Comments on: Advice for a Future Department Head http://tweenteacher.com/2009/07/22/advice-for-a-future-department-head/ Heather Wolpert-Gawron Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:37:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Paula http://tweenteacher.com/2009/07/22/advice-for-a-future-department-head/comment-page-1/#comment-2994 Paula Tue, 04 Aug 2009 18:38:51 +0000 http://tweenteacher.com/?p=438#comment-2994 All of the suggestions have been great and I can tell from your comments that you will be super. I do want to add something that might also sound like common sense, but when I was a department chair I tried to instill a family atmosphere within the department. We celebrated b'days with a cake, sent cards, food, flowers when a member was ill, things like that. Sure, it took time but everyone felt more relaxed and friendly to each other. We built solid relationships. When a new person joined us, they felt lucky to have gained a school family. We spend so much time together at school; isn't it nice to work where you feel cared for? All of the suggestions have been great and I can tell from your comments that you will be super. I do want to add something that might also sound like common sense, but when I was a department chair I tried to instill a family atmosphere within the department. We celebrated b’days with a cake, sent cards, food, flowers when a member was ill, things like that. Sure, it took time but everyone felt more relaxed and friendly to each other. We built solid relationships. When a new person joined us, they felt lucky to have gained a school family. We spend so much time together at school; isn’t it nice to work where you feel cared for?

]]> By: heather http://tweenteacher.com/2009/07/22/advice-for-a-future-department-head/comment-page-1/#comment-2820 heather Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:34:33 +0000 http://tweenteacher.com/?p=438#comment-2820 Teachin', Thanks so much for the advice, and so noted! I'm really lucky to be learning from our past department head who happens to be a fellow member of the California Writing Project. We've spent a lot of time on our way to our summer institute talking, and I've learned a lot from her in regards to content. I hope I can do her justice! Thanks for commenting and check back to Tweenteacher again! -Heather Wolpert-Gawron aka Tweenteacher Teachin’,
Thanks so much for the advice, and so noted! I’m really lucky to be learning from our past department head who happens to be a fellow member of the California Writing Project. We’ve spent a lot of time on our way to our summer institute talking, and I’ve learned a lot from her in regards to content. I hope I can do her justice!
Thanks for commenting and check back to Tweenteacher again!
-Heather Wolpert-Gawron
aka Tweenteacher

]]> By: teachin' http://tweenteacher.com/2009/07/22/advice-for-a-future-department-head/comment-page-1/#comment-2819 teachin' Thu, 23 Jul 2009 23:09:47 +0000 http://tweenteacher.com/?p=438#comment-2819 Everything you already suggested you'd do sounds great - I wish my department chair fulfilled all those roles. Sigh. In addition, though, I'd suggest a couple of things that might seem so basic that they go without saying...but they don't happen at my school. First, make sure department meetings have a set agenda and then actually follow that agenda. Our meetings often seem to deteriorate into people telling random stories of teachers or district people they know five plus years ago. Um, okay. I'm sure that's interesting and all, but I ALWAYS have grading or planning I could be doing, and it drives me crazy to listen to these anecdotes that are only peripherally related to what we're supposed to be working on. Second, do what you say you're going to do. If you say you're going to order some supplies? Do it. You'd think that'd be a given, but apparently not so much. And finally, and I'm sure this won't matter at least for a few years, if you get tired of being the department chair and the additional work that goes along with it? Step down. Everyone can tell when someone doesn't want to do their job anymore, and it's horribly awkward to be part of that situation. I'm sure you're going to be a fabulous department head! Everything you already suggested you’d do sounds great – I wish my department chair fulfilled all those roles. Sigh. In addition, though, I’d suggest a couple of things that might seem so basic that they go without saying…but they don’t happen at my school.

First, make sure department meetings have a set agenda and then actually follow that agenda. Our meetings often seem to deteriorate into people telling random stories of teachers or district people they know five plus years ago. Um, okay. I’m sure that’s interesting and all, but I ALWAYS have grading or planning I could be doing, and it drives me crazy to listen to these anecdotes that are only peripherally related to what we’re supposed to be working on.

Second, do what you say you’re going to do. If you say you’re going to order some supplies? Do it. You’d think that’d be a given, but apparently not so much.

And finally, and I’m sure this won’t matter at least for a few years, if you get tired of being the department chair and the additional work that goes along with it? Step down. Everyone can tell when someone doesn’t want to do their job anymore, and it’s horribly awkward to be part of that situation.

I’m sure you’re going to be a fabulous department head!

]]> By: heather http://tweenteacher.com/2009/07/22/advice-for-a-future-department-head/comment-page-1/#comment-2817 heather Wed, 22 Jul 2009 22:06:14 +0000 http://tweenteacher.com/?p=438#comment-2817 Pat, Thanks for sharing and mentioning the issue of "transparency." It's an important one to bring up. Last year, I was asked to gather data from the ELA teachers about their scores. Of course, many of them were a little hesitant about sending me the info because they worried about how it reflected on their practice. For the presentation I did for the department, I shared the data based on grade level to show how much students grew from 1st quarter to 4th quarter. Then, my final slide, was a detailed display of my own test scores for each of my classes, both those that were very successful and those that proved a disappointment. I noticed appreciative nods in the audience from the most hesitant of teachers, knowing that I shared my scores to be transparent and to encourage more transparency. We can't learn from each other without learning about each other. Thanks for your comments. -Heather aka Tweenteacher Pat,
Thanks for sharing and mentioning the issue of “transparency.” It’s an important one to bring up. Last year, I was asked to gather data from the ELA teachers about their scores. Of course, many of them were a little hesitant about sending me the info because they worried about how it reflected on their practice. For the presentation I did for the department, I shared the data based on grade level to show how much students grew from 1st quarter to 4th quarter. Then, my final slide, was a detailed display of my own test scores for each of my classes, both those that were very successful and those that proved a disappointment. I noticed appreciative nods in the audience from the most hesitant of teachers, knowing that I shared my scores to be transparent and to encourage more transparency.

