From Evaluator to Coach: A Needed Change to Teacher Evaluations

If there is one thing many of us can agree upon, it is that being evaluated is a stressful and anxiety filled experience. Knowing the person observing you is watching your every move, listening to your every word and seeing how the students respond to your teaching can make even the most distinguished teacher tense up with nervousness. It is hard not to respond with anxiety and stress when the process for teacher evaluations is set up in a way that makes teachers feel like they are being judged more than supported. That is what is wrong with the evaluation process and something we as school leaders need to change in order for our culture to continue to improve. 

If I had to rank my job requirements from most enjoyable to least, evaluating teachers would be close to the bottom. It is not because of the paperwork, the observations, or the discussions. The reason it is not enjoyable is the engrained mindset that the teacher evaluation is just an opinion of how well someone “feels” another person is doing at their job. Leaders, that is why we need to look at how we do our evaluations and change the process so we can change the mindset of those we evaluate and make evaluations more enjoyable for all of us. We can’t continue doing what we have always done, there has to be change. This cultural change of evaluations has to start now!

In my quest to make teacher evaluations more meaningful, I came across the book, “Lead Like a Pirate” by Shelley Burgess and Beth Houf. The book as a whole is a great reference guide for leaders, but the area of the book that impacted my leadership the most was how  to act as a coach instead of an evaluator. As leaders we need to flip our mindset of our role in the grand scheme of teacher evaluations. We need to look at the system and the process from a different lens and start to understand that our role should move from being an evaluator to being a coach. 

Coaching gets greater results than evaluating because the approach and avenue to reach your goals and dreams look completely different. Look at the famous coaches in professional sports history: Phil Jackson (NBA), Vince Lombardi (NFL), John Wooden (NCAA Basketball); each of

them every day “evaluated” their players: ability, strengths, weaknesses and work ethic. They knew how to push their players and how each player needed to be individually motivated and encouraged. The difference between the processes of coaching and evaluating are when you coach; you don’t just watch as a spectator and give your opinion on how things are and how they should be. Instead you take your observations and show them what they can be and how their skills can continue to grow and encourage them with avenues to get there. That is what school leaders (myself included) need to focus on- helping teachers realize where they are and where they can go if they continue to grow in their abilities as a teacher, colleague and leader.

With that said, leaders beware! With guidance comes great responsibility. If you truly want to be a coach there is much you need to do behind the scenes. Just as coaches watch game footage, study playbooks and plan strategies, evaluators who want to be coaches have to put in the same work. We need to do our own homework on how to help our teachers grow. We need to create a playbook of resources that we have collected from books, websites, conferences, and experts in the field of education. We need to be able to show the way not just through our own opinion but through best practices that have been proven over and over by research and inquiry. Our teachers need to knowthat we knowwhat we are doing and that we have the knowledge and the tools to help them reach their true potential and are not just shooting from the hip with our own opinions. When teachers believe in you and your message, they trust you as their coach and their leader. 

Last year, I started to flip the evaluation process and I have seen some great changes in the relationships I have with many of the teachers. This change is an ongoing process and even though mindsets won’t change in a flash; with time and effort on our part, we can show teachers we are not here to judge them but to coach them to their fullest potential. We can start to tear down the walls of judgement that the evaluation process has mortared together between us and trust between both sides can start to grow. Our teacher evaluation process is in need of a huge makeover if we want culture to change and growth in all stakeholders to grow. This may seem like a daunting task, but just like the answer to the age old question, “How do you eat an elephant?”; you do it one bite at a time. Take your first bite in changing your evaluation process. The first bite is always the hardest but once you take that first bite you will see first-hand how good the switch can taste

Have a hit some bumps in the road? Sure, I have. Are there still mindsets and relationships that I need to work harder at? Of course there are. Every day, every conversation, every action, everything I do will either build up that wall or continue to rip it down. This is why every day I choose to put my judgments aside and work alongside of my teachers so they know we are in this game called education together. My teachers are worth it and I know yours are worth it too.

Are you willing to lay your judgments aside? Are you willing to look from a different lens? What changes do you need to make today, so that your teachers can reach their fullest potential tomorrow? What articles, books, conferences and professionals are you connecting with so your teachers know, that you know how to take them to the next level?

Author Bio: 

Roger Gurganus is an Assistant Principal at Brownstown Middle School, a 6-7 building in Brownstown, MI. He has a passion for children and education and strives to ensure that every student is connected and feels part of the positive communities he creates. Along with creating a culture of hope and love in his own middle school, Roger also is committed to bringing hope, love and education to the children of Uganda, Africa where each summer he travels in hope of making a bigger difference in the lives of students who need it the most. Roger believes that teaching is not a job, but rather a calling and hopes that through his work, lives can be changed, dreams can become reality and mountains can be moved. 

