Jacob’s Journal: September 18

I am now knee deep into the formal observation cycle and now adding Learning Walks in the high school.  This is the highlight of my work as principal, as what happens in the classroom is the most important thing we do here at SSIS.  That being said I wanted to clarify my role as your evaluator.  My number one priority is to engage in a dialogue about instruction with each of you.  Ultimately, our work together will result in collective reflection, celebration, and collaborative learning (by both the administrator and teacher).

A few of you have asked me why I am observing each staff member twice a year for a whole block each time.  The answer…well crafted lessons are intellectually engineered pieces of art to be admired in their holistic form.  A brief snapshot will not give the evaluator a clear picture of the whole, which includes the beginning, middle and end.  Moreover, it’s the minutiae that many of you spend hours planning to ensure that all of your students reach the given standard that is just as important.  It is the depth of your work that I truly want to capture and admire.

At the end of the day, I want to “catch” you making strong instructional moves and honor these accomplishments.  Additionally, I want to highlight areas for growth and encourage personal reflection to improve learning for our students.  One of my previous English teachers said this best to his students, “Your work (regarding an essay) will never be completely finished, but instead a draft that may be picked up a few weeks later for further revision.”  We should aspire towards continuous improvement over the course of our entire career.  I hope to make this process meaningful to you and your colleagues over the course of the year.