen to your teachers and take stock of what they need to successfully do their job.3| Thanking Faculty and Staff
Each school year is a whirlwind of managing students and staff, coordinating school events, and crossing off endless to-do lists. Between the excitement of the new school year and winter break, we can forget to properly thank our faculty and staff.Thanking our educators and those who support the success of the school should be made known throughout the school year. We’ve laid out a few recommendations on how you can thank your teachers all year long, check it out in this article.
4| Promoting Innovation
Education is continuing to evolve, especially with the introduction of technology into the classroom. Make innovation a goal by promoting the use of makerspaces in classrooms. If you are tight on budget or resources, you can create a central makerspace in the school library. However you choose to bring makerspaces to your school, there are numerous benefits to implementing a maker culture at your school.5| Listening with a Mindful Ear
Regardless if you know exactly what your school needs, as an administrator, you should always be listening to the school community.Respectfully listen to faculty, students, parents, and volunteers. Listening shows that you care about what the other person is saying. It also gives you, as the listener, an opportunity to understand where there are weaknesses and places for improvement.
Listening to teachers should be part of every administrator's New Year’s resolutions. The reason being that teacher turnover is high because teachers do not feel like their voices are valued. Show teachers you value their opinions by respectfully listening to their ideas and concerns.