Follow Roger Gurganus’ educational and leadership journey:
Twitter:@RogerGurganusII
Instagram:@RogerGurganusII
Youtube@BMSWARRIORS67

Resources:
Lead Like a Pirate:https://www.daveburgessconsulting.com/books/lead-like-a-pirate/

Making Everyone Happy: The Unreal Mindset of a School Leader

Being a leader means that you have to make decisions, and in my five years as an assistant principal, I have gradually come to accept the fact that not everyone is going to like the decisions that I have to make. Here is my story in a nutshell along with three key criteria I have developed that help me make sound decisions for my school, while dealing better with the inevitable complaints.

When I first started as an assistant principal, I wanted to make everyone happy. But as the first year went on, even basic decisions that seemed simple to me sometimes left people feeling

upset. I felt like I couldn’t win. No matter what I did, people would be upset. I even had people complain about the selection of free meal choices!

I struggled, and at times wanted to go back into the classroom and teach my third-grade students. When I taught, I didn’t have to deal with so many upset people, and the decisions I made never received the same type of backlash from 8-year-old children. What was I supposed to do?

At one point, I had a teacher approach me with a fantastic idea of hosting parent nights to inform parents what their children were learning and show them how to help with homework and studies. Since the idea addressed an important issue of parental involvement, I shared it at the next staff meeting and expected teachers to jump on board. But even before I had finished introducing the idea, a couple of staff members strongly disagreed with the idea. I believe they looked at the idea as another task to complete, instead of seeing it as an opportunity to bridge the gap of school and home. In an effort to keep the peace, I put the parent nights idea on hold. But to be honest, at that point I had just decided to bury the idea rather then do what I felt was right for the students and the teacher who shared the idea. 

Reflecting on that and other missed opportunities a year later, I began to look at the big picture and see what my main goal as a leader was. Was it to make decisions that would please everyone, or was it to make decisions that would push others to meet their potential and do what is best for kids?

I began to take time before making any decisions and see if the decision I was making was best for kids and best for our schools’ success. I also began to run my thoughts on specific decisions past individuals whom I trust and knew would give honest feedback.

Decisions are made only if they hit all 3 main criteria that I have set in place. Is the decision:

• Research-based?
• Centered in the school’s vision?
• Best for students?

If the decision hits all three criteria, then let’s roll! If not, it’s back to the drawing board. When you make a decision through this process, you will feel more confident about your decisions and able to explain your reasoning to others.

Do I still have people upset and unhappy with my decisions? Sure I do. But the difference now is, I don’t take it personally, because my decisions are not personal. My decisions are no longer about what I feel is best for the school but instead what is best for the school.

So, leaders—be leaders. Don’t be afraid to make decisions, and do not be worried about making everyone happy! Dive in and show your leadership skills. At times you will get a 9.8 on a dive and other times you will get a 3.7, but no matter the score your decision receives, you made one and you made it after making sure it was best for your school. That is the first step (or dive) into true leadership.

I end with a great quote that I heard a few years back, and it is so true: “If you want to make everyone happy, don’t be a leader; drive an ice cream truck!”
Those you lead might not light up with huge smiles and cheers every time they see and hear you—but they will know every time they see you that you are fair and have the best interests in mind when you make a decision for them, their students, and the school.

What decisions have you neglected to make because you knew it would upset some people? What steps could you have taken or still take to make sure that decision was best for your school? Who do you think you could choose to be on your “checks and balances” team because you know they would be honest with you?

Author Bio: 

Roger Gurganus is an Assistant Principal at Brownstown Middle School, a 6-7 building in Brownstown, MI. He has a passion for children and education and strives to ensure that every student is connected and feels part of the positive communities he creates. Along with creating a culture of hope and love in his own middle school, Roger also is committed to bringing hope, love and education to the children of Uganda, Africa where each summer he travels in hope of making a bigger difference in the lives of students who need it the most. Roger believes that teaching is not a job, but rather a calling and hopes that through his work, lives can be changed, dreams can become reality and mountains can be moved. 

Follow Roger Gurganus’ educational and leadership journey:
Twitter:@RogerGurganusII
Instagram:@RogerGurganusII
Youtube@BMSWARRIORS67

Making Connections: Lighting a Fire in your Staff and Students

I am not a camper, so I am in no way an expert on building a fire, but I do know (thanks to my high school science classes) that in order for fire to ignite, it needs three elements: heat, fuel and oxygen. On the flip side, being a school leader is something I do know, and culture is something that is talked about all over leadership blogs, articles, books, and tweets. Culture is way more than just a buzzword. Culture is the heart of a school, and the difference-maker between success and failure.

