This is a short list of those efforts:
- Regular, transparent, and inclusive communication. Let the teaching/learning team know what's happened, what is currently happening, and what is planned for the future. When educators are included in the plans and efforts, investment and good work grows.
- Lead time for initiatives. Providing lead time for initiatives gives educators the time they need to study the plan and implement with care.
- Preview and Review: Post all essential information and plans online so that educators can preview and review when needed.
- Personalized Professional Learning: When administrators know educators well, they're able to provide paths to worthy and meaningful professional learning opportunities rather than one-size-fits-all efforts that do not translate to as much meaningful growth and development.
- Fluid, Efficient, Responsive Purchasing Plans: By providing educators with a means to readily acquire tools and resources that will support student learning, leaders will empower positive, proactive service to students. This will also make it possible for educators to acquire needed materials without spending their personal dollars.
- Support: In many cases, an educator will need support to do the good work possible. Leaders who listen with care to educators' call for support and respond, will enable teachers to do their jobs well.
- Time for Collaboration, Planning, and Preparation: Creatively looking at the schedule and making time for educators to collaboratively prepare and plan for good teaching will support optimal teaching/learning.
- Voice and Choice: Using a shared leadership model whenever possible and enlisting the passions, interests, skills, questions, and ideas of educators will help to build more inclusive, dynamic, collaborative, and successful teaching/learning environments.
- Inviting, Inspiring Learning Environments: Advocating for and creating inviting, inspiring, responsive learning environments will give teachers and students what they need and desire in order to teach and learn well.
What would you add to this list?
Also, I'm wondering what school leaders' short lists for educators look like. What attributes do school leaders most desire from the educators in their organizations? If you've written or noticed a post like that, please share as I want to see this issue from the other side too.
