Habits of Highly Ineffective Principals - Twisting

Use teacher self-evaluation comments in your observation reports. If the teacher says that he "would like to improve his homework policy" then your observation notes should include "Teacher's homework policies are inconsistent, ineffective and need improvement." "I'd like to explore a different curriculum" should be included as "Teacher does not use the approved curriculum. Test scores were low."

Twist every statement the teacher makes into a criticism that you can use on your report.

Always include phrases like "Does not use Best Practices", implying that you know better than the teacher. Remain focused on things like chair arrangement, seating charts and bulletin boards, clarity and length of type-written lesson plans, and written plans with links to standards. Always look for paperwork: If it isn't written down then it's wrong. If it is written, then use it against the teacher.

Happy Halloween.

The "Children sing Obama" video has competition

A little while ago, the world was horrified (okay, Fox News et al. was horrified) that an elementary school would have its children singing the praises of Obama in a YouTube video. Comparisons to Soviet Russia and cults of personality.

Then the antispin: "It's civics! At least these children know who the President is. Not like those twits on the Tonight Show."

Now we have the same thing, only this time it's corporate: Microsoft advertising jingles.



Can't say that's an improvement on singing to Obama.

I wonder if Sean Hannity and Michelle Malkin will get their panties in a twist over it?

h/t to the Register

Habits of Highly Ineffective Principals - Meetings

Schedule meetings. Do not write memos when you can hold a meeting instead. Do not give out the memo at the faculty meeting. Read the memo to the faculty. Better yet, put it into Powerpoint, using dense masses of tiny text that no one but you can read. Then read it verbatim. Do not make the hard-copy available.

It helps if you are assisted by someone whose sole function is to tap the SmartBoard to advance the slides. Bonus points if you use the District Technology Coordinator as the Vanna White stand-in while talking about the district's improved use of technology.

When you are finished, adjourn the meeting. Do not take questions or allow for discussions because "I know some people want to get out of here".