I am going to save you time and money today and help you ignite a positive culture in your school. You don’t need to buy the newest culture book from Amazon or spend your nights ignoring your family in hopes of finding the culture Holy Grail on Twitter.

Culture starts with connections. This is the key to igniting a fire in your staff and students. Without a spark, your culture will never become a wildfire that blazes down the hallways and into the classrooms. And just like an actual fire, for this cultural blaze to ignite you need these three elements:

Element One: Heat Up Some Excitement
We have all had those leaders in our lives that you prayed would finally wake up and show some excitement. I am not saying leaders have to be like Richard Simmons and run at 110 percent energy and excitement all day, every day. That would make those you lead feel anxious and nervous, and we know we don’t want that. What I am saying is, as leaders, we set the tone for the school. One of my favorite people—and who I want to be when I get older—Todd Whitaker, says it best, “When the principal sneezes, the school catches a cold.”

If you want a school culture where people are excited to be there, then YOU need to be excited to be there. If you want teachers to work in PLCs, then you need to be excited about collaboration. If you want your students to connect with the school through sports and clubs, then you need to get your butt in the bleachers and run some clubs. When you lead with excitement for all areas of your school, it becomes contagious and others join to get in on the excitement. It doesn’t matter your personality; you can do it, even if you have to fake it. Here is a simple one you can start first thing tomorrow morning. Take the current book you are reading, throw it under your arm and walk down the hallway looking like you just won the lottery. Trust me, everyone is going to think whatever you are reading and learning from the book is epic. Learning is now modeled through excitement.

Element Two: Fuel the Passion and Love
This second element is crucial to your culture and to the continual burning of that flame. As leaders you need to have passion for your staff and your students. You have to show them that you love them. Yes, I said “love them.” This is easier than you think. Here are two simple ways to show love and can be implemented starting tomorrow. First, listen. When anyone tomorrow talks to you, stop everything that you are doing (yes, put your phone down) and give them all of your attention. Second, respond. Your response is crucial because most leaders (myself included) love talking and are so quick to respond with our thoughts. The key is to respond with passion for whatever is being shared with you—from what the kindergarten student got from Santa to the concerns of your AP Calculus teacher. When you respond with passion, they feel important, which causes the flame to burn.

Element Three: Life-Sustaining Oxygen  
Take a breath. Go ahead, I’m waiting…

Doesn’t it feel good when you can just take a moment and breathe? It does, so as school leaders, it is your job to give your staff and students time to breathe. When we run our schools in a way where everyone feels like they are under the thumb of someone else, it gets really hard to breathe. There have to be moments throughout the day or week that allow your school to breathe and re-energize. These times come in a variety of ways from fun activities: assemblies, games, lunch raffles, outings, and more. When you create avenues in your school where fun can be had and the worries of state test scores and your to-do list can be put briefly in the backseat, your staff and students can see that school is way more than just scores and grades—it’s about life and passion. Don’t wait. Tomorrow, surprise your staff with a great free lunch and have an ice cream day in the cafeteria for your kids.

I hope that you can take these elements—excitement, passion/love, and life—and add them into your daily practice as a school leader. Change the culture for your staff and students. They are worth it!

Are you satisfied with your schools’ culture? Are you connecting with your staff and students? Are you starting a cultural fire or are you just being the extinguisher? What can you do starting tomorrow to light a fire?

Author Bio: 

Roger Gurganus is an Assistant Principal at Brownstown Middle School, a 6-7 building in Brownstown, MI. He has a passion for children and education and strives to ensure that every student is connected and feels part of the positive communities he creates. Along with creating a culture of hope and love in his own middle school, Roger also is committed to bringing hope, love and education to the children of Uganda, Africa where each summer he travels in hope of making a bigger difference in the lives of students who need it the most. Roger believes that teaching is not a job, but rather a calling and hopes that through his work, lives can be changed, dreams can become reality and mountains can be moved. 

Follow Roger Gurganus’ educational and leadership journey:
Twitter:@RogerGurganusII
Instagram:@RogerGurganusII
Youtube@BMSWARRIORS67

Reaching the Masses: Communicating with all Stakeholder

Why do you think companies like Apple and Nike have such a cult following? If you compare their products to their competitors, they are very similar but these two companies are getting consumers to pay more for their product than their competitors are. Why is that? I believe the number one reason is, communication. These companies know how to communicate the “greatness” of their products. From the iPhone to Air Jordan’s, we have been told we can “Be like Mike”, and we can “Think

Different” just by lacing up their sneakers and booting up their computers. In the world of education, we can learn a thing or two from these companies on how we communicate with our stakeholders.

