Keeping One Foot in the Fire
This may turn in to a rant. I apologize. This may turn in to a sermon. I apologize. But I once again have to air my belief that administrators and Technology Integration Specialists should continue teaching at least one class. Having that connection with your faculty is important. It gives you street cred. It may be impossible to teach a full course, but certainly admin should continue offering something like clubs and advisory.
Our school, Korea International School, offers both clubs and advisory programs in the entire secondary school. The advisory in the high school meets once a week for 40 minutes and the middle school meets twice for 40 minutes. Clubs can meet once, twice, or three times a week in the high school and in the middle school they meet once or twice. Isn't this a golden opportunity for administrators to show their teaching abilities? Commit to doing a club once a week for 40 minutes and/or an advisory. Get in the classroom; use the technology; engage the students; provide educational leadership for your faculty. It seems like a win-win situation to me. Your teachers will be inspired; they will feel you are in the trenches with them. You will be in touch with students in an entirely different way. It would be especially nice for someone with a job like mine. Half of my job is student discipline, so most students only see me when they are in trouble -- this is a horrible way to be known. If I had a club or advisory, some students would be able to say -- but I have Mr. Bray for club, he is OK. Or, I have Mr. Bray for advisory, I know he cares about students. The second half of my job is technology integration and this is where the students have seen me differently, because I get in the classrooms and show them the programs or support the teachers with technology. It has been valuable. The students and teachers see me differently because they see me teaching. It is a good thing, trust me. Take the time to teach in your school. It pays off more than you can imagine.