We can’t learn from each other without learning about each other.

Thanks for your comments.
-Heather
aka Tweenteacher

]]> By: heather http://tweenteacher.com/2009/07/22/advice-for-a-future-department-head/comment-page-1/#comment-2816 heather Wed, 22 Jul 2009 22:01:26 +0000 http://tweenteacher.com/?p=438#comment-2816 Renee, As always, thanks for the great advice! I think I will definitely be using some of your terms and thoughts in my next meeting. I also like the thought of using our strengths (and verbally sharing those strengths) in our own planning to meet the needs of our students. We've also just begun an articulation process (details for a later post, I'm sure) that I know would embed the benefits of differentiation more deeply, but frankly, for now, I can only gently shove our own department at my own site. Oh, would that we could move the district that way! I think your suggestion of the Writing Project influence is a good one, I'll be sure to look more deeply into my own experience in WP as well as involving other experiences as well. Thanks for your advice and for checking in! -Heather Renee,
As always, thanks for the great advice! I think I will definitely be using some of your terms and thoughts in my next meeting. I also like the thought of using our strengths (and verbally sharing those strengths) in our own planning to meet the needs of our students.

We’ve also just begun an articulation process (details for a later post, I’m sure) that I know would embed the benefits of differentiation more deeply, but frankly, for now, I can only gently shove our own department at my own site. Oh, would that we could move the district that way!

I think your suggestion of the Writing Project influence is a good one, I’ll be sure to look more deeply into my own experience in WP as well as involving other experiences as well.

Thanks for your advice and for checking in!
-Heather

]]> By: Pat http://tweenteacher.com/2009/07/22/advice-for-a-future-department-head/comment-page-1/#comment-2815 Pat Wed, 22 Jul 2009 20:58:22 +0000 http://tweenteacher.com/?p=438#comment-2815 Congratulations on your new adventure! I was department chair at two different schools for a total of 15 years. I felt like I was in limbo land many time because my teachers saw me as part of the admin and the admin didn't see me as anything except a teacher. As a liaison to both groups, I had to be extremely tactful, yet assertive in order to deal with all types of egos. I think the most important thing that both groups realized was that I would not talk behind anyone's back and I was totally honest and transparent about any situation that arose. This really helped both groups respect me and what I had to say. Good luck! Congratulations on your new adventure! I was department chair at two different schools for a total of 15 years. I felt like I was in limbo land many time because my teachers saw me as part of the admin and the admin didn’t see me as anything except a teacher. As a liaison to both groups, I had to be extremely tactful, yet assertive in order to deal with all types of egos. I think the most important thing that both groups realized was that I would not talk behind anyone’s back and I was totally honest and transparent about any situation that arose. This really helped both groups respect me and what I had to say. Good luck!

]]> By: Renee / TeachMoore http://tweenteacher.com/2009/07/22/advice-for-a-future-department-head/comment-page-1/#comment-2814 Renee / TeachMoore Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:53:07 +0000 http://tweenteacher.com/?p=438#comment-2814 Congratulations on this mixed blessing. Having been there, I can testify that there are benefits and dangers in being placed in a position of "authority" among one's peers. One of the benefits you should cultivate is your prior working experience with these people; those relationships will be important as you all move forward. During my time as chair, my colleagues expressed gratitude that I respected their individual strengths and areas of interest. In fact, we built our professional development plan around our assessment of student needs matched with what in-house expertise was available. I understand the tiredness part, too. Being in a constant state of reflection, analysis, and change is great pedagogy and hard work. You're right that tackling the reading will be different. For one thing: Will this initiative involve only the English teachers in your middle school? If so, it could have limited long-term effectiveness for the students. One suggestion for increased efficiency and effectiveness might be to see how you can tie the Reading initiative to the work you are already doing with writing; the more closely woven they are, the better the retention and impact over time. I believe there are some resources available through National Writing Project or International Reading Association that might be helpful here. Congratulations on this mixed blessing. Having been there, I can testify that there are benefits and dangers in being placed in a position of “authority” among one’s peers. One of the benefits you should cultivate is your prior working experience with these people; those relationships will be important as you all move forward. During my time as chair, my colleagues expressed gratitude that I respected their individual strengths and areas of interest. In fact, we built our professional development plan around our assessment of student needs matched with what in-house expertise was available.

I understand the tiredness part, too. Being in a constant state of reflection, analysis, and change is great pedagogy and hard work. You’re right that tackling the reading will be different. For one thing: Will this initiative involve only the English teachers in your middle school? If so, it could have limited long-term effectiveness for the students. One suggestion for increased efficiency and effectiveness might be to see how you can tie the Reading initiative to the work you are already doing with writing; the more closely woven they are, the better the retention and impact over time. I believe there are some resources available through National Writing Project or International Reading Association that might be helpful here.

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