School leaders are the go-to person when students, parents, staff and community members want to know what is going on inside the walls of your school. It is their job to show their community first-hand how their school is set apart from the average school out there. At the end of the day you know more about your school than anyone else, so who better to tell your school’s story? To help you on this endeavor, I am going to share 3 practical easy ways that school leaders can communicate effectively the masses.

All Stakeholders (Social Media)
As a school leader, you need to create a positive Social Media presence. More than likely, all of your stakeholders are on one or more forms of Social Media. They are scrolling on their phones looking to engage; as school leaders we have a great opportunity to meet them right there. Create a school page on Social Media and keep it current. Post what is going on as well as pictures and videos of awesome lessons or activities your staff and students are doing. Bring your school to the screen in the palm of your communities’ hands. It is an easy and powerful way to ensure you are telling your school’s story.

Staff, Students and Parents (Weekly Email Communications)
As lead communicators, administrators need to create an effective way to let staff know of school activities and how they can get plugged in. Every week, I send my staff a “Weekly Warrior”. In this document, I share important info such as: school activities, drills, and even my personal calendar. I also share a “teaching” piece (“From My Desk”) about what I learned from the current book I am reading and how it could be applied in the classroom. By doing this, I am modeling the need of ongoing learning to my staff. There is also a section (“Highlight of My Week”) where I share something that I witnessed that week that made me proud to be a leader in the building. From great things teachers are doing in and out of the classroom, to positive interactions I see between students, this is a great section to brag to and about our stakeholders.  I take this communication one step further to reach the masses. I BCC the email with this document and a video “blog” that I record each week (Youtube: BMSWARRIORS67) to all of Central Office and every administrator in the district. I do this so everyone can see first-hand the great things we are doing and how amazing the staff at my school is. Adding those extra people to a communication that I am already sending, makes this communication even greater and more powerful without any extra effort.

This year, we have also asked our staff members to send a weekly email communication to their students and parents. We have seen huge growth in our effort to bridge the gap between the classroom and home and because of that our culture continues to move in a positive direction.

Students and Parents (Personal Interactions)
As a leader, you can’t always speak from the comfort of our MacBook. There are times you have to lace up your Nike’s and connect with your students and parents in a more personal way. Two ways that have made the most impact for our school are after-school clubs and “principal chats”. Our school culture has grown leaps and bounds over the past few years because of the mindset that every student needs to connect; we will create any avenue possible to do so. When we get students plugged in and they become part of the positive culture, they themselves become a form of communication as they tell our story, through their own personal lense. Their own experiences get posted and snapped every day and because we are hooking students into the culture, the positive light of our school shines through them to a whole new audience.

With parents we try to be transparent and have multiple “experiences” (PTO, Donuts with Principals, orientation…) where they can come in and hear our story. You would be surprised how great communication can be with one hand on a jelly donut and the other greeting parents and welcoming their input. These interactions are worth way more than the cost of a few dozen donuts. It is a priceless investment all leaders need to make.

Communication is key if you want everyone to see your story. The alternative of not telling your own story is that others will tell it for you and let’s be honest,   So “just do it” and start taking your communication to the next level and reach the masses.

do you really want someone else telling your story? I bet I know how you are going to answer that.

How can you start implementing new forms of communication to reach the masses?
Look at what you are doing now and truly take some time and evaluate and ask yourself, is this the most effective way to do this?
Who is telling your story, if you can’t answer with confidence, then ask yourself, “How can I take the wheel back and drive the communication to wear I want it to be?”

If you would like tosee examples of how we engage parents at our school check out our Facebook page. 

Author Bio:

Roger Gurganus is an Assistant Principal at Brownstown Middle School, a 6-7 building in Brownstown, MI. He has a passion for children and education and strives to ensure that every student is connected and feels part of the positive communities he creates. Along with creating a culture of hope and love in his own middle school, Roger also is committed to bringing hope, love and education to the children of Uganda, Africa where each summer he travels in hope of making a bigger difference in the lives of students who need it the most. Roger believes that teaching is not a job, but rather a calling and hopes that through his work, lives can be changed, dreams can become reality and mountains can be moved.

Follow Roger Gurganus’ educational and leadership journey:
Twitter: @RogerGurganusII
Instagram: @RogerGurganusII
Youtube @BMSWARRIORS67