Every school must be able to answer this question: How do we assure that we have a great faculty to deliver the mission with excellence, and ultimately increase student performance, satisfaction, and enthusiasm? While the answer, “with an effective teacher evaluation process,” is a common response, a significant problem arises—teacher evaluation processes are completely ineffective. Large-scale research has found schools do not accurately discriminate between effective and ineffective teachers,1 nor do they drive professional development or improve student outcomes.2 In our travels, ISM Consultants have found few schools that serve as exemplars in this area. Your school likely struggles to establish an effective, consistent, and culture-enriching evaluation process.
Why Positivity Matters in Your School
Academic leaders are tasked with creating school systems that support teachers and help students succeed. ISM’s research indicates that cultivating a positive atmosphere—one where faculty members provide a predictive and supportive environment—is essential to making student success a reality.
How to Create Job Descriptions to Attract Great New Teachers
Hiring can be one of the most time-consuming and nerve-wracking aspects of your job as an academic leader.
The first step in a successful hiring process is creating a comprehensive job description that attracts the right applicants. Craft a job description that accurately portrays an open role’s expected responsibilities, education level, and characteristics. Also focus on what sets your school apart from others in the marketplace to ensure you find the right person to fill each position.
Student Incentives: Do They Belong in Your School?
If you eat dinner, you get dessert. If you do your chores, you get an allowance. If you have perfect attendance for a full school year or get a certain grade on a test, you get a gift card?
Student incentives like the last example are becoming more commonplace in schools around the world. From small incentives (like stickers or school supplies) to behavioral incentives (such as pizza parties or free time) and even financial rewards, any incentive program within your school must make sense for your culture and your mission.
The Six Signs of a Toxic Teacher
You work closely with your faculty and staff every day within your school. You trust their judgement in the classroom, their desire to further your mission, and their dedication to helping your students succeed.
But sometimes a teacher in your school doesn’t quite fit the mold. Their actions aren’t always in line with the school's mission or the needs of the students. They negatively influence the faculty culture, spreading gossip in the teacher’s lounge or complaining during meetings.
Consider Your Calendar: How Many Teaching Days Does Your School Really Have?
One role of an academic administrator is to help educators maximize their teaching time in the classroom. We therefore recommend that every team review the amount of actual teaching days allotted in your school year calendar.
4 Ways to Ensure a Successful Community Service Program
Many schools have incorporated community service into their mission to show their students how to become global citizens with hearts for helping others. An integral part of delivering this value is an ongoing focus on service learning.
Scheduling Supports Advisory Program Success
The advisory program can be a distinguishing feature among your school’s offerings, and a source of multiple benefits to your students and their families. Of course, it must be well-planned and effectively implemented. There’s also the question of how advisory activities will be scheduled. The success of your advisory program depends, in part, on how it is incorporated into the school day, week, and year. As the School Head, meet with your scheduler to go over your expectations and ensure the schedule supports the scope and excellence of the program.
Recommended Resources for Academic Leaders
It’s always important to continue pursuing your professional development initiatives. That could mean diving into a good book, listening to a podcast on your way to school, or watching a video between meetings or other tasks.
5 Strategies for Your Professional Development Initiatives
It’s critical for Division Heads to help faculty members increase their knowledge and sharpen their approaches through professional development. Your school’s professional initiatives must be designed to help teachers navigate the rapidly evolving world of education to meet the needs of today’s students.